Richard Dowling Retires

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you are aware that I have not been pleased with the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC). There are a number of reasons: the socialist mentality regarding taxes and state spending, support of illegal aliens, failure to identify anti-Catholic legislators, etc.

Word came through last Thursday (August 1, 2008) via the Catholic Standard (as a "Special to the Standard") that Mr. Richard Dowling, Executive Director of the MCC will retire later this year. He will be replaced by Mary Ellen Russell.

As someone who has taken an interest in the legislation affecting Catholics in this diocese over the last few years, I would have to say that his overall tenure has been rather disappointing, to say the least.

Yes, the article touts the early years and provides all of the appropriate accolades from various people but lately, the MCC has taken on a rather socialistic approach, such as increasing taxes on the wealthy is acceptable*, advocating socialized medicine, giving a free ride to illegal aliens. I personally love the way the article states that "he has lead advocacy efforts to...assist immigrant families..." Just another phrase for illegal aliens.

Although he has seemed to help head off the impending rcognition of gay marriages, it is only time before true marriage becomes just a thing of the past. The only victories they can seem to count on are in the area of bigger government programs.

The MCC under Ms. Russell will look forward to a victory in the area of the death penalty, but in the areas of support for Catholic education, abortion, true marriage (not traditional but true), etc., I do not see them as being successful given their track record and socialistic undertone.

Maybe Ms. Russell can turn things around but the Cardinal McCarrick view of politicians gripping Catholic leadership and Archbishop Wuerl's "avoid controversy at all cost" approach, we will be lucky if they don't outlaw Catholic schools in the next decade.

*Whenever I ask for a definition of "wealthy," (how much does a person have to make per year - gross or net -- to be considered wealthy) I never seem to get one.

++++++++++++

Help defeat Montgomery County's Gender Identity Bill 23-07 this November. Go to http://notmyshower.net/.

++++++++++++

Vote NObama '08

PCism Runs Amok at the MCC

Recently, I received the following email Action by the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC):

Please urge your delegate, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, to support SB 111/HB 528.

SB 111/HB 528 would expand the definition of hate crimes to include hate-related attacks committed against homeless individuals. The House Judiciary Committee will likely take a vote on the legislation in the next week. SB 111 already passed the Senate, with a vote of 40 to 4.

In 2007, homeless individuals were victims of 160 documented acts of violence across the United States. 31 of these individuals were killed. From 1999 to 2006, at least 187 such deaths were reported - more than twice the number of hate crimes reported against currently-protected groups.

Some of these murders have taken place in Maryland. When one of the Maryland attackers - who had bludgeoned several homeless men, killing two - was asked why he had done such a thing, he answered, "I consider them trash." Another homeless individual was beaten to death in Frederick just weeks ago. His alleged attacker commented to police, "Oh him, he's just a beggar, a vagrant."

First, let me say that killing a homeless man, because he has some money or is homeless is wrong, wrong, wrong and the attacker should be punished to he full extent of the law.

But do we need to make it a “special protected category/group”?

What about combat veterans? What about plumbers? What about one legged, red-heads who are left handed and have a history of flirting with police officers?

Shouldn't the MCC push to have these people a "protected class"?

Why should some killings be considered more heinous than others?

Is their life more important than that of my spouse or children? I don’t think so.

Is this what the MCC is spending its limited time and money on?

I have a better solution: Fire Richard Dowling, the MCC Executive Director. We can save a hell of a lot of money that way.

Thank You MCC for hurting Catholic Education.

In a recent article in the Catholic Standard (“State funding cut for text books to non-public schools” Feb. 21, 2008 Page 7), funding for the Maryland Nonpublic Textbook/Technology Loan program has been cut by about 10% or $400,000.

For those of you who do not know, the program provides non-religious textbooks, software, and hardware to non-public schools. For example, you can purchase English books or at least defray some of the cost on a per pupil basis.

Now, you may ask why do you blame the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC)? The answer is very simple. They are supporting a number of programs which call for increases in funding, such as in-state tuition rates for illegal aliens.*

In fact, if you go to this week's paper copy of the Catholic Standard (Feb. 28 Page 6), Julie Varner the MCC's point person on support for illegal aliens, testified in front of the Maryland Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee in opposition to the denial of instate tuition for illegal aliens.

Personally, I just love her comment that illegal aliens are "in full compliance with federal immigration law." I guess entering the country without a visa or Green Card or overstaying your visa constitutes full compliance with federal law. As my friend would say: "What the heck have you been drinking?"

By lobbying for these other programs, they are only causing our legislators to cut current programs. For not announcing and targeting the lawmakers who do not support our issues, it only increases their attacks upon us, knowing that nothing will happen.

