AUGUSTA, Maine — Bishop Richard J. Malone, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, thanked lawmakers Tuesday for their service at an annual reception held in their honor.
Malone also explained why the church takes positions and lobbies on political issues, but he did not urge legislators to support any particular bills or initiatives.
“People of faith would be remiss in our duty were we to remain silent in this regard,” Malone said at the event, held at the Governor Hill Mansion, not far from the State House. “Religion is not simply a private, personal thing, as some would argue. The church is not a political party, nor do we ever endorse political parties or candidates for office. Our role is to inform public debate about the universal truths and principles of a just and compassionate society.
“The principles that the church proposes and defends in public life are not strictly religious principles known only through divine revelation — Scripture — but are derived from natural law, which can be known by right reason,” he continued. “These natural law principles can be discussed by all people of good will who are open to rational discourse and truth. And the conviction that there are, in fact, absolute unchanging truths, knowable by reason, makes the public conversation more substantial and certainly more interesting.”
Only about a dozen legislators were able to attend the reception. Party caucuses were being held at the same time as a behind-the-scenes attempt to hammer out a budget compromise that could be supported on both sides of the aisle and by the governor.
Some of those who showed up, including Sen. Barry Hobbins, D-Saco, attend every year. Others, such as Rep. Stacey K. Guerin, R-Glenburn, had never attended.
“I’m a Catholic, so I’m here to show respect to the bishop,” Hobbins said. “I think it’s important for the church, like other groups, be able to explain its position. It’s true that some of the issues the church advocates for and against are galvanizing but they also lobby for social justice issues.”
The diocese opposed a bill that would prevent workers at the former DeCoster egg farms from unionizing. The bill passed Tuesday in the House along party lines. The church also has opposed Gov. Paul LePage’s proposal to remove an estimated 65,000 Mainers from government-funded health care.
Marc Mutty, the lobbyist for the diocese who spends his days and some nights in the halls of the State House, said during the reception that much of his time in Augusta over the past four years has been spent working to see that the safety net is maintained for the state’s most vulnerable residents during difficult and unpredictable financial times. The areas of concentration set for him this session are: care for and protection of human life; caring for children and families; and economic justice and fiscal resource allocation.
Guerin said at the reception that she supported the efforts of the diocese to inform lawmakers about issues that are important to Catholics. The representative also said she appreciated the low-key approach Mutty and his associate John S. Martin take.
“They are not intrusive at all,” Guerin said.
As for having faith-based groups lobbying her, the representative said she was fine with that.
“Faith has been a part of the fabric of our society since the founding of the nation,” Guerin said. “There is no need to leave that out. Faith is very important to a lot of our constituents.”
“People of faith would be remiss in our duty were we to remain silent in this regard,” says the Bishop. Was that a reference to a lesson the church learned through years of silent abuse of children?
The abuse occurred more than two decades ago. For your part, what have you done to stop abuse?
Catholic Charities is a business.. an out-sourcing business for human services entirely funded by federal, state, county governments, united way and a few others. It would be nice if once that the diocese gave credit to the taxpayers who do all the heavy lifting and stop pretending that it is those that occupy their pews that are responsible for the end product.
You had to take a stab at the Church did you? It would have been nice if you had had the decency to give the reader a bit more information about just how much money, for instance, Catholic Charities receives from government sources and where its sources are being spent. I have this information but I think since you were so willing to attack the Church, you need to come up with it.
How about it?
Also, it would be nice to know where you got the idea the Church is “pretending”.
As you well know.. it’s impossible to acquire that information. The Diocese refuses to comply with the Better Business Bureau’s requests for past or current financial data that other charities do on a regular basis. Catholic Charities is immuned from the annual audits submittals required by the Maine’s Attorney General’s office for all non-religious charities. That’s how CC can perpetuate this scam and escape unnoticed.
As I said, I’ve have pertinent information but you obviously don’t. Now who do you suppose is pretending? Look, you shouldn’t be making statements you can’t support. It’s quite obvious your comment was intended to be offensive and rile some folks.
