Legislative Attack on Catholic Church in Connecticut

This was received through Supreme's website and poses major concern:

An attack on the Catholic Church of Connecticut by leaders of the state legislature's Judiciary Committee "is clearly unconstitutional and poses a danger to all religions, even though its immediate target is the Catholic Church," Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, said today. The organization's international headquarters is located in New Haven, Connecticut.

On Thursday, March 5, a bill was introduced in the Connecticut state legislature, and immediately referred to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. It targets one – and only one – church in the state, the Catholic Church, and would strip the bishops and priests of the state of any power to exercise administrative authority over their parishes.

Raised Bill No. 1098 is a committee bill and does not bear the names of any individual sponsors. Both co-chairmen of the committee, State Sen. Andrew McDonald and State Rep. Michael Lawlor, are outspoken proponents of same-sex marriage in Connecticut and have been critical of the Catholic Church’s opposition to both civil unions and same-sex marriage.
The stated purpose of the bill is to “provide for the investigation of the misappropriation of funds by religious corporations,” but it deals only with the corporate structure of the Catholic Church. No other church is mentioned, or would be subject to the bill’s requirements.

The measure has been put on a legislative fast track, with hearings scheduled for Wednesday, March 11, less than a week after its introduction. Knights of Columbus, and all concerned Connecticut Catholics, are encouraged to attend the hearing that day and express their opposition to the bill. They may also call or write the committee co-chairmen, State Sen. Andrew McDonald (800-842-1420 or McDonald@senatedems.ct.gov), and State Rep. Michael Lawlor (800-842-8267 or MLawlor99@juno.com.

Bill 1098 is clearly unconstitutional. For more than 200 years, federal courts have consistently held that the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution bars the government from interfering in the internal affairs of churches. This legislation not only violates that fundamental principle, but also would single out the Catholic Church for discriminatory treatment applied to no other religious organization.

Raised Bill No. 1098 would take away all administrative authority from the bishops and priests of the Catholic Church. "This legislation violates both the First Amendment, by intervening in the internal affairs of the Church, and the Fourteenth Amendment because it singles out the Catholic Church for discriminatory treatment. Moreover, it will chill freedom of religion and free speech, because it sends a message to all religious leaders that they will now have to consider whether what they say will subject them to government interference and intimidation," Anderson explained. "The power to impose structures that grant or take away authority of church leaders at the discretion of government officials is the power to intimidate and ultimately to destroy," Anderson concluded.

Not only is this unconstitutional, but should be considered unAmerican, however with the turning of events of recent days this does not surprise me. The "protestants" delighted over their pet invention of "seperation of church and state" and now i guess they would like to re-nig on their "baby". What they fail to realize is that there is a force greater than their selves at work against them. Let us pray that with the aid of Saints Michael and Gabriel that the aformentioned Government representatives will come to true light, and eventual conversion.

More information:
Diocese of Bridgeport
Family Institute of Connecticut
National Catholic Register
Archbishop Mansell Statement
Connecticut Catholic Conference Action Alert