Anaheim, CA — Catholics not only have a right to join in the discourse on public policy issues like abortion, says Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, they have a duty to do so.
“Whether it is in the halls of Congress, in Parliament, in state capitols or city halls, we must speak out and encourage others to speak out.” As Catholics and as citizens, he said, we must “work for the common good of society.”
Anderson made his remarks to more than 2,000 Knights from throughout the United States and elsewhere gathered in Anaheim for the Catholic fraternal service organization's 120th annual meeting.
The Knights of Columbus has been a leader in the pro-life movement for more than a quarter-century. Anderson is a member of the Vatican-based Pontifical Academy for Life, appointed to the group by Pope John Paul II in 2002. The Knights also underwrites the annual budget of the education and information office of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Pro-Life Secretariat.
Knights at all levels of the organization in 2001 reported raising and contributing nearly $4 million to pro-life programs. Additionally, the Knights have supported pro-life and pro- family efforts of the bishops' conferences of Mexico, Canada and the Philippines.
Anderson said next January's 30th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion is a tragic anniversary. Annually, tens of thousands of pro-life supporters gather in Washington for the March for Life on the Jan. 22 Roe anniversary. “The question we must ask ourselves is how long must the Jan. 22 March for Life be necessary? Will the day not come when we can celebrate the overturning of Roe v. Wade?”
Roe was wrongly decided and must be overturned, Anderson said. “This year's congressional elections may be the most important in determining whether human life before birth will be respected.” It is time to elect a Senate that will confirm federal judges and Supreme Court justices who will overturn Roe, he said.
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic family fraternal service organization. It is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates for elected office. The Knights has a stated policy of not allowing pro-abortion public office holders or candidates to use its facilities for rallies or meetings.
See the full press release of the Knights of Columbus by clicking here.
(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.)
