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IRS: Unacceptable Practices
- As a 501C3 “Organization”, parishes may not make financial contributions to individual political campaigns.
- Parishes may not distribute materials in support of a candidate for political office. Parishes may not promote his/her candidacy in any tangible way.
- Individuals who seek office should not be granted use of parish space during the campaign season. To do so would be tantamount to granting favor to one candidate.
- Parishioner mailing lists and the like should not be given or sold to candidates running for public office or other individuals acting on their behalf.
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Diocesan Rules
- No petition gathering, sign-on activity, or related event is permissible in parishes or on church property unless specifically authorized by the Bishop. This applies to all political activities, both candidate and issues related.
- The ONLY political materials to be distributed to parishioners in church or on church property are those that have been made available by the offices of the diocesan Bishop or the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Note
Diocesan rules supersede IRS rules in those cases where the Diocesan rule is more stringent.
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IRS: Acceptable Activities
- Parishes may fully participate in “issues based” politics. Pastors are free to speak to “issues”, distribute materials that are issues based and actively and openly promote a particular position.
- Parishes may publish their own candidate voting records on select issues. However, great care must be taken to include all candidates for office and structure the questions to the candidates such that they are fair and balanced, dealing with a number of issues.
- Parishes may sponsor candidate events where all candidates are invited to participate and questions to the candidates are fair and appropriate without favoritism.
- Parishes may sponsor voter registration programs whereby parishioners are urged to register and are provided an opportunity to do so. These events must be bipartisan always.
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