Hillary at Catholic fundraiser

Hillary at Catholic fundraiser

I thought the US bishops conference created a policy a couple of years ago that Catholic institutions should not give honors or platforms to pro-abortion politicians. So why are we continuing to see stories like “Hillary Clinton to headline fundraiser for Catholic institution”?

Pro-abortion senator and presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton reportedly will be the featured guest at a lunch benefit for the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, “a Catholic institution … committed to raising public awareness of the plight of all of society’s hurting youth in order to encourage support of programs that would enable them to begin healing.”

The benefit will take place in Chicago on May 7, 2007.

It would be one thing if the institution could rationalize that the honoree or speaker had some kind of prior connection to them, but she doesn’t. Even then it wouldn’t excuse it. No, this is an apparent case of putting “mammon” ahead of principle.

You might think that Cardinal George would put a stop to this, but it appears you’d be wrong, at least if Mercy Home is to be believed.

According to the Pro-Life Action League, Fr. [Scott] Donahue [president of Mercy Home] was apparently not aware Sen. Clinton had been asked to speak at the event until he was informed of her scheduled appearance by the League.

However, Mercy Home spokesman Mark Schmeltzer told LifeSiteNews.com that Fr. Donohue was approached by Chicago Cardinal Francis George about the upcoming Clinton fundraiser. “The Cardinal had some very understandable misgivings but he just wanted to be assured this was not a political stop,” Schmeltzer told LifeSiteNews.com.

I’m not buying the excuse in the first paragraph. Your major fundraiser is next week and you’re not aware of the identity of the keynote speaker, especially since it’s a former First Lady, current US Senator, and potential future US president? Either Fr. Donahue is being disingenuous or he’s incompetent.

The second paragraph disturbs as well, although it should be pointed out that this is secondhand information. This is how the Mercy Home spokesman characterizes the cardinal’s remark. But it should be pointed out that the USCCB policy Catholics in Political Life does not make a distinction between a politician speaking at a political event or not, but only that no Catholic institution should give a platform to one who espouses pro-abortion policy stances.

The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.

And let’s be honest here: Since when has a public speech by a presidential candidate ever been anything but a political event? Cardinal George should put a stop to this and Catholic bishops across the country should start enforcing their own policies.

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