National group complains to IRS over St. Raphael Catholic Church bulletin

[rug]

by Marty Schladen/ El Paso Timeselpasotimes.com
Posted: 09/11/2012 12:00:00 AM MDT

A national group has complained to the IRS over improper electioneering by an El Paso Catholic church.

Americans United for the Separation of Church and State on Monday sent its complaint to the IRS about the Aug. 5 bulletin published by St. Raphael Parish on the city's East Side.

The pastor of the parish has issued a written statement recanting the Aug. 5 bulletin, but the leader of the organization that complained to the IRS said damage might already have been done.

Churches are tax-exempt, as are donations to them. But IRS rules say they cannot tell people whom to vote for or against.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_21508691/national-group-complains-irs-over-st-raphael-catholic?source=most_viewed

[rurallib]

1. just once I would like to see a church lose its tax exempt status

doubt I ever will.

[dorkzilla]

2. Does anyone have an image of the alleged St. Patrick's bulletin?

I've been looking for other evidence that some pro-Romney language appeared in the St. Pat's bulletin but I can find no corroborating evidence. As a recovering Catholic (now agnostic), I would LOVE to turn them into Americans United, just like they DIDN'T turn in the pedophiles in their ranks. I would think Americans United would be all over this, but I don't see anything on their website either.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. "St. Patrick's"? This bulletin was St. Raphael; one in New York was St. Catherine

http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/americans-united-asks-irs-to-investigate-nyc-church-that-endorsed-romney-in-its

which was from this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/121845334

What is the St. Patrick's bulletin?

[dorkzilla]

6. Sorry, I read it wrong!

I was referring to the same story, but when I read Cardinal Dolan and an endorsement in a parish it got stuck in my mind that it was Dolan's own parish. My bad. Sorry for the confusion!

[cbayer]

5. Don't have a copy, but the reported wording of the St. Raphael bulletin was to vote against

Obama.


"I am asking all of you to go to the polls and be united in replacing our present president with a president that will respect the Catholic Church in this country,"

That's the violation right there, imo.

[cbayer]

4. Er, did he miss this class in preist school?

The law is pretty simple. He broke it and should have his tax exempt status challenged.

[pinto]

7. Seems a clear cut violation. And the Americans United statement is a good one -

Despite the pastor's recant, "damage might already have been done", i.e. electioneering in violation of IRS statute.