Last Sunday, Fr. Geoff Kerslake of St. Leonard’s Parish in Ottawa departed from the usual teaching on the Gospel during his homily and instead informed his parishioners about President Barack Obama’s stand on abortion and other life issues. Obama, who is extremely popular amongst Canadians, was scheduled to arrive in Ottawa later in the week for his first visit with the leader of a foreign nation.
"As Catholic Christians we need to be informed about current affairs, not only within our country but also on the international level," Fr. Kerslake began. "Sometimes it is difficult to get the ‘whole story’ from media sources. In the media coverage of the election of President Obama and his first days in office, several of his decisions that are anti-life have passed unnoticed in the mainstream media."
Citing the anti-life position of Obama’s administration, Fr. Kerslake mentioned the "serious consequences for Christians not only in the United States, but throughout the world," of initiatives like the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), which would eliminate every state law limiting or regulating abortion in the U.S., including the federal ban on partial birth abortions. In July 2007 Obama told Planned Parenthood that if he became president, signing FOCA would be the "first thing" that he would do.
Kerskale also pointed to Obama’s rescinding of the Mexico City Policy, which prevented foreign agencies that advocate for or perform abortions from receiving U.S. tax dollars, and Obama’s endorsement of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which has helped instigate, perpetuate and enforce China’s coercive one-child policy. Obama is reportedly seeking to ensure that in the next federal budget, the UNFPA will receive US funding.
Fr. Kerslake encouraged his parishioners to "take notice of what is happening in the world and sometimes that requires us to do a little research beyond relying on CBC or the Citizen to give us a balanced account of national and international news."
He then mentioned several news services including zenit.org, mercatornet.com, and lifesitenews.com as good sources of pro-life and/or Catholic news that doesn’t make it into the regular mainstream media.
"In these times, we owe it to faith and ourselves to be well informed so that our conscience may be well informed," Fr. Kerslake concluded.
Fr. Kerslake was not the only one warning Canadians not to be swept up in the popular acclaim for Obama prior to his visit. As the President arrived in Canada, the political arm of the pro-life movement called on Obama to reconsider his anti-life policies and especially to stop the black genocide caused by abortion in America.
"Every day Mr. President, people with your ethnic background die in astounding numbers," said Jim Hughes, the president of Campaign Life Coalition. "Abortion is the number one killer of African Americans in the U.S. In the last 36 years over 17 million African American babies have died by abortion alone."
Hughes concluded, "By your election you have at least symbolically brought an end to racism against blacks in the United States. We pray that you will have a change of heart and end the black genocide by abortion ravaging your country and the developing world."