Ok, if you have information – show your hand !!! Tell us (here is a good place) – How much charity donated exclusively by the catholic lay was collected and distributed by the diocese?
Also, show us a reference by the diocese where they gave even an iota credit for all the $100 of millions of taxpayer money given by government contracts to catholic charities?
What a mouthfull of pure, unedulterated garbage. Designed and spoken to make the catholic church appear to be something other than a big business. The church will go as far as it has to to keep it’s power base. Lie, cheat, steal, it does not matter.
Obviously this statement reflects a lot of hatred on your part. Could you tell me what it is the Church has done to you to deserve this condemnation?
“Obviously this statement reflects a lot of hatred on your part. Could you tell me what it is the Church has done to you to deserve this condemnation?”
??? “The diocese opposed a bill that would prevent workers at the former DeCoster egg farms from unionizing. The bill passed Tuesday in the House along party lines. ” ???
It might be just politics, which the Bishop should stay out of, huh, Whatwell ?
The bill that was passed allegedly prevents workers at the former DeCoster egg farms from unionizing. I thought you were a union supporter. What exactly happened to you for changing your mind?
Do0 YOU support Unions, or whatever your Bishop says, Whatwell ?
Is Mitt used to that , too ?
He is a Bishop, too, isn’t he ?
I believe in freedom. If workers want to form a union, then let them do so and let them suffer the consequences if there are any. As much as possible the government should stay out of these conflicts. Also, no should be forced to join a union in order to retain his or her job. I believe unions can perform a good function in helping to protect worker rights. I also believe unions can and often do work against workers’ best interests as in cases where they take down an employer.
I would suggest you stop your baiting comments, like the one in your opening sentence. This is getting tedious.
The question is about the Church staying out of the government’s business
and so out of what you think the government… but not the Church ???? …
should stay out of .
Only the church can get away with institutionalizing pedophilia and still dare to cast stones at those who oppose their corrupted world view.
Goodness, don’t forget congress and hollywood .
When government or private institutions discover a pedophile in their ranks they call the police.
When the church was warned that they had hundreds of pedophiles in the priesthood they opened a spa for them in New Mexico where they could get together with other child rapists and share tip on how to pick out the most vulnerable children.
Obviously you are not aware of the ongoing pedophilia scandal in our public education system. Of course you’re not totally to blame for this. The media likes to ignore certain subjects.
well you see that’s the difference. When a pedophile gets caught by the government they call the cops and have them arrested.. When the Vatican was told they had thousands of pedophile priests they used their power to protect the pedophiles and even helped then get access to new and unsuspecting victims. …… Honestly I was as shocked as anyone at just how culpable the church is and I have zero confidence that would have done anything to protect those children if the Boston Globe hadn’t outed them.
‘When a pedophile gets caught by the government they call the cops and have them arrested..” That’s not always the case in public schools that engage in coverups. Also, you claim the Vatican used its power to protect pedophile priests and even helped them to get access to new and unsuspecting victims. Could you provide evidence to support this claim? I’ve heard this allegation before but have never heard or seen it substantiated.
For starters here are scanned documents from a Catholic priest who was in charge of the pedophiles while they where at the retreat in New Mexico.. To his credit he notified the Vatican that these men where sexual predators but the church including Maine’s own Bishop choose to do nothing.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2008/05_06/2008_06_16_Ebeling_ProofBishops.htm
Yes, the Vatican knew there was a problem with pedophile priests. But this does not substantiate your claim the Vatican used its power to protect pedophile priests and even helped them to get access to new unsuspecting victims. Again, I must ask you, “Where’s the evidence?”
The evidence is there in the depositions of the father who told the Pope in 1962 that priests who where being sent to New Mexico for raping boys where not being cured.
Instead of notifying the police so that these rapist could be arrested the Pope used his considerable influence to protect these monsters and facilitated their crimes by sending them to new parishes where the raped again and again.
