WASHINGTON,
D.C., April 6, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com)
– America’s largest Catholic
pro-life organization called today for
the excommunication of every one of
the 62 Catholic congressmen who voted
in February against defunding Planned
Parenthood, the country’s largest
abortion provider.
“Right
now we have a very real chance at ending
Planned Parenthood’s federal funding
and those Catholic
politicians who were voting to continue
the funding of Planned Parenthood are
aiding and abetting a professed enemy
of the Catholic Church,”
says Michael Hichborn, host of the American
Life League Report.
In
a four-minute Youtube video, ALL points
out that the Catholic Church has a history
of excommunicating those who support
her greatest enemies, including supporters
of Freemasonry, Nazism, and communism.
“Planned Parenthood is just as
much an enemy of the Catholic Church
as these three institutions,”
says Hichborn.
Pope
Benedict XVI himself supported excommunication
for pro-abortion politicians
when questioned about it after the Mexican
bishops had warned they would take such
action in 2007.
“Yes,
this excommunication was not an arbitrary
one but is allowed by Canon law which
says that the
killing of an innocent child is incompatible
with receiving communion, which is receiving
the body of Christ,” he
said.
The
issue is a contentious one in North
America and across the world, with many
bishops hesitating, or flat-out refusing
even to follow the Vatican’s
directives to deny communion to pro-abortion
politicians.
The
ALL video documents Planned Parenthood’s
history of anti-Catholicism from founder
Margaret Sanger to current President
Cecile Richards. In addition to its
focus on abortion, the organization
is a major promoter of promiscuity,
contraception, and homosexual behaviour.
“Sanger
identified the Church as her main opposition,
Richards has formally excoriated Catholic
bishops for pro-life teachings, and
Catholic bishops have excommunicated
members of Planned Parenthood in the
past,” said Hichborn.
In
particular, Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz
of Lincoln, Nebraska excommunicated
all members of Planned Parenthood in
his diocese.
“Planned
Parenthood is an enemy of the preborn
child, of our children, and of Catholics.
To support funding of Planned Parenthood
is the ultimate hypocrisy that betrays
all pretense of being Catholic in favor
of the largest private abortion provider
in the world,” Hichborn concluded.
American
Life League is asking Catholics to contact
these Catholic representatives and their
local bishops to express their feelings
on Catholic support of Planned Parenthood.
The
following Catholic U.S. Representatives
(alphabetical by last name) voted “NO”
to defund Planned Parenthood:
Jason
Altmire, PA; Joe Baca, CA; Xavier Becerra,
CA; Timothy H. Bishop, NY; Robert Brady,
PA; Michael E. Capuano, MA; Dennis A.
Cardoza, CA; John Carney, DE; Hansen
Clarke, MI; William Lacy Clay, MO; Gerald
E. Connolly, VA; Jim Costa, CA; Joe
Courtney, CT; Mark Critz, PA; Joseph
Crowley, NY; Henry Cuellar, TX; Peter
DeFazio, OR; Rosa L. DeLauro, CT; John
D. Dingell, MI; Richael F. Doyle, PA;
Anna Eshoo, CA; Charlie Gonzalez, TX;
Raul M. Grijalva, AZ; Richard Hanna,
NY; Brian Higgins, NY; Maurice D. Hinchey,
NY; Tim Holden, PA; Marcy Kaptur, OH;
Dale E. Kildee, MI; Dennis J. Kucinich,
OH; James R. Langevin, RI; John B. Larson,
CT; Ben Ray Lujan, NM; Stephen F. Lynch,
MA; Ed Markey, MA; Carolyn McCarthy,
NY; James P. McGovern, MA; Jerry McNerney,
CA; Michael H. Michaud, MA; George Miller,
CA; James P. Moran, VA; Grace F. Napolitano,
CA; Richard E. Neal, MA; Bill Owens,NY;
Frank Pallone,NJ; Bill Pascrell,NJ;
Ed Pastor, AZ; Nancy Pelosi, CA; Mike
Quigley, IL; Charles B. Rangel, NY;
Lucille Roybal-Allard, CA; Tim Ryan,
OH; Linda T. Sanchez, CA; Loretta Sanchez,
CA; Jose E. Serrano, NY; Albio Sires,
NJ; Jackie Speier, CA; Mike Thompson,
CA; Paul Tonko, NY; Nydia M. Velazquez,
NY; Peter J. Visclosky, IN; Peter Welch,
VT
Citizens
can identify and find the contact information
for U.S. Representatives here.