Negligence by Fr. Hehir’s Mass Catholic Conference Allows Funding for Gay School Programs

While the recently signed 2011 Massachusetts state
budget has slashed funding to programs affecting hundreds of thousands of poor people, the Legislature allowed funding gay programs in public schools with $100,000 from federal medicare money and up to millions in state tax money–and the Mass Catholic Conference under Fr. Bryan Hehir’s direction did nothing publicly to stop this.  This happened with the support of so-called “Catholic” statehouse pols who are also Knights of Columbus members.  Both before and after this blog reported on the pending budget moves, Hehir’s Catholic Conference has been silent publicly.

The Globe reported on July 1,”Gov. Patrick signs signs a painful budget: Services, programs face massive cuts; governor cites tough economy“

Governor Deval Patrick signed a $27.6 billion spending plan yesterday for the budget year that begins today, slashing funding for services across state government, including public education, dental care for the poor, and developmental services for toddlers.

In the face of these cuts, two months ago we reported the problem of increased funding for gay programs in schools: (“MA Bishops, Fr. Hehir’s Mass Catholic Conference silent on gay school program funding.”)   Did Fr. Hehir’s Mass Catholic Conference or their companion organization, Catholic Citizenship, send any email alert messages to their base of Catholic activists asking them to call legislators and protest the funding for gay programs while programs to the poor were being slashed?  No.  Did they make any statements condemning “Catholic” Knights of Columbus members in the legislature for their support of these measures?  No.  Did they file any testimony?  No.  Did they do anything?  Apparently not.  Although the Catholic Conference may have not been able to single-handedly stop this, they should have done something–because by saying and doing nothing publicly, it sends the message that the Catholic Church is OK with cutting programs for the poor while funding programs that encourage homosexual activity for young people.  Perhaps Fr Bryan Hehir was so busy doing radio interviews about his rationale for educating children of gay parents in Catholic schools and traveling to Denver to commend the Catholic Health Association for their leadership in passing Obamacare (complete with federal funding for abortions) that he didn’t have time to walk around Beacon Hill and meet with some legislative leaders to try and change their minds.  So much for the poor.  Meanwhile, our blogging Cardinal had time to write on Cardinal Sean’s “Shmoozeblog” about his worldwide travels, fundraising events he attends, and everyone he meets-and-greets, but neither he nor his ghost-writer could find room for a paragraph about this on the blog either.  At some point, it would be nice to know who is filling the bishop’s role here in Boston to teach, sanctify and govern.

We will have more to say about how you can Take Action soon.  Here are excerpts from the message by MassResistance:

In 2011 state budget, Legislature votes to fund Mass. GLBT Youth Commission with $100,000 from federal Medicare money. Commission also gets access to millions in state tax money..
In the new 2011 state budget, the Massachusetts Legislature has voted to use $100,000 of federal Medicaid funding for homosexual programs in the public schools. It would give the money directly to the Massachusetts Commission for Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Youth, which works in schools targeting schoolchildren. That budget item (along with others using the federal Medicaid money) has been temporarily vetoed by the Governor pending release of the funds by Congress.

This federal Medicaid money — known officially as Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) — is generally used by states to fund portions of their medical or social programs. We know of no other instance where it is given to activists to promote homosexuality in public schools.

Temporarily vetoed by governor because of funding cut. The entire share of FMAP money for Massachusetts was $700 million. But although the FMAP money was expected, it has not been approved by Congress. Thus, Governor Deval Patrick has currently vetoed the all budget items, or parts thereof, using that money. But no fear: Late last week Sen. Scott Brown said he will be introducing a bill to get that funding back. is that the Legislature also gave the GLBT Commission indirect access to millions of state tax dollars through two other budget items, using state tax money. In addition, other homosexual-related items are also well-funded in the 2011 budget.

Also: Commission gets access to millions more!

Probably even more outrageous

Here are the budget items  [See full text of items HERE]

The budget items that fund the GLBT Youth Commission:

• ITEM 0950-0500: Uses $100,000 of federal Medicaid money(FMAP) to give directly to the Mass. Commission on GLBT Youth.
• ITEM 4590-0250: Gives the Mass. Commission on GLBT Youth an open-ended share of portion of over $11 million of Dept. of Public Health Department money. They could literally get millions.
• ITEM 7010-0005: Gives the Mass Commission on GLBT Youth an open-ended portion of over $13 million of Dept. of Education money. They could literally get millions.

Other gay-related items in budget:

• ITEM 4513-1130: Gives unspecified homosexual groups an open-ended portion of over $5 million to address “sexual violence and intimate partner violence in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.” The fact that enormous money is now needed for homosexual “partner violence” confirms what most responsible mental health professionals already know about the homosexual lifestyle.
• ITEM 9110-9002: Gives unspecified homosexual groups an open-ended portion of over $8 million for “provider training and outreach for LGBT elders and caregivers.” This is one of the goals of the homosexual movement — to push homosexual diversity training on the elder-care industry.

State budget a financial horror show for everyone elseThis funding is a testament to the power of the homosexual lobby on Beacon Hill and the willingness of legislators to give in to their demands. In a budget year where nearly everything is being cut drastically, these are (to our knowledge) the only programs with their funding levels being raised from last year.

The rest of the 2011 statebudget slashes funding pretty much across the board.

As far as we could tell the Mass. GLBT Youth Commission was the only group to actually get a major increase in funding this year. It boggles the mind.

Here’s what the Boston Globe said after the Governor signed the budget — just a taste of what everyone is saying:

Hundreds of city and town employees are being laid off across Massachusetts as the recently signed state budget forces communities to cut back on librarians, police, teachers, and other workers to balance the books . . .

An informal survey of town governments and school departments in about 25 Greater Boston communities found that because of the leaner state budget signed last week, communities are reducing the time libraries are open, cutting hours for some employees, leaving staff positions unfilled, taking advantage of new tax options such as the meals tax, and even switching to more energy-efficient bulbs in street lights.

Read entire Globe article here “Local aid cuts hit staffing, services” (7/5/10):

How was this engineered?

Interesting, none of this was in Gov. Deval Patrick’s 2011 budget recommendations, even though he’s arguably the most pro-gay governor in America. Obviously, this funding couldn’t have happened without support behind the scenes from the Speaker of the House, Robert DeLeo and the President of the Senate, Therese Murray – both of whom are publicly very close to the homosexual lobby.

But from our vantage point, the funding was ultimately put in by the Ways and Means Chairmen, Sen. Stephen Panagiotakos (D-Lowell) and Rep. Charlie Murphy (D-Bedford). They certainly can’t claim they didn’t know what they were ultimately funding. We’ve met personally with both of them. We’ve shown them the horrible things this money pays for. We (and their constituents) pleaded with them not to fund these things.

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List of state Senators and Representatives who voted for this

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How you stop this

It’s pretty simple. They will only do the right thing when we all exert enormous pressure. That’s how it’s always worked in the past — going back to the passage of the Parental Notification Law back in 1996. A lot of pro-family groups will tell you to be “moderate” and “work with them”. That approach is easier, feels good, and has a long history of not working. On the other hand, large numbers of people speaking firmly can work wonders

P.S. A lot of pro-family groups will tell you to be “moderate” and “work with them”. That approach is easier, feels good, and has a long history of not working. On the other hand, large numbers of people speaking firmly can work wonders

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