Archdiocese's campaign donation draws protesters - STLtoday.com

Archdiocese's campaign donation draws protesters

Nov. 29, 2009 -- More than 150 people took part in a rally outside the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica protesting the archdiocese's financial support of a campaign to overturn a gay marriage law in Maine. (Emily Rasinski/P-D)

By Michele Munz

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

11/30/2009

St. Louis — More than 150 people took part in a rally Sunday outside the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica protesting the archdiocese's use of $10,000 in "private gifts" in a campaign to overturn a gay marriage law in Maine.

Participants argued church dollars have no place in political campaigns, and local needs should have higher priority.

"Are the Catholic dollars placed in the offering basket behind us not private? Do you tell the donors what you are doing with them?" organizer Ed Reggi of Show Me No Hate told the crowd. "Why not fund love, archbishop?"

via stltoday.com

I concur that this is a misuse of church funds.

I plan to design a collection plate card that parishioners can fill in to indicate where they have diverted their usual contribution until the Archdiocese pulls back from funding political action such as this. Any help would be appreciated.

I envision a bright pink card that has a fill-in-the-blank for how many dollars the parishioner has diverted to another charity. This card could be sent by the parish to the diocesan office when they send their usual "tax".

I started diverting donations years ago, when I suspected my money was being used to defend and cover-up clergy sexual abuse cases. I stepped up when our previous Archbishop thwarted control of Catholic Charities. I will not give to the Archdiocesan appeal, nor any other charity officially tied to the Archdiocese of Saint Louis. Instead, I give directly to those groups and individuals who are independent of the Archdiocese. I encourage others to do likewise.

I have heard also, that one may make a restricted gift to their parish and it does not get counted toward the Diocesan "tax' of two percent of the collections that each parish is obligated to pay each year. Something to investigate with your local parish priest and administrator.

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin