Catholics Return Check From Lawmaker Over Gay Marriage Vote

[Ahimsa]

**
By Jack Jenkins
Religion News Service
(RNS) A New York lawmaker has found himself at odds with the Roman Catholic Church after a parish school refused a $50 donation because of his vote in favor of same-sex marriage.
Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, a Democrat, sent a $50 check to honor a student at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood only to have it returned uncashed.
The rejected check was attached to a letter from Monsignor Joseph Calise, the church’s priest, who said Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio “requested that all gifts received from politicians supporting same-sex marriage legislation be refused.”
The snub left Lentol flummoxed, he said, especially after the parish asked him to continue his 25 years of donations.

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[Dale_M]

Some additional information:

Monsignor Joseph Calise, Mt. Carmel’s pastor, said the parish came up with the $50 needed to purchase the savings bonds so no students were deprived.

Calise told NBC New York the $50 flap was distracting him from the feast currently in full swing and taking attention away for the work the parish already does to include homosexuals.

“I don’t want anyone to think I or this parish is homophobic,” said Calise. He told NBC New York the parish holds gay and lesbian support groups twice a month.

nbcnewyork.com/news/local/SCHOOL-SNUBS-LAWMAKERS-DONATION-125245969.html

Diocese spokesman Monsignor Kieran Harrington said the pastor did the right thing. “I appreciate that Assemblyman Lentol may be upset that his check was returned, but it’s kind of preposterous to say that we should be giving a platform to people whose views we fundamentally disagree with.”

nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2011/07/assemblyman-joe-lentols-aye-for-gay-marriage-gets-him-a-nay-from-church

 

[Fink]

Well done, Parish and Diocese!

And he has the hide to claim that he was taught that way as a Catholic!

 

[Corki]

Well done, Parish and Diocese!

+1

 

[GeorgetownHoya]

I Hope this means the Church is going to return all the money I gave to its collection boxes, all those years that they were harboring child molesters by shifting them around parish to parish. Because that’s not something I believe in.

 

[Fink]

I Hope this means the Church is going to return all the money I gave to its collection boxes, all those years that they were harboring child molesters by shifting them around parish to parish. Because that’s not something I believe in.

Don`t blame the Church. Blame the spiritual descendents of Judas (one of the Twelve, remember) who betrayed her.

One excuse is as good as another, though, i suppose.

 

[hudson]

I Hope this means the Church is going to return all the money I gave to its collection boxes, all those years that they were harboring child molesters by shifting them around parish to parish. Because that’s not something I believe in.

Nope sorry your money will never be returned to you. Please keep donating to support the Bishops, Cardinals, and the Pope in their fight against gay marriage, abortion, etc. Thanks!