BOSTON (MA)
Boston Catholic Insider
BCI has quite a backlog to catch-up on. We are going to go in reverse order on some of the more recent news.
The local media reported last week, “Cardinal O’Malley moves to raise Beacon Hill profile.”
BOSTON (AP) – Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley is moving to raise his profile on Beacon Hill by inviting more than 100 state lawmakers to breakfast.
The Boston Globe reports that the invitation said legislators would be given an overview of the church’s political, educational and social programs. The invitation to the continental breakfast at the Union Club on Park Street in Boston was sent to lawmakers who represent the 144 cities and towns in the archdiocese.
“We want them to get to know us better so they understand the broader value of the church in the community,” said Terry Donilon, spokesman for the archdiocese. “If the Catholic Church went away tomorrow, there would be millions upon millions of dollars put on the backs of cities and towns in Massachusetts.”
If we are to understand Terry Donilon correctly, the reason the Catholic Church and our ministries are important to the state is because if not for the Catholic Church, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts would be spending millions upon millions more dollars to support cities and towns? Really?! Could someone at 66 Brooks Drive please enroll Terry in a faith formation class so he can learn Catholicism 101?
The Globe gives more details on the actual meeting that took place, with more commentary from Terry Donilon:
Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley hosted some 60 state lawmakers at a breakfast meeting this morning that was meant to help rebuild his church’s rapport with the Legislature.
The meeting…was the first in which the cardinal has met with a large group of legislators since he became the Roman Catholic archbishop of Boston in 2003.
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