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US Conference of Bishops Asserts New Appointee is Pro-Life

By John-Henry Westen and Matthew Cullinan Hoffman

WASHINGTON, DC, September 21, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - On Monday LifeSiteNews.com published a story on Kathy Saile, who was recently named Director of Domestic Policy for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).  Evidence on the internet and commentary on various blogs pointed strongly to the possibility that the new USCCB Director supported abortion.  Calls to confirm or deny the allegations were not returned by USCCB communications official Sr. Mary Anne Walsh.

In response to queries from concerned LifeSiteNews.com readers, the USCCB has now indicated that Saile is in fact pro-life.  The USCCB offices did not make this assertion to LifeSiteNews.com.

On Wednesday Catholic News Service, the media arm of the USCCB, published a story on Saile highlighting her pro-life position.  The article explained that Saile's work in Washington brought her into contact with the pro-abortion group Women's Information Network (WIN).  The article reports that the speech Saile gave at a WIN conference - which LifeSiteNews.com had highlighted as one of the pieces of evidence suggesting a view in favour of abortion - was actually a speech challenging the left-leaning group to "be pro-life".

Also on Wednesday, the USCCB Director of Planning & Information Deirdre McQuade contacted LifeSiteNews.com and informed us of the Catholic News Service article.  However Sr. Mary Anne Walsh once again did not return another call for follow up comment on the story from LifeSiteNews.com.

Without comment from the USCCB, other than learning of USCCB communiqués to others and the Catholic News Service story, LifeSiteNews.com contacted Kaithy Saile directly at her current post at the Lutheran Services of America, an arm of the abortion supporting Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.  Saile was at first reluctant to speak with LifeSiteNews.com prior to her taking her position at the USCCB in mid-October.  "I would be happy to do interviews once I'm actually on staff at the USCCB.  I'm still employed by LSA", she said.

However when LifeSiteNews.com assured her that questions would involve her personal stands rather than USCCB policies she was more willing to answer.  Are you willing to say that you are pro-life.  "Absolutely," she replied.

The USCCB form letter sent to those who have contacted the organization with their concerns about Saile's seemingly pro-abortion position were told "please be assured that commitment to the Catholic Church and its teaching are a central consideration in recruiting, interviewing and selecting candidates for key USCCB positions."

While pro-life activists hope that is the case at the USCCB, it surely has not always been so. 

In March 2004 LifeSiteNews.com reported that the USCCB employed Ono Ekeh as program coordinator for the Secretariat for African-American Catholics.  Ekeh was moonlighting as the administrator of the "Catholics For Kerry" internet newsgroup. (See coverage:http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/mar/04030208.html )

In July 2002, the USCCB appointed two known associates of former President Clinton to its 12-member National Review Board to deal with the sexual abuse scandals. (see coverage: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/jul/02073102.html )

In December 2005 Harry Forbes the head of the USCCB Office for Film and Broadcasting published a glowingly positive review of the homosexual propaganda film Brokeback Mountain.  The LifeSiteNews.com exposure of Forbes' glowing review caused the USCCB website to substantially alter the review.  (see coverage: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/dec/05121607.html ). Forbes continues to head the USCCB office.

See LifeSiteNews.com's original coverage of the Saile story:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/sep/07091702.html

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