Denver Direct: Archdiocese Breaks Vow with Denver Dems


Thursday, April 11, 2013

Archdiocese Breaks Vow with Denver Dems

The Democratic Party of Denver (“DPOD”) House District 8’s annual spaghetti dinner fundraiser to be held Saturday, April 13 at 6:00 P.M. has been moved to the Assistance League of Denver at 1400 Josephine due to the Archdiocese of Denver’s last-minute cancellation of their contract to rent space at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church for the event.  While the DPOD had a signed contract in place for several weeks to use the space at St. Ignatius—which had hosted the spaghetti dinner for the previous four years—the DPOD was informed only on Monday, April 8 that the contract would not be honored.


JD Flynn
DPOD Chair Edward Hall spoke with Archdiocese Chancellor J.D. Flynn—a registered Republican—who informed him that, in Chancellor Flynn’s opinion, Democratic Party events “were not good for the community.” While legal counsel for the Archdiocese indicated the decision was due to nonprofit tax status concerns, that rationale does not explain the extraordinary timing of the decision and furthermore rings hollow in light of the arms-length nature of the contract, St. Ignatius’ established history of contracting with the DPOD, and Chancellor Flynn’s own words.
The decision to not honor the contract left the DPOD scrambling to find a new space and inform attendees of the change. The DPOD reminds Chancellor Flynn of Numbers 30:2, which states that if someone “swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word.” While the DPOD is weighing its options for legal recourse, a successful fundraiser at the alternate site—the Assistance League of Denver at 1400 Josephine—will help ensure that the only damage done from this situation will be to Chancellor Flynn’s reputation as someone who values keeping promises.
Tickets for the dinner are $20 for adults and $10 for seniors and children, and are available for purchase at the door.
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