Diocesan Advocates Give Voice to the Voiceless

By Linda Busetti
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 1/31/02)

"We are here to speak for those who have no voice, or little voice," Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde told social justice and pro-life advocates from the Arlington and Richmond dioceses, who gathered for Catholic Advocacy Day at St. Peter Church in Richmond last Monday.

Richmond Bishop Walter Sullivan welcomed the large contingent from Northern Virginia. "You do make a great difference," Bishop Sullivan said. "We are a public Church. Our voice should be heard."

After a short prayer service, Stephen Colecchi, director of the Richmond diocesan Office of Peace and Justice, briefed approximately 150 advocates on abortion, capital punishment, housing and homelessness and child poverty legislation being considered during the two-month General Assembly session, which began Jan. 9.

Colecchi detailed supportive positions on bills to require parental consent for minors seeking abortions (HB 601, SB 645); create penalties for causing the death of a fetus (HB 149); abolish the death penalty (HB 224); ban the execution of the mentally retarded (HB 957, SB 497); and exempt death penalty cases from a 21-day time limit on providing evidence to prove innocence (HB 959, SB 89). Opposed legislation included expansion of the death penalty.

Colecchi explained why Catholic advocates support an $11 million budget amendment to restore Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funds for homeless shelters and services; a $7.5 million budget amendment to use TANF funds to provide rental assistance to low-income families; a ban on the use of personal checks to secure so-called "payday loans" (HB 1197); a $5.6 million budget amendment to use TANF funds to "pass through" child support to children living in poverty; a $6.3 million budget amendment to increase TANF benefits by 6.7 percent; and budget amendments to exempt one car per family in determining eligibility benefits for food stamps, TANF and Medicaid.

Members of SALT (Social Action Linking Together) — many from St. Mary of Sorrows Parish in Fairfax Station — were among advocates who walked from St. Peter Church to the General Assembly Building on Capitol Street. Their first stop was State Senator Richard Saslaw’s office. Saslaw, who represents the 35th District of central Fairfax County and 45 percent of Alexandria, told them the "previous governor [James Gilmore] left the state bankrupt" with a budget deficit of "as much as $4-5 billion." Terry Hartnett, a SALT advocate and Church of the Nativity parishioner, briefed Saslaw on using federal TANF funds to pass through child support to children. Currently, when child support is paid to a family receiving TANF, only $50 goes to the child; the rest goes to fund the Department of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE).

Bruce Neilson of SALT advocated for rental assistance to low-income, working families. "This is a homelessness prevention program," Neilson told Saslaw. "We don’t have money enough in the homeless programs as it is." At a recent Fairfax County budget hearing, Neilson said, the "Reston shelter reported turning away 800 people between Sept. 11 and the end of the year."

Mason Nottingham and Sisters of Our Lady of LaSalette Sister Connie Parcasio presented Saslaw with a prison ministry position paper.

As they moved through the halls of the General Assembly Building, SALT members stopped to talk with State Senator Janet Howell (32nd District), a strong supporter of SALT issues and sponsor of three TANF amendments to benefit the homeless, working poor and children.

Advocates met with Delegate James (Jay) O’Brien (40th District), who is a member of St. Andrew Parish in Clifton. While O’Brien waited to be called to caucus, SALT members briefed him. "Things that are not mandatory, wish list stuff" will be at the mercy of budget constraints, according to O’Brien. He asked SALT members whether state funds were needed to match federal TANF funds. Hartnett said she would get back to him, but thought the funds were already being held in an account.

Their last stop was Delegate James H. Dillard II’s office. Dillard represents the 41st District, where many St. Mary of Sorrows parishioners live. Dillard was on Colecchi’s list of "key legislators to visit" on TANF issues. Gina Cesarini briefed him on SALT’s support for a 6.7 percent increase in TANF benefits, rental assistance to working poor and pass through of child support payments to children. As Dillard prepared to return to a committee meeting, he told the advocates, "I know you are all doing God’s work."

To register views on pending state legislation, call the Legislative HOTLINE at 1-800-889-0229 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. An operator will record your message and e-mail it to your state legislator. For information on bill status or identifying numbers, call 1-800-698-1500. 

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