Catholic League: Catholic Church in Connecticut Imperiled

The Catholic League calls for Expulsion of the Lawmakers Behind the Anti-Catholic Legislation.

BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut (Catholic League) - Bill #1098 has been introduced in the Connecticut legislature by Rep. Michael Lawlor and Sen. Andrew McDonald that orders the Catholic Church to reorganize.

Its express purpose is "To revise the corporate governance provisions applicable to the Roman Catholic Church and provide for the investigation of the misappropriation of funds by religious corporations." It specifies that each parish is to elect a board of directors to run all parish functions, thus stripping the Pastor of his authority.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue responded as follows:

"The Catholic League has been deluged with phone calls, e-mails and faxes from Catholics, as well as non-Catholics, from all over Connecticut. On March 11, there will be a public hearing on this bill. Bridgeport Bishop William Lori and Hartford Bishop Henry Mansell are imploring Catholics to attend. More than that needs to be done.

"Bishop Lori is correct to say that the bill 'is a thinly-veiled attempt to silence the Catholic Church on the important issues of the day, such as same-sex marriage.' Indeed, it is payback: this brutal act of revenge by Lawlor and McDonald, two champions of gay marriage, is designed to muzzle the voice of the Catholic Church.

"By singling out the Catholic Church--no other religion has been targeted--Lawlor and McDonald have demonstrated that they are ethically unfit to continue as lawmakers. They have evinced a bias so strong, and so malicious, that it compromises their ability to serve the public good. They should therefore be expelled by their colleagues.

"Reprimand and censure suggest that the offender can be rehabilitated. It is painfully obvious in this instance that neither lawmaker is prepared to accept such a sanction. Expulsion is the only rational response. We are contacting House leader Christopher Donovan and Senate leader Martin Looney to explore this action."

Contact: christopher.donovan@cga.ct.gov

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The Catholic League is the nation's largest Catholic civil rights organization. Founded in 1973 by the late Father Virgil C. Blum, S.J., the Catholic League defends the right of Catholics – lay and clergy alike – to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination. It is led by its' President, William A. Donohue, Ph.D.