TORONTO, May 26, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The office of Toronto Cardinal Thomas Collins has been inundated with positive reaction to the Cardinal’s letter confronting Liberal leader Justin Trudeau. The recent remarks by the self-professed Catholic politician insisting that all new Liberal candidates support the “right to choose,” has thus far been met with public opposition from five Canadian bishops.
In a letter to Trudeau earlier this month, Cardinal Collins expressed his deep concern with his stand, noting that had Pope Francis chosen a different vocation he would himself be denied the opportunity to run as a Liberal.
Neil MacCarthy, communications director for the Archdiocese of Toronto, told the Catholic Register that the huge reaction was “overwhelmingly positive, from both within and outside of the catholic community.”
“We’ve had hundreds of people comment both through our office and on social media on this issue,” he said. “I’ve never had so many clergy both from the Archdiocese of Toronto and outside the archdiocese, send notes or phone to offer their gratitude and encouragement to Cardinal Collins.”
Jim Hughes, national president of Campaign Life Coalition, told LifeSiteNews that having pro-life and pro-family advocates congratulate both faith and political leaders when those leaders do the hard work of public confrontation has been an aim of Campaign Life Coalition for many years.
“I’m happy to hear people responded so positively,” said Hughes. “I wonder if the Cardinal knows how much support for him is out there in the (pro-life) community and I hope this will encourage him to speak out more often.”
The reality of the need for the grassroots pro-life and pro-family community to communicate their thanks to leaders who stick their necks out in the public square is keenly felt in politics as well as religion.
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Pat O’Brien, a former Liberal MP, has spoken about having been blasted by many for defending life and family while receiving very little encouragement from Church members. He told LifeSiteNews he was “thrilled to see that people are giving positive feedback to the Cardinal for his courageous and necessary statement.”
“All too often people in authority get criticism for things they do or don’t do — they don’t get enough praise for some of the good steps they take and actions they make,” he added. “This should encourage our other bishops and leaders to step out and make courageous statements.”
The bishops that have thus far spoken out against Trudeau’s missive include:
1) Cardinal Thomas Collins of Toronto
2) Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast
3) Calgary Bishop Fred Henry
4) Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith
5) Ottawa Auxiliary Bishop Christian Riesbeck
The communications by the bishops have had an impact even in the political sphere. According to MacCarthy, “There are also a number of people who contacted our office by phone or email and indicated that they will no longer be members of the Liberal party.”