These cuts only hurt our ever stretched Catholic schools by driving up the costs and driving away students. St. Ignatius in Ft. Washington, MD will close in the Fall because there are simply not enough students and the parish cannot afford to pump another $250,000 plus into it.

So, I offer my congratulations to Julie Varner, Dick Dowling (Executive Director) and Mary Ellen Russell (Dep. Director for Education & Family Issues) of the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) on helping Catholic school families’ pay just a little bit more in tuition and fees next year.

Soon there won’t be any Catholic elementary schools and you put more focus on helping illegal aliens.


*For those of you in Annapolis, you call it “undocumented workers.” It means those who have either entered the country illegally or have overstayed their visas.

The Congressional Candidate Survey by the MCC

Editor's Note: I had written this a while back but for some reason never published it. So, I thought I should publish it, even it is late. Mea Culpa.



The Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) has conducted a survey of the congressional candidates who are currently on the primary ballot. Now there is nothing wrong with this, but once again, would you guys (that means the MCC) stop with some of your radical left ideas.

With Question 3 you are asking these candidates to put the safety and security of the US in danger. You are probably the same people who said 9/11 was our fault.

In Question #4 you use the term “undocumented” and not “illegal aliens.” These are people who have entered the US illegally. No matter how you try to sugar coat it, they have broken the law. I guess we should call pedophile priests, “members of the clergy who love children in an adult way.” Let’s see you use that phrase the next time.

Question #6 calls for socialized medicine. Have you taken a look at Britain’s hospital system? It is a mess. We need to go back to the days before HMOs. Oh, and if you did not know it, Ted Kennedy was one of the primary sponsors of the legislation that brought us HMOs.

I still do not believe that the MCC adequately represents the views of the average Roman Catholic in the Archdiocese of Washington.

It is time for the Archbishop to fire Richard Dowling and the rest of the crew at the MCC.

Legislative Night 2008 should be called "Let's Reward Ilegal Activity" Night

The Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) continues to push for a variety of benefits for “undocumented workers” (for those of you in Annapolis, it means “illegal aliens” – you know, those who have come into the country without a visa or have overstayed it).

How do they do so?

Well, as part of their Lobby Night 2008 packet, they state that they oppose the following bills:

Four bills (SB 93, SB 621, HB 288, and HB 1046) would prohibit undocumented immigrants from obtaining drivers licenses. One bill (SB 277) would imprison those who unlawfully apply for or use a drivers license and cannot prove they are present in the United States lawfully.

Wow, can you believe that they not only support giving drivers licenses to illegal aliens but the even oppose any sort of penalties to those who attempt to attain them.

What’s next free education? Why yes, of course.

And so, the Archbishop has to close Catholic schools, enrollment is down at many because parents cannot afford the tuition, the MCC can barely get money for text books for Catholic schools, but they are more than willing to push for instate tuition for those who are here illegally. All they are doing is siphoning money.

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

But folks, that is not all, they also oppose the following:

One bill (SB 681) would require police officers who detain individuals determined by the officers to be undocumented, to inform the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Another (HB 1074) would require DNA samples to be collected from undocumented immigrants under arrest. Another (SB 112) would prohibit District Courts from granting pretrial release to individuals who cannot prove that they are in the United States lawfully. Three bills (SB 421, HB 735, and HB 885) would prohibit Maryland counties and municipalities from restricting their personnel from gathering or communicating information on individuals’ immigration status.

So, the MCC opposes local law enforcement to let ICE know that someone is here illegally and even to gather information on their immigration status.

Heck, why even bother to enforce any laws. So, when a priest molests a child, who cares, it’s only a child. When someone steals money donated to the Church, hey it’s only money. When a guy rapes a woman, hey, it’s only sex. (Please note, that I do not hold these views, I am only following the logic of the MCC.)

The Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Washington DC finds their elementary schools closing because of a lack of funding, anti-marriage and anti-family legislation being pushed thru and abortion the norm, because they are more worried about rewarding those who have come here illegally than focusing on many of the basics.

They ally themselves with those who claim to be supporting social justice, only to find that those are the same politicians are more than willing to turn on the Church after they have gotten their vote and support.

But the MCC keeps coming back to them. They must be gluttons for punishment.

Oh, and one last thing, if you notice that for every topic – death penalty, housing, etc. – there is a contact. Notice that for illegal aliens, there is none. Now, here is the dirty little secret – Julie Varner, Assoc. Director of Social Concerns, is the person handling this.

It is time that the Archbishop fires Richard Dowling and many of the staff at the MCC.

