It’s not often delegates from Protestant, Jewish, Catholic, Unitarian and Muslim congregations come together. They will Wednesday night. A coalition of religious organizations will meet in Bridgeport to discuss with state officials a variety of issues including health care, job training, foreclosures and predatory lending. Talk about power of the clergy.
The coalition calls itself CONECT–Congregations Organized for a New Connecticut www.weconect.org/ and “organizes its members to fight for the common good and to hold elected officials accountable to a multi-issue agenda.” The event will take place at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, 729 Union Avenue. Governor Dannel Malloy is scheduled to attend this “historic” meeting. Media alert below:
GOVERNOR DAN MALLOY AND OTHER TOP OFFICIALS TO ATTEND HISTORIC LAUNCH OF NEW MULTI-FAITH COALITION: “CONECT”
1,200+ GATHER TO COMMIT LEADERSHIP FOR A NEW CONNECTICUT
Joining Governor Malloy on stage at CONECT’s Founding Assembly will be Speaker of the House Chris Donovan; House Majority Leader Brendan Sharkey; Senator Joe Crisco, Co-Chair Insurance and Real Estate Committee; Comptroller Kevin Lembo; Insurance Commissioner Tom Leonardi; Health Care Advocate Victoria Veltri to support the work of “Congregations Organized for a New Connecticut.”
CONECT–Congregations Organized for a New Connecticut–will bring together over 1,200 delegates from Protestant, Jewish, Catholic, Unitarian and Muslim congregations in New Haven and Fairfield Counties, cutting across lines of religion, race and geography. Originated by clergy and in the planning stages since 2007, CONECT organizes its members to fight for the common good and to hold elected officials accountable to a multi-issue agenda. More than twenty institutions will commit approximately $100,000 in organizational dues as a down payment to sustain the organization.
WHEN? WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2011
WHAT TIME? 7:30 to 9:00 pm
WHERE? CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
729 UNION AVENUE, BRIDGEPORT, CT 06607CONECT’s agenda has emerged from over 1,800 congregants of member institutions meeting in living rooms, churches, synagogues and mosques and other community spaces discussing the public pressures impacting their lives. These meetings have identified a common but multi-issue agenda designed to speak with one unified voice to begin the work to build a new Connecticut. The Governor and other public officials will be called upon to address specific requests concerning:
1. Health Care and Long Term Care Insurance: The state should require public hearings before the Insurance Commissioner approves excessive increases in premiums requested by insurance companies.
2. Job Training: Job Training dollars need to be directed to training that is connected to actual jobs.
3. Drivers’ Licenses, Car registration, and Insurance: Connecticut rules need to be changed to permit–and require–immigrants to get licenses, cars registered, and car insurance.
4. Foreclosures and Predatory Lending: Attorney General George Jepsen should conduct an investigation into the amount of financial harm to homeowners in the state from unscrupulous mortgage companies, before he signs the agreement giving those banks immunity.
Bishop Peter Rosazza, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford; Bishop James Curry, Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut; and Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Founding Director Just Congregations, as well as other invited guests, will join elected officials on stage in support of CONECT and its agenda.
What happened to THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE?
What Would Jesus Do?
Ron,
yahooy and Bob belong to the parochial school of thought.
There is nothing wrong with a parochial approach. Learning by rote works. Despite the rigidity of the method of learning, parochial schools work. Certainly they teach better than what is coming out of the public sector.
My high school in NYC was in Hell’s Kitchen, but with discipline and often learning by rote, education succeeded.
It’s all well and good to bring together diverse religions, but there needs to be a common understanding and appreciation of this country’s basis of existence.
Just goes to show how out of touch with reality these politicians are … despite all this touchy-feely stuff, this country was founded upon Judeo-Christian values. All other religions are welcome to sit at the table and participate in those values. But the proviso of separation of church and state should still apply. Kowtowing to the fringe is wrong.
Friends of Only In Bridgeport,
When was the last time you saw a broad coalition of people coming together on contemporary issues in the name of the common good? That would be the “common good” of all of the people over the longer term … as against the “common good” of a few in power today and their self-interested supporters.
Is anyone aware CONECT is a grassroots phenomenon, joining faith communities of various persuasions in searching out the common good for all people, to call to question, encourage genuine dialogue, discussion of multiple concerns respectfully and to adjust current activities, whether governmental or corporate, that bear down on people unjustly? And hold leaders accountable for their behavior? They have slowly but surely invited people from New Haven and Fairfield County faith communities to meet other like-minded persons from other faith communities, one on one, to discover where merciful activities and work against injustices are called for today. Very interesting phenomenon that bears watching.
For instance, as a Catholic I have been curious to see what number the Bridgeport diocese continues to use for its official population figures. For the past 6-8 years this number has rested at 460,000 persons. The Diocese chooses certain dates each year to perform census of people in the pews at worship services. The number from that census must vary from year to year, and I would guess decline across the Diocese (or else why would Church closings have been considered and acted upon). However, from a political point of view, there is more strength in claiming 50% of the local population for membership, even if you are not mustering them to weekly services anymore (under the threat of mortal sin)! And if you can’t regularly see them in a pew, they are not there for financial offerings as regularly as in the past, and you probably cannot directly enlist them in mercy or justice activities, if that was one of your purposes as a faith leader. But politicians looking for which way the wind is blowing may be tempted to look at unchanging, official numbers to feed into decision making. This group falls outside that box!
And how many communities of faith have looked to Scripture or tradition for presentation of issues with concerns around health care, job training, drivers licenses or foreclosures and predatory lending? These are not traditional Catholic issues, I suggest. What is your experience with other faith traditions in presenting a righteous position to the powers to be, and for the common good? See any differences to our regular governance stakeholders???
If you can relate to and see worth in the concept of the “common good” you will be welcome at the local gathering.
So the fact politicians are present to this new formation, or CONECT might become a political force or player in its own right in the near future, across party, geographic and religious lines is certainly something to note. Time will tell.
Last I knew Unitarians were Protestants, although a Congregationalist one time told me Unitarians were really atheists.
Jim,
Now that you mention it, how many Catholics were taught when they were young Jesus was Jewish throughout his life … and therefore was not the first Catholic … so who was the first? And was it more a temporal identity initially or a religious one? … because there had been many varieties of Christ followers, before then.
And how many Catholics of “boomer” age and older who never realized Protestants were Christ followers whose forebears were disturbed by institutional Church practices out of step with scripture, belief and tradition … who “protested” in their time and ultimately left to follow Christ?
What will be in the days ahead? Time will tell.
Don’t quote me on this, but there’s supposed to be some kind of ‘listening’ meeting at Beardsley School with the public and the BOE on Thursday. I’ll get more specifics tomorrow.
*** Sign of the times, no? *** Which way is up, Lord? ***