Politics
Thursday May 3, 2007
Pro-abortion Sen. Hillary Clinton to Speak at Chicago Catholic Charity
Cardinal George disussed situation but has not asked that invitation be withdrawn as per USCCB policy
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
By John-Henry Westen and Gudrun Schultz
CHICAGO, Illinois, May 3, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Sen. Hillary Clinton has been scheduled to appear as the keynote speaker at a Catholic charity event in Chicago, despite objections from pro-life groups over her vociferous support for abortion and homosexual activism.
The Mercy Home Graduates Luncheon is an annual fundraiser to support the Mercy Home Catholic children's charity. Mercy Home for Boys & Girls is a long-term residential home for young people ages 11 to 21, administered by Catholic priests. Fr. Scott Donahue is the current president of the organization.
Mercy Home spokesman Mark Schmeltzer told LifeSiteNews.com that Fr. Donohue was approached by Chicago Cardinal Francis George about the upcoming Clinton fundraiser. "The Cardinal had some very understandable misgivings but he just wanted to be assured this was not a political stop," Schmeltzer told LifeSiteNews.com.
Schmeltzer also said that the Catholic home was "happy to have someone of that high profile," speaking at their event.
Asked if Mercy Home was concerned, as a Catholic institution, that such a staunch advocate of abortion was coming to keynote its fundraiser, Schmeltzer said that Clinton was coming to speak about education. "We're making it clear that it's not an endorsement of any kind," he said. "We're not taking a stand on the Senator's (Presidential) candidacy."
"Mercy Home adheres to all the principles of the Catholic Church and the church's teaching of the right to life," said Schmeltzer. "We are in complete endorsement of the Catholic Church and the church's teaching as an entity of the Catholic Church."
However, when asked about a 2004 US Conference of Bishops document which forbade Catholic institutions from permitting pro-abortion speakers, Schmeltzer replied, "I'm not familiar with whether or not that document was discussed."
In 2004, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a policy document calling on Catholic institutions not to have pro-abortion politicians put on a pedestal due to the scandal it would cause. In their document, Catholics in Political Life, the Bishops' Conference states: "The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honour those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honours or platforms which would suggest support for their actions." (see coverage: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/jun/04062102.html)
Joseph Scheidler, national director of the Pro-Life Action League has organized a demonstration against Senator Clinton's appearance in Chicago. He told LifeSiteNews.com that her appearance would set a precedent for pro-abortion speakers at other Catholic events.
"They'll use that, Hillary can then say, well, I spoke at Mercy Boys in Chicago," he said.
Asked if Mercy Home would object to a politician speaking who rather than supporting abortion, supported racism, Schmeltzer replied, "I couldn't speak on hypotheticals . . . but I imagine that we would."
To politely express concerns contact:
Cardinal Francis George
Archdiocese of Chicago
155 E. Superior Street
Chicago, IL 60611
312-751-8230 Press 4
312-751-5307 - Fax
Mercy Home
Email:
Call: (312) 738-7560
See related LifeSiteNews coverage:
Archbishop Resigns from Charity Board After Pro-Abortion Sheryl Crow Booked to Perform
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/apr/07042606.html
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- Cardinal Rigali: You Can't Claim to be "Reducing Abortions" but Publicly Funding them in D.C.
- General Electric to Use Embryonic Stem Cells for Testing, Phase out Lab Rats
- Ohio Supreme Court Allows Planned Parenthood to Conceal Abortion Records in Sexual Abuse Case
- LifeSiteNews Canada Day and Independence Day Message. Taking a few days off. LSN returns Monday July 6
- Heroically Pro-Life Brazilian Archbishop's Resignation Accepted Under Cloud of Vatican Newspaper Misrepresentation
- Pro-Life Groups Announce New Colorado Personhood Initiative
- Judge Puts Kibosh on DC Gay "Marriage" Referendum
- Al Franken Win Hands Supermajority to Senate Democrats
- Group Funded by Canadian Bishops' D&P Joins with Others to Denounce the "Natural Family" and "Family Rights"
- Financially Troubled Planned Parenthood of El Paso Closes Doors
- Abortion Linked to Subsequent Pre-Term Births, New Research Again Confirms
- New Orleans Homosexual Couple Ask Fed. Court to Overturn Marriage Amendment
- Slim Hope Of New Ontario Progressive Conservative Party Leader Promoting Pro-Life, Pro-Family Issues
- Pope Accepts Resignation of Bishop Caught Involved in Homosexual Encounters
- Young Children Removed from UK Schools for "Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour"
- Northern Ireland Politician Cleared of Wrongdoing after Reiterating Christian Teaching on Homosexual Acts
- UK Conservative Leader Speaks at Gay Pride Fundraiser
- More Letters to the Editor on Canadian Catholic Development and Peace Scandal (July 1)
- Letters to the Editor - Readers Respond to Development and Peace Scandal
- Watch This Dramatic New Video on Catholic Bishops Conference Funding of Pro-Abortion Groups
Most Read this Week
- Homosexual Duke U. Director Charged with Offering Adopted 5-Year-Old for Sex
- Famed Fr. Corapi Calls Canadian Bishops' Dissent from Humanae Vitae "Catastrophic"
- Pope: It is a Childish Faith to Oppose the Church Teaching on Life and Family
- Heroically Pro-Life Brazilian Archbishop's Resignation Accepted Under Cloud of Vatican Newspaper Misrepresentation
- General Electric to Use Embryonic Stem Cells for Testing, Phase Out Lab Rats
- LifeSiteNews Detailed Response to Canadian Bishops' Whitewash Report on Development and Peace
- Young Children Removed from UK Schools for "Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour"
- Is Pro-Choice the New Pro-Life?
- Swedish Parents Won't Tell if Child is Boy or Girl as Gender Experiment
- Cardinal Rigali: You Can't Claim to be "Reducing Abortions" but Publicly Funding them in D.C.
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.