Karl Keating's E-Letter of November 2, 2004 - Page 2

christine · #16 Nov 5, '04, 10:19 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arrowood

I am also from LaCrosse, and I think our problem is a lot more than just the 501(c)(3) status. I work in a Catholic school, and I have never seen our administration more worried about possible legal problems than I have this year. I would even venture to say they are becoming paranoid and obsessed.

I know exactly what you mean. My husband is a volunteer youth minister. To take teens to an out-of-town event, small parish, we would rent one of those 15-passenger vans. A chaperone could drive and we could attend events like St. John Bosco Youth Day at Holy Hill.

The Diocese lawyers put a stop to that, saying we can only rent a bus with a hired driver. Well, needless to say, unless the event is mandatory, a bus would only be half full. The cost of a bus and driver would be so high that we couldn't go to a FREE EVENT like Holy Hill.

Someone else posted about withholding contributions to the Diocese until they get their priorities and their mission straight. My husband also mentioned that, in the context of the Diocesean Annual Appeal.

acr0545 · #17 Nov 5, '04, 12:49 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by christine

A chaperone could drive and we could attend events like St. John Bosco Youth Day at Holy Hill. The Diocese lawyers put a stop to that, saying we can only rent a bus with a hired driver. Well, needless to say, unless the event is mandatory, a bus would only be half full. The cost of a bus and driver would be so high that we couldn't go to a FREE EVENT like Holy Hill.

In the Green Bay Diocese I had to submit my driver's license and sign a release to allow access to my driving record. Then I was added as a provisional driver with the parish's insurance company and could drive students in rented vans. The parish paid a bit more on their premium but if you're driving to many events it would certainly be cheaper than a bus rental. Perhaps your parish could look into dealing with liability that way.

rwoehmke · #18 Nov 7, '04, 1:59 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by christine

I know exactly what you mean. My husband is a volunteer youth minister. To take teens to an out-of-town event, small parish, we would rent one of those 15-passenger vans. A chaperone could drive and we could attend events like St. John Bosco Youth Day at Holy Hill. The Diocese lawyers put a stop to that, saying we can only rent a bus with a hired driver.

It is not only the LaCrosse Diocese. The YMCA in St. Paul/Minneapolis and surrounding communities can no longer use vans for transporting young people to events. Must be a bus with a properly licenced driver. Ah, yes the joys of a litigous society.

tgdanne · #19 Nov 7, '04, 6:21 pm

I dropped my Wanderer subscription a couple of years ago after I couldn't stand reading any more of their support of the war in Afghanistan. Most aggregious was James Fitzpatrick, who said outright that he didn't care if the war was just or not, just go for it. That was the last straw. I wrote the editor a letter saying that I subscribed to the Wanderer to learn about the Catholic view on news and world events, not the personal opinion of some secular political know-it-all. I also told him that I wouldn't re-subscribe untiil Fitzpatrick was gone because I didn't want any of my subscription money to support that bum.

qmvsimp · #20 Nov 8, '04, 6:54 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgdanne

I dropped my Wanderer subscription a couple of years ago after I couldn't stand reading any more of their support of the war in Afghanistan. Most aggregious was James Fitzpatrick, who said outright that he didn't care if the war was just or not, just go for it. That was the last straw. I wrote the editor a letter saying that I subscribed to the Wanderer to learn about the Catholic view on news and world events, not the personal opinion of some secular political know-it-all. I also told him that I wouldn't re-subscribe untiil Fitzpatrick was gone because I didn't want any of my subscription money to support that bum.

I've never read the Wanderer before so I can't speak of the facts in this case. I do, however, find it hard to believe that they would publish opinion stating "I don't care if the war was just or not, just go for it." Can you quote the issue verbatum so we can make up our minds about this?

gsteele · #21 Nov 8, '04, 1:54 pm

I get the shivers every time I see the NCR. Every issue of the reporter is chalk full of articles promoting revolution by the laity, women’s ordination, homosexual marriage (disguised as a plea for non-judgmental sentimentality), and worst of all a nonchalant take on abortion. I subscribe to the Register. Great paper.

tgdanne · #22 Nov 9, '04, 7:26 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by qmvsimp

I've never read the Wanderer before so I can't speak of the facts in this case. I do, however, find it hard to believe that they would publish opinion stating "I don't care if the war was just or not, just go for it." Can you quote the issue verbatum so we can make up our minds about this?

The article appeared in the Sept 20, 2001 issue. I don't have the paper or article anymore, but I have this excerpt from the letter that I sent to the editor explaining my reason for not renewing my subscription:

"I don’t know how that complies with the guidelines of just war theory. I suspect that the country will be impatient with those who seek those guidelines punctiliously... The theologians can hold seminars in the future about whether our retaliation was disproportionate. Let it be worthy of their discussion and let it begin."