Subject: IWG Philadelphia Daily News Church/State
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 23:24:57 -0500 (EST)

December 5, 1998

Philadelphia Daily News
PO Box 7788
Phila., PA 19101

Dear Editors:

In William Bunch's December 4 column he quotes Guy
Ciarrocchi, who said the Archdiocese needs to educate
voters so the Church won't have to lobby a City Council
that was elected by other people.  However, that's
exactly the way the system is supposed to work.  The
voters elect the candidates, not the Archdiocese.  As a
tax-exempt religious organization, the Archdiocese
cannot campaign for or against candidates.  The Church
can't legally tell voters who to vote for, and even if
they could, Ciarrocchi seems to forget that the voters
don't have to listen.  

Sincerely,
Barbara Purdom     Christopher Purdom
Interfaith Working Group Coordinators

The above letter went out on IWG letterhead listing 16 congregations and
organizations and 60 clergy from 15 religious traditions. If you are in 
the general Philadelphia area and represent a congregation or religious 
organization or are clergy, let us know if you want to be added - all faiths 
are welcome. We will also be happy to help start similar organizations in 
other areas.

-- 

Interfaith Working Group                Religious organizations, congregations
[email-masked]                      and clergy supporting gay rights,
http://www.libertynet.org/iwg/          reproductive freedom, and the 
215-235-3050                            separation of church and state.