Charitable Deductions Under Attack

The “charity” deduction was created in 1917 to preserve America’s centuries-old tradition of philanthropy. It is the only section of the U.S. Tax Code that “rewards” a taxpayer for giving their resources away. Tax benefits for charitable contributions and tax-exempt organizations are approximately $100 billion annually.

Unfortunately, some political leaders see the charitable deduction as $40 billion in “lost federal revenue.” President Obama, former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, and the Bowles-Simpson Commission have proposed modifications that would decrease private giving.

Modifying or doing away with the charity deduction will disproportionately harm nonprofits that rely heavily on private giving. Even a 28% cap on charitable deductions, as some including President Obama have proposed, will lower total giving by $9.4 billion annually. Most donors won’t stop giving, but they will likely give smaller amounts and/or less frequently.

Contact Congress and tell them to protect charitable deductions.

Recent Articles and Blog posts:

The End of Charity?

by Richard A. Epstein (Peter and Kirsten Bedford Senior Fellow and member of the Property Rights, Freedom, and Prosperity Task Force at the Hoover Institution)

“The president’s redistributive effort to limit charitable tax deductions will hurt the poor—and everyone else.”

Reaction to HHS mandate

The 60-day comment period for the Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate came to a close on Monday.

But the Obama administration announced that the free contraception mandate will go into effect in August before the deadline! HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Monday, “As of Aug. 1, 2013, every employee who doesn’t work directly for a church or a diocese will be included in the benefit package.”

According to Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, “in our Catholic tradition, the right to religious freedom proceeds from the inherent dignity of each human person.” This is why Catholic Advocate has done so much over the past three years to alert people of faith to the Obama administration’s assault on religious liberty and lobby Congress to pass conscience protection legislation. So today I want to take a moment to highlight some of the formal comments issued by Catholic organizations. I believe you’ll not only find these comments interesting, but a source of hope that we haven’t lost this battle yet. (more…)

Pope Francis Calls Us to Action

Did you hear or read Pope Francis” Homily at his Installation Mass on the Feast of St. Joseph?

He spoke of Joseph the “protector” and then transitioned to what that means to each of us in today”s world.

We wanted to share with you an excerpt:

“The vocation of being a “protector”, however, is not just something involving us Christians alone; it also has a prior dimension which is simply human, involving everyone. It means protecting all creation, the beauty of the created world, as the Book of Genesis tells us and as Saint Francis of Assisi showed us. It means respecting each of God”s creatures and respecting the environment in which we live. It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about. It means caring for one another in our families: husbands and wives first protect one another, and then, as parents, they care for their children, and children themselves, in time, protect their parents. It means building sincere friendships in which we protect one another in trust, respect, and goodness. In the end, everything has been entrusted to our protection, and all of us are responsible for it. Be protectors of God”s gifts! (more…)

U.S. Delegations Disrespect Holy See

The Mass of Installation Tuesday for our new Pontiff is a world event. All the diplomats from various countries assigned to the Holy See will be in attendance in the traditional formal tuxedos with tails. Countries are sending delegations to pay their respects or, in the case of the United States, their disrespects for the teachings of the Church.

With regular quadrennial attention to the Catholic vote in the United States and the recent attacks on our religious liberties, there is no misunderstanding among the Executive Branch or Legislative Branch in Washington D.C. about where the Catholic Church stands on the settled issues of life and marriage.

The White House is delivering a clear, dismissive message of disrespect for the teachings of the Catholic Church by sending the two poster children for dissenting Catholic politicians. The “official” U.S. delegation is led by our Vice President Joe Biden who on May 6, 2012 during an appearance on ‘Meet the Press’ endorsed same-sex marriage. He is joined by former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader of the United States House of Representatives. Any faithful Catholic who pays attention to politics is familiar with Leader Pelosi’s votes against life and marriage and her knack for attempting to twist Church writings to justify her positions.  It is easy to understand why Georgetown University President Dr. John J. DeGioia, the oldest Jesuit institution in the United States is on the delegation. However, Pope Francis is not a “Georgetown Jesuit” and it is safe to assume he would not have allowed a pro-abortion Cabinet Secretary like Kathleen Sebelius to be honored during commencement activities. And, in a nod to bi-partisanship and American Latinos, the pro-life Latino Governor of New Mexico is being included as almost an afterthought. Seventy-five percent of the U.S. delegation personifies the persistent frustration with Catholics in public life and our institutions of Catholic higher education, something our new pope addressed as Cardinal and our last two pontiffs repeatedly criticized during their papacies. (more…)

Habemus Papam!

After just two days of the conclave, Habemus Papam (we have a pope)!

Shortly after 6:30 PM in Rome, white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel indicating the cardinals had selected a successor to Peter. An hour later, French Cardinal Jean-Louis Pierre Tauran appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica pronouncing, “Habemus Papam” — we have a pope! — and introduced Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina.

Cardinal Bergoglio, who has chosen the name Francis I, entered the balcony to deliver his first papal blessing, and did something amazing — he asked the entire world watching to pray together. An act of a humble man faithful to the Magesterium of our Church.

We are a man described by many to be a “compassionate conservative” is our new Pope. We at Catholic Advocate encourage all to pray for our new pontiff and our Church.

Below are the first words to the faithful from Pope Francis I:

Brothers and sisters good evening.
You all know that the duty of the Conclave was to give a bishop to Rome. It seems that my brother Cardinals have come almost to the ends of the earth to get him… but here we are. I thank you for the welcome that has come from the diocesan community of Rome.
First of all I would say a prayer pray for our Bishop Emeritus Benedict XVI.. Let us all pray together for him, that the Lord bless him and Our Lady protect him.
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory to the Father…
And now let us begin this journey, the Bishop and people, this journey of the Church of Rome which presides in charity over all the Churches, a journey of brotherhood in love, of mutual trust. Let us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the whole world that there might be a great sense of brotherhood . My hope is that this journey of the Church that we begin today, together with help of my Cardinal Vicar, be fruitful for the evangelization of this beautiful city.
And now I would like to give the blessing, but first I want to ask you a favour. Before the bishop blesses the people I ask that you would pray to the Lord to bless me – the prayer of the people for their Bishop. Let us say this prayer – your prayer for me – in silence.
[The Protodeacon announced that all those who received the blessing, either in person or by radio, television or by the new means of communication receive the plenary indulgence in the form established by the Church. He prayed that Almighty God protect and guard the Pope so that he may lead the Church for many years to come, and that he would grant peace to the Church throughout the world.]
[Immediately afterwards Pope Francis gave his first blessing Urbi et Orbi – To the City and to the World.]
I will now give my blessing to you and to the whole world, to all men and women of good will.
Brothers and sisters, I am leaving you. Thank you for your welcome. Pray for me and I will be with you again soon.
We will see one another soon.
Tomorrow I want to go to pray the Madonna, that she may protect Rome.
Good night and sleep well!