The federal government’s massive pork-barrel slush fund to line the pockets of corrupt politicians and businessmen… I mean, to rebuild the Gulf Coast, will be used to rebuild parochial schools, but not churches.
Most of the dioceses in the region report that a majority of their churches were damaged or destroyed by Katrina. It will take hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild them, although since so many dioceses are self-insured or under-insured, I wonder if they will be able to afford to rebuild them. But the government says that “that religious groups that run ‘essential, government-type facilities’ can apply for reconstruction grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.” That means schools, hospitals, social service agencies. (Does anyone else find it disturbing that the Catholic Church could be considered to run “government-type facilities”?
I wonder if the rebuilding funds will come with some boilerplate “nondiscrimination” clauses. “All we are requiring is that the parish schools not disciminate – is that too much to ask?” says Maurice Milquetoast, FEMA administrator and local Act-Up member…
And remember – soon – after a fire or some crime – the ACLU will sue to make churches pay for their own fire protection and police protection as part of our beloved separation of Church and State.
I would rather have Mass in the street than take money from the government for God’s house. God is not a welfare recipient!
God Bless,
Isabelle