Hearing on church finances canceled

Hartford (WTNH) - The leaders of the legislature's Judiciary Committee are canceling a highly anticipated public hearing on a bill that would provide Catholics with more control over their parish finances.

The hearing had been scheduled for Wednesday.

"You don't pull the plug on account of rain when it isn't raining because you started this maelstrom," said Rep. Larry Cafero (R-Minority Leader).

The political whirlpool Cafero is talking about is the proposal first reported by News Channel 8 this weekend. It's a bill that would change the state's religious corporation laws to allow members of the Catholic church to have more say in the business functions of their parish, and not just be guided by the clergy.

"Senate Bill 1098, as introduced by the co-chairs of the Judiciary Committee, is nothing less than a direct assault on religious freedoms of people in the state of Connecticut," said Sen. John McKinney (R-Minority Leader)

But the loyal Catholics who approached lawmakers about this proposal said today there is nothing further from the truth. They clearly responded to members of the Catholic clergy who have attempted to portray this as a political vendetta.

"To suggest that this earnest attempt to improve Catholic parishes is somehow related to gay marriage is simply inaccurate and unfortunate," said Tom Gallagher of Greenwich.

Gallagher, who is a member of the Knights of Columbus, was joined by Catholic scholar Paul Lakeland in saying that their effort was in response to the well publicized embezzlement cases in Catholic parishes.

"This is an issue that has been debated increasingly in the Catholic Church...because of...mismanagement of funds and because of financial problems of the American Catholic Church as a result of the extraordinary costs of the sex abuse scandal," said Dr. Paul Lakeland, Fairfield University.

The two men announced today that they had asked by the co-chairs of the Judiciary Committee to cancel the public hearing because of all the controversy that's been stirred up.

"With all due respect to this constituent, it is not within his power to say; 'you know what, I think we should cancel this,'" said Cafero.

Senator Andrew McDonald tells News Channel 8 that in addition to thousands of e-mails on this subject, he has also been subjected to threats, although he has not reported any to the Capitol Police. He has asked the Attorney General for an opinion on the existing law's constitutionality. Attorney General Blumenthal tells News Channel 8 that he thinks the existing law is "constitutionally suspect" but wants to do a complete research.

Organizers of the effort to bring people to the Capitol tomorrow say you should come anyway, because there will be a discussion about the topic even if it is not an official public hearing.