CVNC Respect Life

http://www.catholicvoicenc.org/respectlifenewr.html

CVNC Stem Cell Info

http://www.catholicvoicenc.org/stemcellnew.html

Talking Points

Pros – National procreation, church teaching, logical, the meaning of the term marriage has always been between a man and a woman

Cons – people want their relationships made official

The Bishops ask the State Deputy to send letter to councils

Room At The Inn Support

As most of you know, we as a community of North Carolina Knights established a $1 million goal to support Room At The Inns’ Capital Campaign to build a maternity center on the campus of Bel-mont Abbey, the first such college-based center in the nation. Since announcing this goal we have received commitments of $130,000 from 25 councils. My hat is off to those men and councils that have contributed to this goal. My plea is for the rest of you to take prompt action to make this goal a reality. As North Carolina Knights we have been called to support the Room At The Inn Capital Campaign in their fight for each and every baby. This is a noble cause that will provide a highly visible and comprehensive solution for women.st. To raise $1M we must average $70 per knight over 5 years. Some can and will pledge more, carrying those who can’t afford to do so now. We ask that every council par-ticipate as generously as possible at work towards establishing a $100 per knight goal (PLATINUM level). If the council is unable to make the FULL pledge at this time, pledge what you at one of the lower levels and let’s work together to find a strategy to cover the difference.

Let me share with you why we chose to support Room At The Inn’s capital campaign.

Since 1994 over 3,800 women have received their support. Without Room At the Inn, many of those women would have aborted their babies.

College-age women are at the highest risk of having an abortion. Our commitment to them will build a ministerial presence on campus to address this risk.

Room At The Inn is a nationally recognized organization that is financially sound, profession-ally managed and has consistently received clean external audit examinations.

Room At The Inn has raised 50% of the capital funds required to complete the building and the Monks of Belmont Abbey have graciously donated the land for this building. Our unified com-mitment of $1 million will allow them to start building immediately.

By donating $1 million or more, The Knights of Columbus will win the naming rights for the building and, if successful, we will name it: “The McGivney Center for Life”.

Room at the Inn is already being recognized nationally by organizations like Feminists for Life, Na-tional Review, EWTN and Priests for Life. Their groundbreaking on a college campus will be a national event and we want to be a big part of making it happen.

As your State Deputy I am asking you to say “Yes!” and make a pledge to support Room At The Inn. Please make this a priority for your next business meeting and report your pledge to your Dis-trict Deputy by March 31

I would not ask you to do this unless I was absolutely sure that this ministry is worthy of our sup-port and has the best chance of becoming the model for our nation to follow.

Vivat Jesus!

Dave Jones,

State Deputy

Summary of April 28 Meeting, Public Policy Committee

The meeting started about 7:20 PM in the Knights’ room.  Attendees:  Gary Corsmeier, Rich Demarco, John Gouldie, Jim Haag, John Kupec, Bill Schultz, Joe Rothengast and Terry Whalen.

Jim H. introduced PSD John Gouldie and then summarized PP initiatives:  our PP blog, CVNC, and “Choose Life” License Plate. John G. requested that we send him the PP meeting summary and future Council NLs. Jim then turned to our immediate concern — Bill Schultz’s upcoming Friday, April 30 hearing at 9 AM in the Wake County Court House.

1)  Hearing: Bill is a street warrior who advocates for the child’s life at abortion facilities.  He faces a court hearing based on a false allegation by persons saying that he “threatened” someone several months ago at an abortion facility.  Our available PP team will attend that hearing to support him and testify (if called) as to his proper conduct in street counseling sessions, per our own individual experience and witness.  We will meet at 7:45 AM on Friday, April 30 at St. Luke’s to car pool down with each other to the Wake County Court House. We need to be there by no later than 8:30 AM.  Jim H. will e-mail Council members information about hearing and transportation.

