Catholic Defense League Press Release and Letter to DFL Chairman Brian Melendez

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PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

CONTACT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Catholic Defense League
3499 Lexington Ave N # 104
St Paul, MN 55126-7056
651.766.7896

Catholics Demand Apology from Minnesota Democrat Party Leader

Mailed postcard is a shameful attack on the Catholic Church

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St. Paul – Today the Catholic Defense League issued a demand to DFL Party Chairman Brian Melendez to immediately issue a formal apology for a series of shameful political mailings denigrating the Catholic Church. The mail pieces feature images that are clearly Catholic in their origin.

One of the mailings features a Catholic priest in a Roman collar [a white tab at his throat] wearing a large button that reads “Ignore the Poor.”

“The Catholic Church has a long tradition of outstanding charitable work,” said Dick Houck, president of Catholic Defense League. “For the DFL party to imply that Catholics don’t care about the poor is despicable.”

Some CDL members believe the mailing may be the Democrat’s retribution for the Catholic Bishops’ marriage DVD mailed to Catholic households in September. Mark Dayton, the DFL-endorsed candidate for governor, supports legalizing gay marriage, a position that is a direct contradiction to the Catholic Church’s teaching.

“I can’t help but feel this was the DFL’s way of trying to sling mud at the Church in response to the marriage DVD,” said Ray Marshall, a CDL board member. “We think this shameful tactic will ultimately backfire.”

“Catholics know in their hearts the outstanding charitable works they do to help lift up people in need,” said Marshall. “The Democrat Party isn’t going to win over any Catholic voters by slandering them as uncaring.”

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The Catholic Defense League is a lay Catholic apostolate organization dedicated to the defense of the Catholic Church by protecting its bishops, priests and religious from unwarranted attacks or misleading information. For more information, including images of all three mailings,visit www.cdlmn.org.

TEXT OF LETTER SENT TO BRIAN MELENDEZ

Brian Melendez
Chairman, Minnesota DFL State Party
255 East Plato Blvd
St. Paul, MN 56107

Dear Mr. Melendez,

I am writing to demand that you immediately issue a formal public apology for the recent Democrat Party political mailings that slander the Catholic Church. Your three mailings prominently feature images that are clearly Catholic in origin. The excuse offered by Democrat Party spokesman Donald McFarland that these mailings were targeting a specific political candidate is not an acceptable response.

In particular, your mailing suggesting that Catholics are ignoring the poor is simply reprehensible. There is no organization in the world that does more for the poor than the Catholic Church.

We cannot help but conclude that these mailings are a thinly disguised attempt at retribution for the Minnesota Catholic Bishops’ strong stance on the defense of marriage, which is fundamental to the Catholic faith.

I cannot believe that these mailings are representative of rank-and-file Democrats in the state of Minnesota. Catholics from across the state have expressed their outrage at these campaign materials.

We look forward to your timely response.

Sincerely,

R. J. Houck, President
Catholic Defense League