A pro-choice keynote speaker

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ishii

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Hello,

In my diocese we are having a focus on Faithful citizenship as an opportunity to advocate for Catholic social principles. In the bulletin where I went to mass, two ways to do this were highlighted: One, there will be postcards available soon to send to members of congress to express our opposition to the Freedom of Choice Act. Second, there is a Catholic Advocacy Day in which parishioners are invited to participate in an all day conference event that will cover economic justice, healthcare, and housing, the environment. The keynote speaker is our Catholic, pro-choice, Governor who received tons of money from Emily’s List for her last campaign (against a pro-life Catholic). I think having a pro-choice politician address a Catholic Advocacy Day event is inconsistent with being pro-life. What do you think should be the response (if any) of a pro-life Catholic to an official event of our Diocese that does this? Any ideas on how to express opposition in a respecful way so as to be constructive? I am tired of the Catholic church looking the other way when it comes to pro-choice politicians because they support social programs the church supports. Thanks for any constructive advice on how to approach this.

Ishii
 
All I can think at the moment is that you need to approach it on a local level as it concerns parishioners in your vicinity. If you state your case clearly to the organizers, the priest, even the local bishop if it comes to that. I guess If I was dealing with it, I’d think I needed documented evidence that the woman is pro-choice.

Perhaps you first need to contact her directly to courteously express your concerns and to ask if in any way she intends to push a pro-choice agenda.

The best I can do is join you in prayer.

God bless you, and may God protect the unborn children of our nations.
 
ishii said:
Hello,

In my diocese we are having a focus on Faithful citizenship as an opportunity to advocate for Catholic social principles. In the bulletin where I went to mass, two ways to do this were highlighted: One, there will be postcards available soon to send to members of congress to express our opposition to the Freedom of Choice Act. Second, there is a Catholic Advocacy Day in which parishioners are invited to participate in an all day conference event that will cover economic justice, healthcare, and housing, the environment. The keynote speaker is our Catholic, pro-choice, Governor who received tons of money from Emily’s List for her last campaign (against a pro-life Catholic). I think having a pro-choice politician address a Catholic Advocacy Day event is inconsistent with being pro-life. What do you think should be the response (if any) of a pro-life Catholic to an official event of our Diocese that does this? Any ideas on how to express opposition in a respecful way so as to be constructive? I am tired of the Catholic church looking the other way when it comes to pro-choice politicians because they support social programs the church supports. Thanks for any constructive advice on how to approach this.

Ishii
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Please do what you can to talk to your priest, then Bishop if necessary, then… if necessary. Someone needs to bring some sanity into this.
 
ishii;
What do you think should be the response (if any) of a pro-life Catholic to an official event of our Diocese that does this? Any ideas on how to express opposition in a respecful way so as to be constructive?
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Go right to the preist, and then write a letter to the Bishop.

Tell your priest that you are livid about this and that you are going to leave that particular Chruch and find another one and that you are taking your checkbook with you. Let him know that you are outraged that they would allow this to happen. See what he say’s. But stick to your guns because YOU are in the right.
 
To add to other suggestions – assuming that the pastor is aware the speaker is pro-choice and that the pastor doesn’t care – I would also mention to the pastor that I plan to talk to all the parishioners I know, to discourage them from participating.
 
Thanks for all your responses thus far.

An update: after further investigation, I have discovered that the parish was advertising an event put on by something called the Washington State Catholic Conference (wscc) called faithful citizenship. From what I can gather, they advocate and lobby in the state capitol for Catholic values. They are always involved in opposition to the pro-suicide initiatives, and other anti-life initiatives. It struck me as very ironic and inconsistent that the organization would hold an event in which a pro-choice governor is the keynote speaker. Since the church bulletin at the parish I was visiting advertised it, I can only assume they also approve of having the pro-choice governor be the keynote speaker. I emailed the parish outreach coordinator about this and she seemed to suggest in her response that since the governor talks about poverty and environmental issues in her last speech to the WSCC (this is not her first speech to the Catholic group) that somehow we should overlook what she is doing to promote abortion rights. I disagree. You can’t have it both ways. Either we let her speak at this meeting and send the message that the Catholic church is pretty much okay with pro-choice politicians, or we say to the governor that as long as she is pro-choice, we will not legitimize her anti-life position by giving her a platform at this event. I also emailed the executive director of the WSCC but have yet to hear back from her.

Ishii
 
ishii said:
Thanks for all your responses thus far.

An update: after further investigation, I have discovered that the parish was advertising an event put on by something called the Washington State Catholic Conference (wscc) called faithful citizenship. From what I can gather, they advocate and lobby in the state capitol for Catholic values. They are always involved in opposition to the pro-suicide initiatives, and other anti-life initiatives. It struck me as very ironic and inconsistent that the organization would hold an event in which a pro-choice governor is the keynote speaker. Since the church bulletin at the parish I was visiting advertised it, I can only assume they also approve of having the pro-choice governor be the keynote speaker. I emailed the parish outreach coordinator about this and she seemed to suggest in her response that since the governor talks about poverty and environmental issues in her last speech to the WSCC (this is not her first speech to the Catholic group) that somehow we should overlook what she is doing to promote abortion rights. I disagree. You can’t have it both ways. Either we let her speak at this meeting and send the message that the Catholic church is pretty much okay with pro-choice politicians, or we say to the governor that as long as she is pro-choice, we will not legitimize her anti-life position by giving her a platform at this event. I also emailed the executive director of the WSCC but have yet to hear back from her.

Ishii
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Under the seam;ess garment approach that liberal Catholics take, abortion is a necessary part of the discussion about poverty. In any plans that include the government, the matter of abortion must be brought up.
 
It is contradictory to be concerned about poverty while supporting abortion. By doing evil they think they can right the world’s wrongs. Clever tactic by The Liar.
 
I have drafted a letter to the Archbishop, and I emailed the head of the group putting on the event that invited the pro-choice Catholic Governor to give the keynote and have yet to hear back. Honestly, what I want is just some clarity and consistency from my Archdiocese. I don’t understand how one day the archdiocese can speak out against FOCA and campaign against it, for example, and then the next day support and advertise a pro-choice Catholic governor. It doesn’t make sense to me.

Ishii
 
ishii said:
Hello,

In my diocese we are having a focus on Faithful citizenship as an opportunity to advocate for Catholic social principles. In the bulletin where I went to mass, two ways to do this were highlighted: One, there will be postcards available soon to send to members of congress to express our opposition to the Freedom of Choice Act. Second, there is a Catholic Advocacy Day in which parishioners are invited to participate in an all day conference event that will cover economic justice, healthcare, and housing, the environment. The keynote speaker is our Catholic, pro-choice, Governor who received tons of money from Emily’s List for her last campaign (against a pro-life Catholic). I think having a pro-choice politician address a Catholic Advocacy Day event is inconsistent with being pro-life. What do you think should be the response (if any) of a pro-life Catholic to an official event of our Diocese that does this? Any ideas on how to express opposition in a respecful way so as to be constructive? I am tired of the Catholic church looking the other way when it comes to pro-choice politicians because they support social programs the church supports. Thanks for any constructive advice on how to approach this.

Ishii
Click to expand...
If you get no response from the organizers, priest and Bishop perhaps you could contact other pro life people in your parish, tell them what is happening and ask them to sign a petition to your priest, Bishop etc. asklng that she does not appear.

Sounds like more lukewarm “morality” to me. Your parish needs to stop its support of pro choice politicians, even if indirectly and get back to its business of supporting the truths of the Church.

If you and other are ignored, I would certainly plan to be there and bring up the subject of abortion. Have facts at hand.
 
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