S
sweetchuck
Guest
for those inspired by his example in recent weeks, I offer the following LA Times article about a future ministry of his…
Catholic Church Plans Anti-Abortion Ministry
By Scott Gold
Los Angeles Times
AMARILLO, Texas – The Roman Catholic Church plans to establish its first religious society devoted exclusively to fighting euthanasia and abortion, church leaders said this week.
The male-only Missionaries of the Gospel of Life – founded by the Rev. Frank Pavone, an outspoken opponent of abortion rights – will be housed in a vacant Catholic high school and dormitory on the grounds of the Diocese of Amarillo, Texas.
The order will have a decidedly political bent, and will be active rather than contemplative, Pavone said.
Priests will be trained to conduct voter-registration drives, use the media to get out their anti-abortion message and lobby lawmakers to restrict abortion rights. They also will learn to lead demonstrations outside offices where abortions and family-planning services are provided.
‘‘There is a difference between knowing the teachings and knowing how to effectively advance a movement,’’ Pavone said.
In recent months, Pavone has been focused on marshaling religious conservatives around Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged Florida woman who spent her 13th day without a feeding tube Wednesday. He also is director of an anti-abortion association called Priests for Life.
In a prepared statement outlining his plan, Pavone called abortion the ‘‘fundamental human-rights issue of our day.’’ ‘‘The church finds herself battling a plague as spiritually fatal as any she has ever fought before – the plague of the culture of death,’’ Pavone wrote.
The ministry will begin accepting priests and seminarians this summer, Pavone said, with training to start in the fall. Activists and other members of the lay community likely will be trained there as well.
The priest said he had received ‘‘a couple of hundred e-mails and calls’’ from young men interested in joining the ministry; a document sent to church leaders that outlined Pavone’s plan suggested the number of priests in the new ministry could be ‘‘40 or 400.’’
The Catholic church already has some similar organizations. In 1991, the late Cardinal John O’Connor of New York established a women’s religious community called Sisters of Life, dedicated to ‘‘protecting and advancing a sense of the sacredness of human life.’’
But, Pavone said, this is the first time the church has established an apostolic society for priests who will concentrate exclusively on abortion and euthanasia.
The society will be funded through private donations, Amarillo Bishop John W. Yanta said, and is being established with the knowledge and blessing of the Vatican.
In a statement from Rome, Cardinal Renato Martino, the head of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, said the new order ‘‘may be just what the world of today needs.’’
The society’s priests will be given the general mission of ‘‘preaching and teaching the pro-life message effectively,’’ Pavone said. They also will ‘‘bring healing and forgiveness’’ to those who have had abortions and will provide what they describe as counseling services to women who are ‘‘tempted to abort their child.’’
According to the Internal Revenue Service, churches risk losing their tax-exempt status if they endorse or oppose political candidates. But they can adopt political positions and, to a limited degree, lobby to influence legislation.
Anti-abortion organizations applauded establishment of the Missionaries of the Gospel of Life. Cheryl Sullenger, outreach coordinator for Operation Rescue, said that while some of the group’s supporters were Catholic, it sometimes had a difficult time coordinating activities with the church.
‘‘To have an extra avenue into the Catholic church would be very beneficial to our work,’’ she said.
cont’d
Catholic Church Plans Anti-Abortion Ministry
By Scott Gold
Los Angeles Times
AMARILLO, Texas – The Roman Catholic Church plans to establish its first religious society devoted exclusively to fighting euthanasia and abortion, church leaders said this week.
The male-only Missionaries of the Gospel of Life – founded by the Rev. Frank Pavone, an outspoken opponent of abortion rights – will be housed in a vacant Catholic high school and dormitory on the grounds of the Diocese of Amarillo, Texas.
The order will have a decidedly political bent, and will be active rather than contemplative, Pavone said.
Priests will be trained to conduct voter-registration drives, use the media to get out their anti-abortion message and lobby lawmakers to restrict abortion rights. They also will learn to lead demonstrations outside offices where abortions and family-planning services are provided.
‘‘There is a difference between knowing the teachings and knowing how to effectively advance a movement,’’ Pavone said.
In recent months, Pavone has been focused on marshaling religious conservatives around Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged Florida woman who spent her 13th day without a feeding tube Wednesday. He also is director of an anti-abortion association called Priests for Life.
In a prepared statement outlining his plan, Pavone called abortion the ‘‘fundamental human-rights issue of our day.’’ ‘‘The church finds herself battling a plague as spiritually fatal as any she has ever fought before – the plague of the culture of death,’’ Pavone wrote.
The ministry will begin accepting priests and seminarians this summer, Pavone said, with training to start in the fall. Activists and other members of the lay community likely will be trained there as well.
The priest said he had received ‘‘a couple of hundred e-mails and calls’’ from young men interested in joining the ministry; a document sent to church leaders that outlined Pavone’s plan suggested the number of priests in the new ministry could be ‘‘40 or 400.’’
The Catholic church already has some similar organizations. In 1991, the late Cardinal John O’Connor of New York established a women’s religious community called Sisters of Life, dedicated to ‘‘protecting and advancing a sense of the sacredness of human life.’’
But, Pavone said, this is the first time the church has established an apostolic society for priests who will concentrate exclusively on abortion and euthanasia.
The society will be funded through private donations, Amarillo Bishop John W. Yanta said, and is being established with the knowledge and blessing of the Vatican.
In a statement from Rome, Cardinal Renato Martino, the head of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, said the new order ‘‘may be just what the world of today needs.’’
The society’s priests will be given the general mission of ‘‘preaching and teaching the pro-life message effectively,’’ Pavone said. They also will ‘‘bring healing and forgiveness’’ to those who have had abortions and will provide what they describe as counseling services to women who are ‘‘tempted to abort their child.’’
According to the Internal Revenue Service, churches risk losing their tax-exempt status if they endorse or oppose political candidates. But they can adopt political positions and, to a limited degree, lobby to influence legislation.
Anti-abortion organizations applauded establishment of the Missionaries of the Gospel of Life. Cheryl Sullenger, outreach coordinator for Operation Rescue, said that while some of the group’s supporters were Catholic, it sometimes had a difficult time coordinating activities with the church.
‘‘To have an extra avenue into the Catholic church would be very beneficial to our work,’’ she said.
cont’d