2)  Blog: The blog is up and running complete with mission statement and rules.  Participation is initially limited to Council members, but we plan to expand it to other councils in the future. Thus far, there has been minimal participation; thus we concluded that a member tutorial is need.  Joe R and Mike B will do a brief 15 minute presentation at the social preceding our May 5^th Council meeting.  Meanwhile, PP Committee members should get on and make comment on subjects now on the blog.  All you have to do is to get a wordpress.com. ID – free on the site: http://koc12455.wordpress.com. 

3)  The first blog topic, “Subsidiarity,” explains this Catholic teaching on over centralization of government activities.   Developed by Mike B., this blog invites Brothers to comment and share views, make statements, ask questions or make proposals.  

4) Parish and Community education:  Jim H. is proposing a public policy forum at St. Luke’s this September. This approach would be modeled on the forum last fall and probably would include presentations and discussion of several public policy issues that impinge upon Catholic teaching and Christian values: e.g., freedom of conscience of health professionals, abortion, marriage as a sacrament between a man and a woman, euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research. This proposal will invite comment by membership.

5)  “Choose Life” license plate: Bill Dougherty reports  (via e-mail) that this issue may come up in the GA, but that it may be dead ended, based on prior experience with Democratic leaders in House and Senate   We discussed the potential for purchasing and using a license plate frame and/or a “Choose Life” magnet sticker for cars.  We would sell these or otherwise make them available to parishioners and others.  This will be discussed in the blog or at our May meeting.  Bill Dougherty also said he awaits comment from Msgr. Clay about legislative efforts anticipated in the short session to push this bill. 

6)  CVNC:  April’s Tar Heel Knight again did not present the Bishops’ letter to SD Jones thanking NC Knights for their pro life stance and support and requesting that all Brothers fully support of CVNC. Will this letter appear in the May THK?  We did not have time and information to assess CVNC promotion at Communion Breakfast and conversations with DD Bill Wolf re: possible district meetings of GKs to discuss CVNC and other public policy initiatives.

Meeting concluded about 8:45 PM.

Summary of March 29 Meeting, Public Policy Committee

Summary of March 29 Meeting, Public Policy Committee

The meeting started about 7 PM in the Knights’ room.  Attendees: Mike Benigno, Dave Bonk, Tom Colopy, Lou Gigliotti, Jim Haag, John Stanson, Joe Rothengast and Terry Whalen.

Jim H. started the meeting summarizing and evaluating our initiatives since last fall.  Some progress was made, in spite of obstacles, on CVNC, Health Forum, Culture of Life resolution, Marches for Life, but some impediments were noted: lack of State Deputy support for public policy and apparent reticence on the part of our NC bishops to seriously engage the Knights (e.g., our public policy effort) in support of Catholic PP issue discussion and promulgation.  Perhaps the bishops don’t fully recognize the potential value, usefulness and effectiveness of K of C public policy engagement.   With respect to our agenda, we specifically deliberated on the following:

1)  Blog: We revised Public Policy blog mission and rules wording to add flexibility with respect to mentioning names of individuals and party affiliation.  Participation is initially limited to Council members, but we intend to expand it to other councils in the future.  A first blog topic to be presented, “Subsidiarity,” will define and explain this Catholic teaching.  Its focus is to help Council members to understand the basics of Catholic teaching on Subsidiarity.  The blog is a means for Brothers to comment and share views, etc.  Mike B. and Joe R. will explain and demo the blog’s operation and invite member participation at our April 7 meeting.  Mike will do a brief power point of “Subsidiarity” before the May Council meeting.  Meanwhile, the blog is open to all Brothers to make statements, ask questions or make proposals.  All you have to do is to get a wordpress.com. ID – free on the site: http://koc12455.wordpress.com. 

2)  CVNC: The March Tar Heel Knight did not, as expected at last month’s meeting, present the Bishops’ letter thanking NC Knights for their pro life stance and support and requesting that all Brothers fully support of CVNC. Perhaps this invitation will appear in the April THK.

