News

CALGARY, August 29, 2002 (LSN.ca) – “No Catholic can responsibly take a pro-choice stand when the choice in question involves the taking of innocent human life,” said Bishop Fred Henry of Calgary,  backing up a Medicine Hat priest’s decision not to allow a Planned Parenthood employee to be married in her Catholic parish. “The whole Planned Parenthood agenda is not in accordance with the teaching of the Catholic Church,” Henry said. “And consequently if a Roman Catholic is going to work for them, then they have to be prepared to accept the consequences of that decision.”  Celina Ling and her common-law roommate/fiancé, Robert Symmonds, who is not Catholic, had assumed that they could think and do whatever they liked, be accountable to no one but themselves, and still receive the Catholic sacrament of matrimony. When Father John Maes told her that it doesn’t quite work that way (or at least, it shouldn’t), she took her story to the media.  “It’s hard to construe of anybody being penitent when they run to the media,” was Bishop Henry’s comment. “Obviously, in this particular situation there doesn’t seem to be much recognition on the part of the young lady in question that she’s done anything wrong.” he said. “This is not something that is decided on the basis of conducting a poll or asking for people’s opinion.”  To read Calgary Herald coverage, use the Search function at www.canada.com.