Episcopal Posse

A Message from the Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (ARCC)


Have you read or heard about the now dead Connecticut House Bill 1098? This story is a must for all Catholics! The way this bill was defeated serves as a strong warning to Catholic church reformers.

Elected representatives in CT responded to recent large-scale thefts in Catholic parishes by drafting a bill that would modify a historical exception given to the State Catholic corporations allowing Catholic bishops to control who serves as the corporate officers. The legislators met a strong Catholic Crusade against the State's right to establish or change its own rules for incorporation.

In an all-out campaign by way of TV, radio, newspaper ads, letters from the pulpit, etc., the CT bishops mustered a posse of 3500 people to storm Hartford in protest against this bill which would require that parish members elect those who serve on the board of their Catholic parish corporation. Imagine that! Parishioners elect the parish State corporation.board! An excommunicatable offense? Hearing about it, the legislators killed the bill before they arrived.

Bridgeport Bishop William E. Lori, called Senate Bill 1098 "irrational, unlawful and bigoted" and "a thinly veiled attempt to silence the Catholic Church". Might their response be "a thinly veiled attempt" to keep secret what they have gotten away with for many years?

The lesson here is: Don't mess with the Principalities of Catholic Princes! While not a matter of interfering with our Roman Catholic faith or sacraments, for us to seek some participation in governance decisions on the use of our contributions seems to be the greatest act of schism we can commit as evidenced by this forceful and successful Catholic hierarchy blatant interference with the State. Such is the Prince-bishops' power over our elected civil authorities.

And our money keeps them in power.


For information about the Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (ARCC), click here.