The Vatican’s negigance in this matter can only be explained by their active approval.
The Pope did not use his influence to protect abuse. The priest’s suggestion in a letter to the Pope to banish abusers on an island was rejected as too harsh a treatment for people with disorders in favor of a prevailing sense among psychotherapists at that time that these disorders could be treated effectively. It was also felt incarceration would have the opposite effect of therapy by further causing the disorder to be entrenched. Priests who were treated after several months and sometimes years were returned to their dioceses only after having been certified as having been rehabilitated. We now know that didn’t always work – especially with true pedophiles, (prepubescent abusers) – but at least the church in most areas made an effort to prevent further abuse. Besides, there were no laws then requiring the reporting of sex abuse.
Have you ever wondered what all the other organizations (public & private schools, other churches and synagogues , youth clubs, summer camps, hospitals & mental treatment centers, sport teams) did to handle child sex abuse? Even today, what happens to those abusers after they are arrested and prosecuted? Believe me, they are in still lurking in every neighborhood. They haven’t disappeared. The best way to keep children safe is to ensure they are not alone with one adult except their caretakers, and to train them to recognize and avoid potential abuse. This is precisely what the Church is doing. All Catholic children are required to receive training, as well as all adults who work within the confines of the Church. As a result abuse is much rarer in the Church. Yet with all eyes and criticism focused on the Church, abuse is going on in most other organizations relatively unchecked.
As you can see, I’ve done my research on this topic over the years. And I’m still learning.
Like I said, only the church can get away with knowingly helping pedophile priests gain access to new victims.
It is an outrage against all human decency that the same organization that facilitates pedophiles is being given even more money and power.
Your statements are very bigotted. The Church is not knowingly helping pedophile priests gain access to new victims. That is a ludicrous charge.
The Vatican and the US Bishops knew what was going on and instead of calling the police they simply moved the rapists to a new church where the priest could find new victims. The church did this over and over with the full knowledge that it was happening. .. If that doesn’t bother you then I am truly sorry for your soul.
The evidence, the evidence please. So far you have not given me much to comment on except unproven sensationalistic charges. You’re acting more and more like a bigot with all your bigoted and intentionally offensive comments. It sounds like you have an axe to grind.
What exactly is it that you think people should remember about Congress and Hollywood, collectively ?
I’m tired of the press covering everything this man says.
Why do they ?
Catholic woman don’t even listen to his nonsense, do they ?
Institutionalizing pedophilia? Sounds to me like you are engaging in demonization. What stones is the Church casting? Hmm… You’re not casting stones right now, are you?
There is not a demon in Hades who could compare to what the church knowing did to those innocent children. It is beyond human understanding how they could send known pedophiles from parish to parish so that they could prey on new victims.
Maybe you can’t understand what went on, but I can to some degree. Now, don’t get me wrong, the Church is not innocent either. It’s just that there is no substitute for the truth of what exactly happened, which is rare these days. On the brighter side the Church has cleaned its act here in the U.S. and is doing the same elsewhere. Most other institutions in the U.S. are just beginning to do that. That said, I wonder what the government is doing different with all the sexual predators. It certainly not keeping them all locked up.
Here is a website with the documents from the deposition of the Father who was in charge of the treatment facility in New Mexico.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2008/05_06/2008_06_16_Ebeling_ProofBishops.htm
I warn you if you have not yet come to except the great evil that was allowed to go on for centuries these document may be upsetting to you.
It is time to take away tax exempt status of religious operations.
Especially if they decide to spend money on political lobbying efforts.
You’ll have to change the 1st Amendment in order to take away the tax exemption of church organizations.
Religion needs to get its nose out of politics.
I support the separation of Church and State, leaving Malone just a guy with a political agenda.
He should only be in the newspaper for how he is closing down parishes,
and selling off Church properties.
bangordailynews.com/…/st-maryrsquos-church-in-orono-could-have..