Boston, MA — The Director of Counseling Services at Catholic Charities in Dorchester, a facility that counsels pregnant women, volunteers his Saturdays escorting women into Planned Parenthood's abortion clinic in Boston.
The counselor is Howard M. Brown, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, who has been assisting Planned Parenthood in the Boston area as a volunteer for the last ten years, and in other states before that.
Neither the Archdiocese of Boston nor Catholic Charities of Greater Boston expressed concern over Brown's abortion activities when contacted by MassNews. But ordinary people in the street say the situation is unacceptable and Brown should be fired.
The reaction of Thomas M. Harvey, Chairman of Mass. Citizens for Life, was, “It is shocking that Catholic Charities employs a person who actively assists in destroying unborn babies. Assistance in this violence is a direct contradiction of Catholic teaching. It could not be less Catholic nor less charitable. Rather, it's scandalous. We call on Catholic Charities for his immediate termination.”
C.J. Doyle, executive director of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, told MassNews, “It's appalling, scandalous and disgraceful that an employee of a Catholic organization would participate in the willful killing of innocent pre-born children.”
Phone calls by MassNews to several departments of the Archdiocese of Boston, including Cardinal Law's office, Human Resources, and the Pro-Life office, resulted in hostility or bureaucratic indifference and referrals back to Catholic Charities.
A spokesperson for Catholic Charities, Maureen March, refused to answer questions about Brown other than to grudgingly acknowledge that he is a counselor. The fact that he is the Director of Counseling Services had to be verified independently.
March told MassNews they are aware of Brown's activities, but she said, “Catholic Charities' hiring policies are more like a company's hiring policies than, say, of the Archdiocese. We're the social service agency of the Archdiocese, but we don't discriminate based on religion, race, sexual orientation, or any of those types of things. Because we take federal money and that sort of thing, we have to adhere to separate hiring and firing regulations.”
March said Brown is extremely qualified for the job and Catholic Charities “does not grill people” about things they do on their own time.
MassNews asked March what happens when they find out about a counselor's abortion clinic activity after he is hired? Doesn't the obvious conflict with the Catholic Church's position on abortion worry them?
She replied, “That type of counseling is not our policy. Our policy is to give abortion alternatives. If he is not adhering to our policy, then that would be dealt with just as with any other employee that doesn't adhere to our policies.”
MassNews attempted to speak to Brown in person at Catholic Charities, but he refused to talk and asked the reporter to leave. On the next day, a Saturday when many abortions are performed, Brown was stationed outside the abortion clinic in Boston wearing his Blue Planned Parenthood vest and a radio headset. He again ignored a polite attempt by MassNews to speak with him. The Planned Parenthood escort supervisor, a feisty older woman, came to his rescue by saying the escorts were not allowed to speak to the press.
Brown testified in court recently against Sheryl Fitzpatrick, a pro-life woman who was charged with assault in a sidewalk incident that occurred last July outside Planned Parenthood in Boston.
Fitzpatrick, a tiny woman, claimed she was the one who was pushed around by Planned Parenthood escorts, including Brown. She was cleared of the charge.
Pro-life courtroom observers became suspicious of Brown after he dodged a question by Fitzpatrick's lawyer about where he was employed. Subsequent research revealed his employment with Catholic Charities.
Fitzpatrick e-mailed her concerns about Brown to Dr. Joseph Doolin, President of Catholic Charities. She wrote in part:
“I am concerned about this person working for Catholic Charities, especially in a counseling position, for a number of reasons.”
“One, the mission of Catholic Charities and Planned Parenthood are opposed to each other.”
“Two, if pregnant women go to him for help and advice, he could be referring them to Planned Parenthood for abortions or other things which are not in line with the teachings of the Church.”
“Three, this escort has shown a very aggressive side of his character out at the Planned Parenthood in Allston. By this I mean that on many occasions he has physically pushed pro-life women attempting to counsel mothers going into PP, in order to keep the mothers from getting the information about help and alternatives.”
“A prompt response to my questions and concerns would be greatly appreciated.”
Dr. Doolin did not respond.
MassNews tried to contact both Dr. Doolin and Rev. Phillip B. Early, the number two man at Catholic Charities. Neither man responded to messages.
(This article courtesy of Steven Ertelt and the Pro-Life Infonet email newsletter. For more information or to subscribe go to www.prolifeinfo.org or email infonet@prolifeinfo.org.)
