Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the  Board of Directors

Of

The Catholic Defense League

On November 20, 2007

A Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Catholic Defense League (CDL) was held, pursuant to notice, on November 20, 2007 in the offices of the CDL, St. Paul, Minnesota.  Present at the Meeting were the following Board Members: President Pat Phillips, Vice-President Ed Wollerman, Treasurer Tom Schramer, Chaplain Father Michael Skluzacek, Dick Houck, Cletus Tauer, Merlyn Scroggins, Marlene Reid, Stella Lundquist, Kelly Rowe and Ray Marshall.  The meeting was convened at 4:10 p.m.

Dick Houck moved and Tom Shramer seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of August 21, 2007.  Carried.

Pat Phillips in his President’s Report informed the Board as to what was happening with the School Clinic issue, including a meeting with Coadjutor Archbishop John Nienstedt.  Abp. Nienstedt saw it as a “kids issue” rather than a “Catholic issue” and that is the way it will be treated.  The big question for the Board is “how do we make a difference” in protecting our children and their families and preserving traditional parental rights.

Pat re-capped what had been the themes of the past three issues of “The Defender” for those not directly involved in it.  The Summer issue dealt with Catholic “dissenters.”  The Fall issue dealt with the ACLU and other organizations engaged against the Church and what it stands for.  The current issue, to go to press in a week or so deals with more of the “good things” that are happening in the Church and current issues.

Discussion was briefly held on the attacks on Abp. Nienstedt who had written a column in the Catholic Spirit by members of the homosexual community in print and on television.

Tom Shramer gave the Treasurer’s Report, indicating that financially we are in very good shape. He informed the Board that the next submission for the 2007 Report to the IRS was due May 15, 2008.

A brief discussion was held regarding a need for a small safe to secure blank checks and other important documents.

Cletus Tauer informed the Board of the status of the purchase of a new Quickbooks program for non-profits and getting a program that will allow him to do some of his accounting work on our computer remotely from his home.

Marlene Reid pointed out that we should be referring to our IRS status as an 501c3 organization on all our newsletters.

Dick Houck moved and Marlene Reid seconded a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report.  Motion carried.

In open discussion, the Board reviewed the current Defender draft.

In thoughts as to roles the Board can play in the community, it was suggested by Kelly Rowe that we develop a  “stable of speakers” whose names we could provide to news directors and agencies around the Twin Cities so that they could readily find good Catholics to respond to issues on short notice.

Kelly further mentioned that the Board should take a stand out in front of Coadjutor Archbishop Nienstedt who will be receiving much criticism in the months drawing close to the time of his accession to the title of Archbishop.  Marlene Reid said that on both of these issues a quick reaction is absolutely necessary.

Marlene Reid moved and Cletus Tauer seconded a motion to have Pat Shannon serve as the head of a small team of three or four Board members as a quick response communications team.  Ray Marshall volunteered to serve on it.  Marlene added that in the creation of the team, the Board should indicate that they would be authorized to move quickly when the necessity is seen.  Motion carried.

Meeting was adjourned at 5:10 p.m.

Submitted by  Ray Marshall