To Catholics: You might need to fight back in Church tomorrow: here's how

[pnwmom]

Leaders of right-wing Catholic groups are planning an unauthorized "literature drop" at Catholic churches during Mass tonight and tomorrow.

Call your priests and find out what they are doing to protect parishioners from divisive, unauthorized pamphleting.

If you find unauthorized literature papering the windshields in your parking lot, feel free to remove it -- from any car -- it's garbage.

http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/2397

Catholics United – which claims to represent progressive Catholics – alerted their own network with emails and blog announcements about a “Protect Catholic Churches from Political Manipulation” campaign.

Catholics United told their supporters to contact their pastors or parish administration about “the religious far right” calling on its activists “to defy the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ order to keep unapproved election materials from church property by doing a ‘literature drop’ at parishes across the country.”

The group provides suggestions supporters can give to pastors “to protect” their parishes from “divisive political literature.” Their alert tells supporters:

“Inform your parish staff and volunteers about the Bishops’ guidelines and enlist their help in keeping church property clear of unauthorized voter education information.”

“Be especially watchful for leafleting on Church grounds during Mass, including efforts to place such materials on car windshields. These groups are telling their activists to begin papering Church parking lots twenty minutes after Mass begins.”

“You have a right to remove unauthorized literature form car windshields on Church property, ask partisan activists to leave Church property, and to call local law enforcement if they continue to trespass.”

“Post a message in the church and the parish bulletin reminding parishioners that the Church does not support or oppose any political candidates, and does not authorize the distribution of partisan political materials on parish property.”

[Lifelong Protester]

1. Sorry, but I quit going last spring because of this

I was leafleted by some pro-lifers for "W" last time around. It makes me sick. Sorry to all of the faithful. My interest in organized religion has waned terribly in the last eight years, thanks to the fundies.

[pnwmom]

4. If you're not going to Mass

then you're the perfect person to de-litter the parking lot.

;)

[Lifelong Protester]

5. Hmmm... never thought of that!

[vaberella]

2. I live in New York City. Our Churches strictly adhere to separation of Church and State. n/t

[bulloney]

3. Somebody is personally taking out ads with Clear Channel stations in Lima, Ohio

saying that Catholics CANNOT vote for candidates who allow abortion. It goes on to say that Obama supports abortion rights and leaves it at that.

I'll bet the guy who bought the ads--Harold Niekamp--supports the war, and a lot of other issues that destroy or deteriorate a person's quality of life. I wonder if old Harold realizes that his Catholic church's position on poverty, health care, concentration of wealth and the Iraq war is opposite of the Republican candidate that he alludes that you should support.

Hypocrites!!

[Chloroplast]

6. I'm on the verge of writing my Archbishop and the IRS.

As a Catholic, the electioneering is getting out of hand and I am biting my tongue so I don't lose my temper with a Priest. I'm tired of the emotional blackmail and think Uncle Sam should get a chunk of the weekly collections; trust me, churches pull in beaucoup bucks that could help line the Treasury's coffers.


'Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's.'