If he doesn’t, he won’t have to worry about Catholic schools because there will be too few of them to matter.

++++++++++

Remember: Help stop the Montgomery Country Transgender Bill. Sign the petition (if you are a registered voter in MoCo.) Click here. There are only a few days left!

The MCC – Who are they kidding?

The Feb. 7, 2008 print edition of the Catholic Standard contains an article entitled: Maryland’s US Hose candidates answer questions asked by MCC.

In it, the Catholic Standard stated that all of the House candidates were invited to respond to the questionnaire by the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC). Candidates who did not respond were then mailed a second invitation. Finally, there were phone call and email follow-ups. Some candidates, they reported did not respond.

According to Richard Dowling, the MCC executive director:

…those candidates who chose not to participate, I must say that their choice is puzzling.

Catholics comprise the biggest bloc of religiously-affiliated voters in the state, somewhere in the neighborhood of 22 percent. As we vote – four in every 10 Marylanders who cast ballots in the 2006 elections identified themselves as Roman Catholic. Here was a direct communication link to a great many Catholic voters.

Who is Dick Dowling trying to fool? Even if the numbers are correct, politicians know that

1. Catholics do not vote their faith. I look around my parish and see Obama and Clinton stickers on a number of cars.

2. Many Catholics are willing to join politicians on the “social justice” issues such as spending more money on health care, etc. However, when these same Catholics come to them about abortion or being pro-family, vouchers, etc., the politicians ignore them. Why? Very simple. They know that they will get their votes no matter how they (the politicians) vote on the issues.

3. Our Archbishop, the MCC and many of the others we look up to, do not seem to have the moral backbone to stand up to these politicians. Where is the Archbishop on the Montgomery Transgender Bill? All I have heard is silence.

It is time for Dick Dowling, Julie Varner and the rest of the crew at the MCC to be fired.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Remember: Help stop the Montgomery Country Transgender Bill. Sign the petition (if you are a registered voter in MoCo.) Click here.

Another MCC Myth Busted

One of the issues that the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) and the Archbishops have pushed is for in-state tuition for illegal aliens.

Their arguement is that that these children came to the US, brought here by their parents. They had no choice. They had no knowledge of what their parents were doing. They have lived here for many years and therefore should not be punished. They too should receive a discounted education.

My argument has always been: Why do you want to reward illegal behavior?

Well, it looks like that myth has been busted by The Washington Post on January 14, 2008.

According to the article, it focuses on Marcelino Benitez who:

came to the United States with a friend when he was 15, hoping to join his mother in Loudoun. After walking across the desert for a day and a night, he was picked up in a small truck packed with other border-crossers and drive to Phoenix.

So, now we find out that not all minors who come to the US are brought here by their parents.

Another half truth from the Maryland Catholic Conference.

Personally, as I have said before, it is time to clean house and fire Richard Dowling and then Julie Varner. It is also time for the Archdiocese of Washington to stop supporting those who have broken the law.

Congratulations Maryland Catholic Conference for helping to give us over $1,000,000,000 in new taxes!

Well, it looks like the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) under Richard Dowling, Julie Varner et al. has succeeded in giving all of us higher taxes. Now, they cannot raise taxes but they have been one of the groups that have helped to push for new taxes in front of the Maryland legislature.

Let's just take a look at what they have helped to accomplish:

• 120% increase in motor vehicle title registration fee
• 100% increase in cigarette tax
• 20% increase in sales tax (5 cents to 6 cents)
• Expansion of sales tax to computer services (estimated to raise $200 million per year)
• 20% increase in car titling tax (limited relief granted by trade-in allowance)
• 20% tax on net proceeds for electronic bingo and tip jar amusements (an entirely new tax)
• 18% increase in corporate income tax rate
• Increases in personal income tax rates for wage earners under graduated tax brackets (highest wage earners face 16% increase)
• New transfer tax on real estate transfers of “controlling interests”

What does this mean to me? It will mean:

(1) I will do more of my shopping in Delaware -- which has no taxes -- and will help to generate less money into Maryland's coffers; and,

(2) it will make me think long and hard about an increase in my giving to the parish and the Archdiocese this year. You see, each year I try to increase my giving in relation to inflation. I believe that if I give one dollar a week this year, that I should increase it next year by X amount.

What does this mean to you? You get to keep less of your money. Not only do you have to pay more in taxes, businesses will simply pass along the cost of these increases to you. As my dad says: "You pay, no matter which way you turn."

Think of it as an early Christmas gift from the MCC and Gov. O'Malley.

Nice job Mr. Dowling, nice job.