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2009 STATEMENT ON SAME SEX
MARRIAGE BILL
The New York State Board of the AOH,
representing more than 15,000 Irish Catholics, adamantly opposes
Governor Paterson’s latest attempt to radically redefine the sacred
institution of marriage.
As faithful children of the Catholic Church we fully support the
position of the New York State and United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops, which clearly and unequivocally states that marriage is the
union of one man and one woman. Further, we support a constitutional
amendment that would make this statement a part of the United States
Constitution.
New York Catholics needs to send a clear and unequivocal message to
Governor Paterson and the State legislature that when it comes to their
disrespect for our faith and values enough is enough. The institution of
marriage is far too important to be used by the Governor as a ploy to
distract the public from his other unpopular policies.
Once again Governor Paterson and his allies in the Senate and Assembly
have put forward an idea that appeals to the radical groups who make up
their voter base, while ignoring the wishes of most New Yorkers.
The New York State Board urges all members to write to their elected
officials and to the Governor to voice their opposition to the
Governor’s bill that would end marriage, as we know it.
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SURVEY SHOWS
MOST U.S. ADULTS SUPPORT LAWS LIMITING OR REGULATING ABORTION
WASHINGTON: A nationwide survey commissioned
by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has found
that four out of five U.S. adults (82 percent) think abortion should
either be illegal under all circumstances (11 percent) or would limit
its legality. Thirty-eight (38) percent would limit abortion to the
narrow circumstances of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother;
and an additional 33 percent would limit abortion to either the first
three or first six months. Only 9 percent said abortion should be legal
for any reason at any time during pregnancy.
These findings are remarkable," said Deirdre McQuade, Assistant Director
for Policy & Communications at the USCCB's Secretariat of Pro-Life
Activities. "Fewer than one in ten Americans support legal abortion for
any reason at any time during pregnancy. But that is precisely the
current state of abortion law under Roe vs Wade and Doe vs Bolton, the
1973 U.S. Supreme Court decisions that made abortion legal throughout
the nine months of pregnancy for virtually any reason."
The survey of 2,341 adults, conducted online December 10-12, also found
that laws limiting or regulating abortion enjoyed support as high as 95
percent among those expressing support or opposition to the six kinds of
laws examined in the survey:
- 95 percent favor laws ensuring that abortions be performed only by
licensed physicians.
- 88 percent favor informed consent laws (i.e., that require abortion
providers to inform women of potential risks to their physical and
psychological health and about alternatives to abortion).
- 76 percent favor laws that protect doctors and nurses from being
forced to perform or refer for abortions against their will.
- 73 percent favor laws that require giving parents the chance to be
involved in their minor daughter's abortion decision.
- 68 percent favor laws against partial-birth abortion (i.e., aborting a
child already partially delivered from the mother), and
- 63 percent favor laws preventing the use of taxpayer funds for
abortions.
"Support for these measures cuts across 'pro-life' and 'pro-choice'
positions. Over a third (35 percent) of the small minority who said
abortion should be legal for any reason throughout pregnancy
nevertheless supported three or more of the six laws presented," McQuade
said.
"This research indicates how out of touch pro-abortion groups are with
mainstream America," McQuade said.
"These same widely-supported, constitutionally valid measures, some of
which have been proven effective in reducing abortion rates, are now
seriously threatened by abortion advocates and their allies in
Congress," McQuade said. "On behalf of children and their mothers,we
will have to fight to keep such laws in place."
"Pro-abortion groups have already sent a comprehensive 55-page blueprint
for their agenda to the incoming Administration," McQuade said. "But
their agenda-including publicly-funded abortions, passage of the
so-called 'Freedom of Choice Act' (FOCA), and attacking the Hyde
amendment and other longstanding pro-life provisions in appropriations
bills-won't sell in the general public."
"Most people agree we should work to reduce abortions, but you can't
reduce abortions by promoting abortion and eliminating all the policies
that have proven effective in reducing abortions," McQuade said. "The
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will oppose all such threats to
human life in whatever manner they are proposed."