We concurred in a continued interest in promoting CVNC both in our parish and to other councils. We will use the upcoming April 11 Communion Breakfast as a forum for this appeal and Mike B. will ask Fr. Joe to stress the need to sign up with CNVC at all masses on that same weekend.  Terry will talk to DD Bill Wolf about a possible district meeting of GKs to discuss CVNC and other public policy initiatives. Joe R. will print or obtain CVNC information cards.  Jim H. has about 60 left from the fall CVNC campaign.  We will make these information cards available to fellow parishioners.  Jim H. will ask Michelle if “faithful citizenship” is a topic in an upcoming TLC and also will touch bases with Msgr. Clay on the CVNC promotion efforts underway, etc.  It was agreed that Jim and Terry should meet with John Gouldie and John Nussbaum about promoting CVNC and extending the public policy team approach to other councils.

4)  We discussed the Choose Life license plate initiative as proactive way to encourage pro life and fight against the evil of abortion.  Jim H. will inquire about status from Bill Dougherty and perhaps request a meeting with Msgr. Clay to learn about legislative efforts anticipated in the short session to push this bill.  Also Tom C. will work with Bill Dougherty on this issue.

5)  Dave B. suggested that we consider surveying candidates to do a voter guide for the May 4^th primary.  However, the short time and required resource commitment seemed to work against this.  We also need to know whether other groups are more suitable for this type of project. The consensus was to not do this project at this time.

Meeting concluded about 8:30 PM.

Blog Mission Statement – beta

Proposed Mission Statement:  Council 12455’s Public Policy Blog is a nonpartisan communication medium to discuss and exchange views on public policy matters that pertain to Catholic dogma,  Catholic moral teachings or related information useful to or relevant to the Catholic faith.  Its purpose is to inform and educate our Catholic and Christian brethren, and to do so in a manner that does not mention, criticize or condone particular political parties or specific politicians.   All communications published on the blog shall have a clear connection between the issue discussed and Catholic teachings germane thereto.  The blog’s administrator shall have complete authority to accept, reject or edit statements and any other proposed contributions to the blog.  See definitions and rules that follow for the various user classes.

Public Policy Committee – Blog Rules

• All issues to be posted must be reviewed by the Committee Chairman and the Grand Knight.  Their judgment concerning applicability of content is the final word. They may consult with other brothers and/or our chaplain.
  • The only issues posted will be those made by brothers of St. Luke the Evangelist Council 12455.
  • The intent of every issue posted is to educate the brotherhood about Public Policy issues that have a clear nexus with Roman Catholic doctrine.  No posting can simply inform about the existence of a Public Policy issue.  Matters that are reported or commented on by our bishops are good examples of a nexus defined. And would therefore be good candidates for further discussion and edification.   
  • Issue posts must be free of all partisan political references, i.e., party names, incumbent names, candidate names, group terms when referring to people (not ideas/concepts), such as: “liberals”, “conservatives”, “right-wing”, “left-wing”, media celebrity names, etc…….
  • Authoritative quotes must indicate a reference source.

 

• Those who post an issue will become the “gatekeeper” of the blog conversation once posted.  They may consult with other brothers and/or our chaplain about the applicability of comments posted.
  • The only comments posted will be those made by brothers of St. Luke the Evangelist Council 12455.
  • Issue post comments must be free of all partisan political references, i.e., party names, incumbent names, candidate names, group terms when referring to people (not ideas/concepts), such as: “liberals”, “conservatives”, right-wing, left-wing, media celebrity names, etc…….
  • Authoritative quotes must indicate a reference source.
  • Every post comment does not require a post owner “reply”.  All owner replies will be to clarify or further educate on Catholic teaching or the Public Policy issue itself.  Each comment/reply must be done in charity. 
  • Comments once posted must remain for the life of the conversation. 
  • Lifetime of posts and their conversations will be determined by the Committee Chairman, Grand Knight and the issue owner.  Once removed from view at blog website they will be archived. 

Catholic Voice NC monitors issues and legislative initiatives that can be broadly categorized as having an effect on Family Life.  

These issues include

The defense of marriage as a union between a man and a woman
Parental choice and freedom of conscience in education
School Violence Protection
Affordable Health Care, housing and basic nutrition
A living wage for all workers
Protection of Children

Return to this page for additional information and alerts as elected officials consider legislation on these and other Family Life Issues.