FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSmS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS
VOL. 29, NO. 15
FALL RIVER, MASS., FRIDAY; APRIL 12, 1985
$8 Per Year
Planetary outlook
asl~e:d of educators
14,000 meet in St. Louis for NCEA convention
HELD BY HER MOTHER, 2-year-old cancer victim Victoria Szechyniski gets a kiss from Pope John Paul II at a weekly audience. Seriously ill persons, such as Victoria, and especially notable Vatican visitors are traditionally given front~row places at papal audi ences. Such encounters with the pope have become treasured memories for pilgrims from all parts of the globe. (NC/UPI-Reuter Photo)
ST. LOUIS (NC) Some gates that the Catholic Church is the ideal place to devise a core 14,000 Catholic educators, in cluding many from the Fall River curriculum for all its schools ,diocese, attending the National because the church is "universal" Catholic Educational Associa . and already has a "giobal pers tion convention, were told by a pective." United Nations official to be Muller's remarks on global education highlighted the con "daring" and design a curricu lum which could be taught in al1 vention's theme, "Gateway to Catholic schools on the planet. Global Understanding." In his Diocesan representatives at latest book, "New Genesis: the meeting were headed by Sharing a Global Spirituality," Father Richard W. Beaulieu, he contends that spirituality who will assume the position of must be a part of all educational diocesan director of education efforts if peace in the world is ever to be achieved. on July l. In a press conference before School principals in attend ance were Ms. Kathleen Burt, his speech Mul1er noted that in SS. Peter and Paul, Fall River; his 37 years as a U.N. official he Dennis Poyant, S1. Mary, New has come to the conclusion that Bedford; Sister Mary Nathan' the spiritual aspect of education must be emphasized. He en Doherty, RSM, Holy Famlly Holy Name, New Bedford; Sister couraged educa,tors, whatever Mary Nora Smith, RSM, St. their subject areas, to integrate James-St. John, New Bedford; spirituality in their courses. "We have tried intel1igence, Sister Martha Mulligan, RSM, we have tried science and nego St. John! the Evangelist, Attle tiations, but all our efforts at boro; Michael Donly, Coyle peace and understanding have Cassidy High School, Taunton. In addition 14 classroom shown that something is miss teachers from the diocese were ing," Muller said. "Without that spiritual dimension it is not very at the meeting, which ended yes likely that we are going to make tE!rday. U.N. Assistant" Secretary- it." Muller, a Catholic, said he General Robert Muller delivered Turn to Page Nine its keynote address, telling dele-
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Lawyers rap IRS curbs on church politicking By Liz S. Armstrong WASHINGTON ~C) - At torneys for the National Confer ence of Catholic Bishops-US. Catholic Conference ihave criti cized as an infringement on free speech the Internal Revenue Ser vice restrictions on church poli tical activity. Under . the IRS ,regulations, non-profit, tax-exempt groups such as churches and other or ganizations must refrain from intervening for or against a candidate in a political campaign or risk losing their .tax exemp tions. Writing in the University of Virginia Law School's spring Journal of 'Law and Politics, Wil fred R.' Caron, NCCB-USCC gen eral counsel, and Deirdre Dessin
gue, assistant general counsel,
argued that the IRS interpreta tions of the rules have "sharply curtailed for churches" the First Amendment right to participate in the political process. IRS reading of the rules goes "far beyond the range of reasonable ness," they stated. The NCCD-USCC also an· nounced that its general coun· sel's office and the iNationa:I Dio cesan Attorneys Association will sponsor a two-hour teleconfer ence April 22 on restrictions on political activity by tax-exempt organizations. The teleconfer ence, to originate in Chicago as part of the diocesan attorney's convention, wi'll be provided to about 35 dioceses via the Cath olic Telecommunications Net work of America. Numerous questions have
arisen in recent election years over the permissibility of candi dates and other activities byreli gious publications and organiza tions. The rules generally do not prohibit the favoring or opposing of specific legislation as Jong as that activity does not trans late into direct support for or opposition to a political candi· date. An abortion rights group, the Abortion Rights Mobilization, in 1980 sued the IRS and the NCCD usec in an attempt to force the IRS to withdraw the Catholic Church's tax-exempt status be cause of the church's aHeged political activity. The NCca usee later was dropped from the sutt as a co-defendant, but the suit itself is still pending. Caron and Ms. Dessingue
and defend," they wrote. "Churc.hes must act at ,their peril as they attempt to walk the ob scure line between loss of ex emption and faithfulness to the obligation to speak. out on the moral dimension of important social issues." "A church or other exempt or In 1984, as the national cam ganization :intent upon compli paigns got 'underway, Caron ance with the law and protec wrote to diocesan attorneys tion of its status is confronted warning about. violating IRS by frequently uncertain regula regulatic>Ds. tory requirements," the two at He advised at that time that torneys said. "Fear of running churches "may no~ make state afoul of these ,regulations can ments, oral or written, in favor lead to a conservatism which of or opposition to any candidate strips the life and meaning from for public office. Thus, they legitimate commentary upon is may not encourage votes for or sues." against any candidate for public "These results are hostile to office e.g., via a sermon, parish basic freedoms which this bulletin or sample ballot. In ad society holds dear and which the dition, they should avoid state· Turn to Page Six
government is bound to uphold
stated that while the IRS rules forbid tax-exempt groups from intervening in political com paigns, IRS interpretations "also severely restrict the manner in which churches may address the times."