Survey Methodology:
Harris Interactive® fielded the study on behalf of USCCB from December
10-12, 2008 via its QuickQuerySM online omnibus service, interviewing a
nationwide sample of 2,341 U.S.adults aged 18 years and older. Data were
weighted using propensity score weighting to be representative of the
total U.S. adult population on the basis of region, age within gender,
education, household income, race/ethnicity, and propensity to be
online. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated; a
full methodology is available.
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BISHOPS
WELCOME HHS REGULATION PROTECTING CONSCIENCE RIGHTS IN HEALTH CARE
WASHINGTON - A final regulation protecting
health care providers' conscience rights was issued December 18 by the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The U.S. Catholic
bishops' spokesperson on abortion, Deirdre A. McQuade, welcomed the
published regulation as a way to protect medical personnel from being
coerced to violate their consciences in federally funded programs. The
regulation clarifies and implements existing federal statutes enacted by
Congress in 1973, 1996 and 2004. (For the text of these laws see
www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/abortion/crmay08.pdf.)
"Individuals and institutions committed to healing should not be
required to take the very human life that they are dedicated to
protecting," McQuade said. "The enforcement of federal laws to protect
their freedom of conscience is long overdue."
"Catholic health care providers will especially welcome this mark of
respect for the excellent life-affirming care they provide to all in
need. But Catholics do not stand alone in opposition to the deliberate
destruction of nascent human life. All health care providers should be
free to serve their patients without violating their most deeply held
moral and religious convictions in support of life," McQuade said.
"The USCCB thanks Secretary Michael Leavitt for implementing this
regulation," McQuade said. "We urge the incoming Congress and
Administration to honor this much-needed implementation of longstanding
laws. Respect for conscience rights on abortion should be a strong point
of agreement among those considering themselves 'pro-life' and
'pro-choice.' Yet this regulation is already under attack. A month
before it was even published, pro-abortion senators had introduced a
bill (S. 20) to invalidate it regardless of its content."
The USCCB issued a statement on August 21 welcoming the proposed
regulation when it was first released for public comment (www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2008/08-118.shtml).
Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, chair of the bishops' Committee
for Pro-Life Activities, also wrote to Congress urging respect for
conscience protection measures (www.usccb.org/prolife/rigali-conscience071808.pdf).
Formal comments on the proposal were later submitted by the USCCB Office
of General Counsel (www.usccb.org/ogc/ruleind.shtml).
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Brothers,
We need to take action now to reverse deep cuts that have been made to
state aid to our Catholic Schools and prevent more cuts at the special
legislative session this November. There is no doubt that the State is
in a deep fiscal crisis. However, at the same time that we are told that
the State is making "Across the Board Cuts" and Catholic School Aid is
cut by 17 million, public school aid was INCREASED BY 1.8 BILLION.
I sent the attached letter to Governor Patterson, the legislative
leadership and to my representatives in the State Assembly and Senate. I
urge you to do the same and to do so quickly. Only through decisive
action can we end these cuts to Catholic Schools. Feel free to use
whatever you want from my letter, or even to use the whole letter and
sign your name. Lets make a difference for our kids.
Yours in our motto,
Matt Nelligan
NYS AOH President
[ YOUR LETTERHEAD]
November 10, 2008
Honorable David Paterson
Governor of New York State
Albany NY 12224
Dear Governor Paterson:
I write on behalf of our membership all across New York State to
advocate for the restoration of the more than 17 million dollars in cuts
that have been made to Mandated Services Aid to Catholic Schools. I am
very aware that these are tough economic times, but it is precisely
because this is the case that we should not mortgage our children’s
educational future and by extension the future of New York State.
