(This update courtesy of LifeSite News.)
DETROIT (LSN.ca) – Outraged Catholics are calling for the removal of four active priests over a letter written by the priests on Saturday publicly promoting abortion and defending gubernatorial candidate Jennifer Granholm for her “pro-choice” Catholicism. The priests' letter was in disobedience to Adam Cardinal Maida's recent statements that Catholic priests and politicians may not promote or permit abortion.
The letter, signed by Fr. Paul Chateau, Pastor of Our Lady of Fatima in Oak Park, MI, Fr. John Nowlan, Pastor of St. Hilary in Detroit, and Fr. Kenneth Kaucheck, Pastor of St. Anastasia in Troy, MI, and Fr. Anthony Kosnik of Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit, appeared in the October 19, 2002 edition of the Detroit Free Press. The priests criticized three Catholic professors for their Free Press column on Thursday defending the Cardinal's clear teaching that abortion advocacy is incompatible with Catholicism.
“The Cardinal should implement zero tolerance for aborto-phile priests who convolute Catholic teaching,” exhorted Matt Bowman, a Catholic in Ann Arbor, MI and a participant in a grassroots effort to oppose Granholm's use of Catholicism to promote abortion. “They're trying to muddy the water of clear Catholic teaching that we can't kill innocent human beings. They are directly disobeying Cardinal Maida, whose October 5th letter was sent to their parishes and affirmed that 'Catholic public officials…may never advocate for, or actively support, legislation which would allow direct attacks on innocent human life.'”
The issue first garnered widespread attention when Fr. Doc Ortman of Our Lady of Good Counsel parish in Plymouth, MI, Granholm's home parish, publicly advocated her pro-abortion goals in August. The Cardinal compelled Fr. Ortman to recant, and subsequently the Cardinal issued several teachings that Catholic priests and politicians may not advocate abortion.
Bowman explained that in response to Granholm and Fr. Ortman, hundreds of Catholics have been demonstrating outside Our Lady of Good Counsel, leafleting parishes all over the Archdiocese, and writing letters. “These priests will be treated no differently,” said Bowman.
To express concerns to Cardinal Adam Maida: mailroom@aod.org
Click to read the pro-abortion letter by the priests and the pro-life letter by the professors.
CARDINAL INSPIRES STUDENTS TO CONFRONT PRO-ABORTION 'CATHOLIC' CANDIDATE
MICHIGAN CATHOLIC CONFERENCE STRESSES ABORTION AS PRIMARY VOTING ISSUE
