Parish Risks Tax Exempt Status for Politics?

[melensdad]

At what point does a parish cross the legal line and lose its Tax Exempt status due to its political activity?

Take a look at the St Sabina’s Church website in Chicago. Here are several pages that I question . . .

Here is an entire page with links to legislators, links to legislation, etc. This page gives links to 6 different legislative proposals (I’m not trying to get hung up on the TYPE of legislation, just the fact that the parish is so active in influencing legislation).
saintsabina.org/action/stop_guns.htm

This is the “About the Parish” “index” page and roughly 40% of this page is dedicated to an anti-gun rant that the Cardinal chastised the priest over as well as links to Illinois Representatives and Senators.
saintsabina.org/index2.htm

Here on the events page is just a small bit:
saintsabina.org/events/index.htm

 

[johnlal]

I have always thought it was an artificial line to draw, to say that a church cannot concern itself with politics. Political issues are almost by definition the ones we need to pay close attention to. Yet, we somehow think that the Church should avoid these big issues. The Catholic church has always concerned itself with politics. In earlier times, all politics flowed from the Vatican. Today, the Church concerns itself with such political issues as abortion and gay rights.

But there’s no reason why the Church can’t pay it’s taxes like everybody else. If a church generates income, why can’t it pay taxes? If the church catches fire, who pays for the fire department to come and put it out? If there is a crime reported at the church, who pays law enforcement to come out to visit? If a church sues or is sued, who pays the costs of court administration?

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I think the Church is free to comment on legislations, referendum propositions etc. It is only prohibited from endorsing or opposing a specific candidate for election.

I think it is even free to publicize voting records etc, but not to characterize them in such a way as to suggest how to vote. [That is cutting a close line.]

It is interesting to note that many parishes and dioceses avoided pro-life actions lest they imperil their tax exemption. I would suggest that all that money they protected, and more, is now gone in court settlements.

 

[chicago]

I’m tempted to say (tongue in cheeck) that the point when they risk such is when they advocate some concern which ruffles the feathers of the empowered political leaders or civil rights groups which don’t like what they are saying. At least this certainly seems to be the point at which chancery officials will have a fit.

Realistically, I believe that just about anything short of telling people from the pulpit (or in a newsletter/bulletin) who they should specifically vote for should be in order for a Church to promote. And, especially, making apologetic promoting arguments and advocating issues of concern ought to be allowed. Even making voting records public should be the proper work of a parish.

Practically speaking, it is clear that in the liberal Churches, they are allowed to go far beyond this into the realm of holding what amounts to campaign speeches from the pulpit without anyone challenging their tax status without risking loss of status in the least.

 

[melensdad]

Practically speaking, it is clear that in the liberal Churches, they are allowed to go far beyond this into the realm of holding what amounts to campaign speeches from the pulpit without anyone challenging their tax status without risking loss of status in the least.

Clearly there have been issues raised about this particular parish and its politicing from the pulpit on several issue so based on SEVERAL issues, there may be grounds for this parish to lose its tax exempt status.

 

[chicago]

Clearly there have been issues raised about this particular parish and its politicing from the pulpit on several issue so based on SEVERAL issues, there may be grounds for this parish to lose its tax exempt status.

A) I don’t think that politicing from the pulpit on issues is a problem. Candidate campaigning may be, however.

B) The parish isn’t a Church in and of itself. It is part of a larger organization, which may need to be gone after, if that were the desire. Is the entity “as a whole” underming it’s tax status or is it only an isolated part in the bigger picture? Ultimately, the only person responsible, then, for the tax status of the entity here is the corporation sole, who is Cardinal George. So the question would more likely be whether he has undermined his own tax status in such a position.

C) It won’t happen. It never does. St. Sabina’s isn’t the only place where such things regularly occur… and to a greater degree. It’s just the same in many Protestant churches. If anything, the IRS would go after some of those churches first because they may be more individual in nature rather than a part of the Catholic Church as a whole.

 

[melensdad]

A) I don’t think that politicing from the pulpit on issues is a problem. Candidate campaigning may be, however.

This is probably the primary complaint re: tax exempt status

B) The parish isn’t a Church in and of itself. . .

Laws my vary by state, but the parish itself is probably a tax exempt entity and therefore it alone could lose tax exempt status. The parish school is probably a different tax exempt entity, etc.

C) It won’t happen.

Agreed, but there is a growing movement to have St Sabina’s examined. In fact there are at least 2 petitions against this parish that I knew of that have gone/are going to the IRS.

 

[chicago]

Laws my vary by state, but the parish itself is probably a tax exempt entity and therefore it alone could lose tax exempt status. The parish school is probably a different tax exempt entity, etc.

Under Illinois law, the Church of Chicago is incorporated as a sole entity, entirely under the ownership of the Archbishop and in his person. It would not likely be the parish, alone, which would be held responsible, therefore, but the Archdiocese and, specifically, the cardinal corporately.

Agreed, but there is a growing movement to have St Sabina’s examined. In fact there are at least 2 petitions against this parish that I knew of that have gone/are going to the IRS.

Even the present Republican establishment will not likely try to do something which would prove problematic to the second largest Archdiocese in the country and richest in the world. If there is any entity which could fight that and win, it would be us. Now, OTOH, if the Archdiocese wanted to play along in order to find an excuse to out Fr. Pfleger… but that probably ain’t going to happen, either.

 

[Bennie_P]

The Sixth Chapter

UNBRIDLED AFFECTIONS

WHEN a man desires a thing too much, he at once becomes ill at ease. A proud and avaricious man never rests, whereas he who is poor and humble of heart lives in a world of peace. An unmortified man is quickly tempted and overcome in small, trifling evils; his spirit is weak, in a measure carnal and inclined to sensual things; he can hardly abstain from earthly desires. Hence it makes him sad to forego them; he is quick to anger if reproved. Yet if he satisfies his desires, remorse of conscience overwhelms him because he followed his passions and they did not lead to the peace he sought. True peace of heart, then, is found in resisting passions, not in satisfying them. There is no peace in the carnal man, in the man given to vain attractions, but there is peace in the fervent and spiritual man.

The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis

Oh, I’m sorry, I thought that was the Tax Code. Now where is that delete button?:hypno:

melensdad
(I’m not trying to get hung up on the TYPE of legislation, just the fact that the parish is so active in influencing legislation).

Sure -

 

[chicago]

Heh, I missed that mention initially about the “type” of legistlation versus actual activity. I will say that if only EVERY parish were HALF as active in influencing legislation as St. Sabina’s is (no matter what TYPE, but mere activity alone) we might actually be a powerful force as a Catholic vote again and maybe just maybe our parishes would actually be worthwhile centers of apostolic activity.

 

[Bennie_P]

Heh, I missed that mention initially about the “type” of legistlation versus actual activity. I will say that if only EVERY parish were HALF as active in influencing legislation as St. Sabina’s is (no matter what TYPE, but mere activity alone) we might actually be a powerful force as a Catholic vote again and maybe just maybe our parishes would actually be worthwhile centers of apostolic activity.

Amen, there are lessons to be learnt - but sometimes we overlook them when we are focused/attached too much to one thing.