Over 146,000 people asked the USPS to issue stamp

CHICAGO, Sept. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Brian Burch, President of CatholicVote.org Civic Action, was on hand for the First-Day-of-Issue ceremony for the Mother Teresa commemorative stamp in Washington, DC. CatholicVote organized a petition in favor of Mother Teresa at www.stampoutbigotry.com, which was signed by over 146,000 people.

"We thank the United States Postal Service for honoring the 100th anniversary of Mother Teresa's birth with this beautiful stamp. Our petition in support of the stamp struck a chord because Mother Teresa continues to serve as an inspiration for people today," said Burch.

"CatholicVote.org is now calling on Americans to honor the life of this saintly and heroic woman by purchasing Mother Teresa stamps this week," said Burch.

The stamp was unveiled today at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The stamps go on sale nationwide Tuesday.

"I'm glad that the Postal Service could make an exception for their 'Never on Sunday' rule by issuing this stamp 13 years to the day since Mother Teresa's death on September 5, 1997," said Burch. "The Postal Service also understands that having the ceremony here at this beautiful Basilica doesn't mean that the United States Government is suddenly Roman Catholic."

Burch acknowledged that USPS policy does prohibit stamps that "honor religious institutions or individuals whose principal achievements are associated with religious undertakings or beliefs."  But Burch argued that the policy should not prevent the Postal Service from issuing stamps honoring religious persons who are well known for their contributions to the world.  

"Mother Teresa was proudly Roman Catholic, and her religious faith clearly inspired her charity.  However, her service to the world is universally recognized as worthy of acclaim.  We are glad that the Postal Service recognizes that her Catholic faith does not disqualify her from the receiving honors such as this. To do so would constitute a gross form of religious discrimination," said Burch.

The Postal Service has honored the work of religious figures in the past including John Witherspoon in 1976, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1979 and 1999, Martin Luther in 1983, and Father Edward Flanagan in 1986.

A group called the Freedom From Religion Foundation unsuccessfully attempted to stop the new stamp claiming that Mother Teresa had a 'darker side.' But Burch says the real cause of their anger seems to be her unapologetic defense of sexual morality and the dignity of all human life.  Burch noted that the group accused the nun of making a "gratuitous tirade against abortion" when she accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. They called that speech a "disturbing, befogged religious rant."

CatholicVote.org Civic Action, www.catholicvoteaction.org, is a project of Fidelis, a 501c4 public policy organization.

Online at:  http://catholicvoteaction.org/blog/cva/index.php?p=2039

SOURCE CatholicVote.org Civic Action

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