Missouri Catholic Conference

Autumn Update


December 6, 2013 

Fall road

 Website Launched By Missourians for Children's Education

Missourians for Children's Education has launched a website providing information about the Children's Education Initiative (CEI). The website also offers suggestions on how to volunteer and donate to the campaign. Visit the website at www.ceimissouri.org.

 St. Francis in Taos Delivers for CEI

Cole county parishes continue to rack up big signature numbers for CEI. This week Donna Frazier, principal of St. Francis elementary school in Taos, Missouri, brought the MCC a stack of notarized petition pages. Thank you Donna and thank you St. Francis! 

Bring It Indoors

As the weather turns colder, indoor events, like high school basketball games, offer a good opportunity to collect CEI signatures. Also don't overlook Catholic Schools Week - January 26-February 1. Catholic Schools Week is a good time to obtain signatures not just from parents but from Grandparents and others.

About CEI Circulators: Voter by Voter

Keep in mind that a circulator must be 18 years of age and complete the "Registration Form for Initiative or Referendum Petition Circulators." Parishes and schools should collect these completed forms from their circulators and mail to MCC when mailing in their notarized Petition Pages.

 

Be sure to recruit sufficient circulators for your signature gathering events. Don't expect an individual circulator to collect more than about 100 signatures a day. Collecting signatures is a voter-by-voter process: the circulator must ask each voter if he/she is a registered voter and then obtain the signature. After collecting signatures on the official Petition Page, the circulator should get each page notarized in front of a notary.

 

Again, it is a somewhat laborious process so be sure to recruit plenty of circulators who can get the signatures from each voter and then sign their completed Petition Pages in front of a notary.

Can't Donors Already Get a Tax Break for Charitable Donations?

Yes, donors can now claim a tax deduction for their charitable gift, but the CEI tax credit will offer an additional, more substantial tax break for charitable givers. Combined, the tax deduction and the CEI tax credit will offer a powerful incentive for donors to give to K-12 school foundations. 

Can a Donor Give All of His or Her Donation to One K-12 School Foundation?

Yes. A donor can give 100% of his or her donation to a K-12 school foundation of their choice. If the donor just wants to donate to foundation providing scholarships for attendance at a Catholic school, he or she can do so. See Questions and Answers .

Pittsburgh Diocese/Catholic Charities

Obtain Relief from HHS Mandate

Last week, a federal court in Western Pennsylvania blocked enforcement of the HHS mandate against the Diocese of Pittsburgh and Erie Pennsylvania, along with affiliated organizations insured under the diocesan health plan, including Catholic Charities of Western Pennsylvania among others. An appeal is expected.

 

The decision is important, because the Diocese itself is exempt from the mandate, but Catholic Charities isn't. A similar challenge to the HHS mandate has brought by the Archdiocese of St. Louis and its affiliated Catholic Charities group there. For more information, click here.

Execution Set for Allen Nicklasson

On December 11 the state of Missouri plans to execute Allen Nicklasson for the 1994 murder of Richard Drummond. This will be the second execution carried out by Missouri in the last month.

 
Nicklasson has a long history of mental illness, going back to his childhood when he was institutionalized after being taken from his abusive mother who also suffered from extreme mental illness. The MCC has submitted a clemency application to Governor Nixon asking that he show mercy to Mr. Nicklasson. The application was signed by civic and religious leaders from across the state, including the Catholic Bishops.
 
Vigils will be held across the state on December 10th as citizens witness against state killings. For a list of vigils, click here. In case of a last minute stay of execution, the local contact will know if the vigil will be held.
In This Issue
1. Website Launched By Missourians for Children's Education
2. St. Francis in Taos Delivers for CEI
3. Bring It Indoors
4. About CEI Circulators: Voter by Voter
5. Can't Donors Already Get a Tax Break for Charitable Donations?
6. Can a Donor Give All of His or Her Donation to One K-12 School Foundation?
7. Pittsburgh Diocese/Catholic Charities Obtain Relief from HHS Mandate
8. Execution Set for Allen Nicklasson

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