Catholic Schools are a highway of opportunity for students of all
religions and backgrounds. As you are aware, the ability to attend
Catholic schools has saved many children living in the inner city who
otherwise would have had to attend a better funded but less safe and
successful public school. These are the children that are most
vulnerable, should Catholic schools be forced to close due to these cuts
which are neither fair to students nor effective in closing the budget
deficit. The Catholic School portion of Mandated Services Aid is a drop
in the bucket when compared with the State’s overall fiscal health and
yet it is vitally important to the parents and students who count on
these schools each day.
We have heard much discussion of “Across the Board Cuts” and yet public
schools received an additional $1.8 billion for the second year in a
row, while Catholic Schools face cuts. Our concern for children should
not be dictated by the kind of school that they attend, it should
instead reflect our shared commitment to the education of ALL children.
I urge you to restore the Mandated Service Aid that was recently cut and
in both the November 18th session and the new session that begins in
January to avoid any further cuts to Catholic Schools. This is an issue
that our membership cares about deeply, as the future of Catholic
education is also the future of Catholicism and of organizations such as
ours.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME AND TITLE]
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Letter -
WORD Format |
Letter - PDF
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Press Release
upon Irish Foreign Affairs Dept. announcement of 20,000 J Visas for
Irish Citizens to US starting Jan. 1, 2009
by Matt
Nelligan and Dan Dennehy:
Ancient Order of Hibernians New York State
Board President Matt Nelligan and Immigration Chairman Dan Dennehy
welcomed the Irish State Department’s announcement of a new US Ireland
visa deal. “We join the Irish American community in congratulating
Taoiseach Brian Cowan, Irish Ambassador Michael Collins and the US and
Irish State Departments on this extremely significant step toward
rectifying the inequities created by the Immigration and Nationality Act
of 1965. The possibility of a secure and legal opportunity for 20,000
Irish people to annually live, work and experience our culture in the US
can definitely strengthen the invaluable bonds between our two nations.”
Matt Nelligan email:
i2000@hibernians.com
Dan Dennehy email:
dandennehy@hotmail.com
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JOHN HENNESSY
AWARDED BURNS-HAYES AWARD |
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John Hennessy, currently New
York State Immediate Past President NY State Board has been chosen to
receive the highest honor bestowed by the New York State AOH, the
Burns-Hayes award. John was chosen because he exemplifies the high
ideals of our Nobel Order and has made the causes of the Ancient Order
of Hibernians his life’s work.
John is a charter member of the Father Murphy of Boolavogue Division 9
of Suffolk County. He is currently serving his 12th term as Treasurer of
that Division. For the past 40 years, John has been an active Hibernian,
holding all elected Offices at the Division, County, and State level.
National President Jack Meehan appointed him National Protocol Chairman.
John is also Co-Treasurer of the Long Island Feis for over 29 years and
is an active member of the Tara Court Major Degree Team of Suffolk
County.
Hennessy served as Chairman of the New York State Conventions in 1993
and 1999, was Aide to the Grand Marshal of the New York City St.
Patrick’s Day Parade in 1991, was named the First Hibernian of the Year
by Suffolk County in 1992. In 2002 he was awarded National Life
Membership.
John served in the U.S. Navy for three years and holds a B.S. degree in
Business and a M.S. degree in Labor and Industrial Relations from New
York Institute of Technology.
He resides in Deer Park, Suffolk County, with his lovely wife Margaret.
They have three daughters, Sharon, Patricia, and Theresa living locally,
while their other daughter Rosemary, son-in law Chad, and three
grandchildren Amanda, Matthew and Andrew reside in Winchester, Virginia.
John and Margaret are parishioners of St. Matthews’s parish in Dix
Hills. He is retired from a local utility Company and is presently a
part-time tax preparer, and a full time Hibernian.
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At the 94th Biennial N.Y.S. A.O.H./L.A.O.H Convention, which was held in the
Albany Crowne Plaza Hotel, State and Lodge Streets, Albany NY 12207 the
following officers were installed on Saturday July 14, 2007.

L to R; (Sitting) Matt Nelligan, President; Charles “Chip” Mclean, Vice
President; L to R; (Standing) Michael McNabb, State Secretary; and , James Burke,Treasurer.

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