EDITORIAL

Know-Nothings attacks are on the rise

Posted

Late word reached Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport about a hearing scheduled last week for a new bill proposed by Connecticut’s state judiciary committee that would restructure the organization of a parish to exclude the pastor.

The bishop echoed a cry heard across the nutmeg state that the Catholic Church was under attack. Bishop Lori stated in no uncertain terms that “Our Church in the State of Connecticut is facing an unprecedented intrusion by the state legislature into its own internal affairs.” The bill was quickly withdrawn for consideration by its sponsors and the hearing cancelled. Thousands of Catholics inundated state legislators with e-mails and phone calls and nearly 5,000 rallied at the state capitol in Hartford after the bill was withdrawn from consideration.

The legislative attack was led by Democratic State Senator Andrew McDonald, Deputy Majority Leader of the Connecticut State Senate and State Representative Michael Lawlor. After public outcries and recriminations from many of his colleagues in the legislature, Senator McDonald claimed that “It was never my intent to offend anyone of faith, nor to cast negative attention on the many trustworthy and responsible parish corporations.” However, the bill was introduced without any notice or consultation with Catholic Church leaders and was quickly fast tracked in a botched attempt to preempt any opposition. No other religion or faith community was mentioned in the legislation that was solely directed at the Catholic Church. Senator McDonald’s claims do not seem to support the bill’s intent nor the dubious manner in which it was introduced.

Senator McDonald and Representative Lawlor have demonstrated their overt prejudice and bigotry toward Catholics with their unprecedented attack upon the organization of the Catholic Church. Their half-hearted apologies and unconvincing excuses do little to reassure Catholics that they will not be targets of further attacks upon religious liberty.

There is no doubt that the Know-Nothings of the 19th century have returned in the state houses of the United States, awaiting any opportunity to invoke their intolerance of the Catholic Church in the form of bad legislative initiatives that seek to drive the moral messages of the Catholic Church from the public square. Intolerant legislators like Connecticut’s Senator McDonald and Representative Lawlor come and go but sadly their prejudice and disdain for the Church never cease. Catholics across the country must view these recent events in Connecticut as a wake-up call for vigilance against further bigoted attacks in the form of bad legislation in their own states. Beware the 21st century Know-Nothings are on the rise.