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CATHOLICS TAKE ACTION AFTER PRIESTS DEFEND PRO-ABORTION POLITICIAN

Priest Warps Catholic Teaching on "Pro-Choice"

PLYMOUTH, MI, August 14, 2002 (LSN.ca) - Michigan gubernatorial candidate and Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) parish member Jennifer Granholm has caused an uproar in her church after her parish priest defended her "pro-choice" views in the Sunday bulletin. After Granholm was permitted to leaflet parishioners, Fr. Doc Ortman, associate pastor at OLGC, responded to parishioners concerns about Granholm (a supporter of partial-birth abortion) with warped Catholic teaching.

"Many people have come to me in the two weeks just past to ask about television ads which point out that Ms Granholm, our sister, is pro-choice," wrote Ortman in the August 4th Sunday Bulletin. "The concern has come from a mistaken notion that being pro-choice is equal to being pro-abortion. However, choice is part of the very foundation of our Catholic Christian Community." Ortman continued with comments obviously aimed at faithful Catholics in the parish who were concerned about Granholm, "There are some who would gloss over theological reflection for the sake of emotion; these people often end up persecuting other brothers and sisters through their own ignorance."

When parishioners reacted to the false teaching in the bulletin, no retraction was given. OLGC was picketed by pro-lifers with signs demanding a correction. In the following August 11th bulletin, Pastor John Sullivan issued a terse note in the bulletin saying, "we are pro-life and support the anti-abortion movement." There was no apology or correction to Fr. Ortman's writings. Pro-life parishioners also resented Ortman's use of the label "anti-abortion" which is used by abortion advocates to ascribe a falsely negative and limited motive to the pro-life movement.

Matt Bowman, a Catholic demonstrator from Ann Arbor compared the situation to the sexual abuse scandal. "Despite overwhelming complaints, Fr. Sullivan won't retract the abortion rhetoric voiced August 4th by Fr. 'Doc,'" he said. "Both priests should withdraw from active ministry where they might have contact with abortion-bound girls until this matter is thoroughly addressed," demanded Bowman. "Cardinal Maida must enforce a 'Zero Tolerance' policy for aborto-phile priests."

Pro-lifers' picket outside the church received media attention which may force action from the bishop's office. Bowman told LifeSite that the local Catholic radio station has covered the situation extensively and he has been interviewed by local mainstream media as well.

See the bulletins on line and the contact info for the parish at:
http://www.catholicweb.com/directory.cfm?fuseaction=display_site_info&sitetype=4...

Contact information on the Archdiocese of Detroit (See Services)
http://www.archdioceseofdetroit.org/

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