To pray or not to pray, that is the question in Newburgh

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NEWBURGH – Earlier this year the Newburgh City Council decided to scrap prayer at the beginning of every meeting and instead hold a moment of silence so that people could pray in their own way.

Mayor Torrance Harvey surprised his fellow council members Monday night when he announced he would bring back prayer in 2020.“I am willing to make a compromise and have the prayer reinstated back into the agenda,” he said.

His stipulation would be that representatives of all faiths participate on a rotating basis.

Mayor Torrance Harvey wants a compromise version of prayer

Councilwoman Ramona Monteverdi, who is Buddhist, has been opposed to prayer at the sessions from the time it was first raised.

“They get to shove their prayers down our throats,” she said.

Councilman Robert Sklarz would rather they stick with a moment of silence.

“I feel strongly about the separation of church and state. I feel strongly about the people who are uncomfortable sitting in this audience who are from other religions, who don’t believe in a religion, that in a public setting they are required to sit through a prayer that they may not agree with,” he said.

Councilwoman Hillary Rayford, who did not seek reelection, is an ordained minister, and she has been lobbying for prayer all along.

No decision was made during Monday night’s session, but Mayor Harvey said he has been “bombarded” by clergy who want to bring prayer back to the meetings.




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