Posted on 08/29/2012 1:16:53 PM PDT by NYer
CHARLOTTE — Mere steps away from the site of the upcoming Democratic National Convention, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte has posted two larger-than-life messages about the sanctity of life, marriage and religious liberty – proclaiming the teaching of the universal Church to the thousands of party delegates, visitors and the national media who will descend on Charlotte.
The diocese has suspended two banners on property at St. Peter Catholic Church on South Tryon Street: one on St. Peter's administrative building and another on a large brick wall adjoining the church.
A six-foot by 10-foot banner will hang from St. Peter's administrative building, stating: "A Message from the Catholic Church: Religious Liberty, The Soul of Democracy." This building looks out over The Green between South Tryon and College streets.
A six-foot by 27-foot banner will be posted on a large brick wall behind the church, and will read: "A Message from the Catholic Church: Protect the Unborn, Defend Marriage, Safeguard Religious Liberty."
This wall faces an area designated as The Legacy Village, where Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx will host special guests during the convention to highlight community efforts to support Foxx's Legacy Projects. Some of the topics that will be discussed in programs there will address children, families, youth employment, civic education, the economy, energy, technology and sustainability.
These very visible banners are meant to provoke dialogue and encourage evangelization, diocesan officials said, during a time when the national spotlight will shine on Charlotte like never before – and where attention will especially be drawn near St. Peter Church, the oldest Catholic church in the diocese and located in the heart of the convention area.
The banner conveying the value of religious liberty in our democracy was prompted by the controversial ruling from the Obama administration to require nearly all employers to provide free contraceptive coverage in their health insurance plans, despite their religious objections. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's "HHS mandate," as it has come to be known, would apply to both the Diocese of Charlotte and its ministries and programs, as well as nearby Belmont Abbey College, even though the Church teaches that artificial contraception and abortion are intrinsically evil. If it is not changed by congressional action or overturned by the courts, this mandate will force Catholic employers, religious organizations, hospitals, schools, dioceses and charitable ministries to fund these services in violation of Church teaching or face severe fines. Catholics across the country, led by the U.S. bishops, have voiced strong opposition to the HHS mandate and advocated for fixes in the Affordable Care Act.
The second banner that the diocese is displaying stresses the Church's continued fight to end abortion, which since it was legalized in 1973 has resulted in the quiet death of more than 54 million unborn children. It also addresses the battles that the Church and all people of goodwill have faced in light of the Obama administration's failure to uphold marriage as God created it – the union between one man and one woman – as well as the Democratic Party's recent move to add support for same-sex "marriage" in its platform. In North Carolina that battle was recently waged – and won, for now – during a statewide constitutional amendment ballot in which 61 percent of N.C. voters approved protecting the traditional definition of marriage.
Careful planning went into the initiative, diocesan officials said, and the wording of the banners was thoughtfully selected. The banners meet all of the City of Charlotte's sign ordinances, and were erected Saturday, Aug. 25, in order to be visible throughout the duration of the Democratic National Convention and related events that get under way next week.
Bishop Peter J. Jugis of the Diocese of Charlotte was personally involved in the planning for the banners, along with diocesan Respect Life Director Maggi Nadol, diocesan spokesman David Hains and St. Peter's pastor, Jesuit Father Pat Earl.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for evangelization," Bishop Jugis said.
Nadol said she is excited about the banners and what impact they might have on visitors to Charlotte.
"The ability to express our beliefs as Americans is a right we treasure, and it must be protected," she said. "As Catholics, we hav
Beautiful. I wish I could hang out around the banners to watch the reactions.
I imagine a lot of complaints from attendees, accompanied by selective individuals tossing rotten tomatoes at the signs. It will be a welcome sign for Cardinal Dolan and an embarrassment for St. Simone Campbell who have each been asked to lead the delegates in prayer. Not sure how the muslims will react.
“We’re all catholics now!”
—Albert Mohler, Mike Huckabee, and many others.
it;s bizarre it really is.
Homsexuals, sharing the floor with 20,000 muslims who are also sharing it with Catholics.\
All we need is Jews now and all is well ARF.
It sounds like the the start of a joke .
Homosexuals want to chop off the homo’s head, Homo’s try and be nice to muslims but hate Catholics who in turn have no agreement what so ever with homosexuals.
Any bets on lawsuits to take them down?
The mohammedans will behave like mohammedans. The leftists propaganda machine will ignore them.
But ... but ... inclusiveness is the face of the Democratic Party! (/sarc)
Rush Limbaugh made an astute observation today about the different perceptions people have of the Republican and Democratic parties. Democrats proclaim themselves to be for the poor and down trodden and describe Republicans as being the party of wealth, Wall Street and individuals who do not care for the poor. The dems point to Mitt Romney as an example of their claim. Yet, John Kerry, a democrat, is wealthier than Mitt Romney but the dems do not have a problem with that. Reflecting on this, I find the big difference is this: Republicans are the ones who give generously to the poor but do so through charities. They do not beat their breasts to proclaim their generosity but do so, from the heart, quietly. Democrats, on the other hand, take money from taxpayers and give it to the poor. They then give speeches to announce how they have redistributed wealth. If anything, the democrats are intent on creating more poor, through their supposed outreach.
Now, here's an interesting challenge, should you decide to follow the DNC convention. Note that the RNC has asked speakers not to use Obama's name in any of their speeches. Do you imagine the DNC could apply the same respect at their convention?
The Masses there are so awful, my daughter and her fiance won't go there. They drive 25 minutes north to Huntersville to go to St. Mark's.
Either the bishop told them what, or even they think the Dems have gone over the line.
We could have a lottery and have us put in $5 to state a day and time that the banners will be torn down by anarchists in South Carolina.
I do seriously believe that there will be a violent response by the DNC delegates when they see the message. They are likely to explode! i hope the city has some exorcists standing around to tend to the demons who are let loose on the city.
Rush Limbaugh made an astute observation today about the different perceptions people have of the Republican and Democratic parties. Democrats proclaim themselves to be for the poor and down trodden and describe Republicans as being the party of wealth.
__________________________________________
In the last several decades...this is pretty much how many people have viewed the two parties. However, the recent HARD turn to the radical left by the Democrats is changing that false image.
I'm sure it slipped by you, but I think you meant Sr. Simone Campbell. Only in her mind, if even that, will she be canonized.
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