Archbishop: Abortion supporters should not speak at Catholic places

Published: 2004-02-19

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (CNS) -- Archbishop James P. Keleher of Kansas City has asked all Catholic institutions in the archdiocese not to invite "any person in the pro-choice movement, or any politician who espouses the pro-choice movement or has a voting record endorsing pro-choice legislation" to speak at those institutions. The request was published in The Leaven, Kansas City archdiocesan newspaper, on Feb. 13, the day after Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Catholic who supports keeping abortion legal, spoke at the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth. The archbishop's two-paragraph statement cited "the importance of the issue of legalized abortion in our country, which has resulted in the killing of over 40 million unborn babies in the last 31 years since the Supreme Court decision of Roe vs. Wade." The statement said, "It is imperative that our Catholic churches, schools and institutions make every effort not only to support the pro-life movement, but especially to ensure that the public understands our unequivocal stand on this issue." The statement added, "Because of this," the archbishop "has requested that none of our Catholic institutions invite any person in the pro-choice movement, or any politician who espouses the pro-choice movement or has a voting record endorsing pro-choice legislation, to address, give workshops or otherwise make any presentations at these institutions."

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