This summary is from "FREEP the Abortion Parish This Morning" which was posted Sunday morning:
SUPPORT THE PRO-LIFE GROUND TROOPS WITH YOUR LONG-RANGE E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS AND LETTERS. It’s Sunday morning and pro-life protesters are at full force pricking the consciences of the churchgoers at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Plymouth, Michigan. Why don't we have messages waiting for the parish staff as they return from mass. Surely the Cardinal also would want to hear from us.
SITUATION SUMMARY:
Jennifer Grandholm, pro-abortion gubernatorial candidate, is a lector at the parish. On August 4, the Associate Pastor, Fr. Doc Ortman, published an essay in the parish bulletin saying a person’s views on abortion should have no bearing on their standing in the Church, and that in fact Jesus is pro-choice (
http://www3.catholicweb.com/bulletins/59371/Aug-04-2002.pdf).
Witnesses for the unborn had already been protesting parish masses for some time, but Fr. Ortman’s heretical support of Ms. Grandholm increased their numbers (
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/737686/posts).
The pastor, John J. Sullivan, and the Deacon, Timothy P. Sullivan, have since both published articles in the bulletin saying that the parish is pro-life in that broadminded way that encompasses all the many forms that life takes, but they did not challenge any of Fr. Ortman’s abortion apologetics. Perhaps, then, it is just a matter of heaping up enough hot school lunches, elderly drug benefits, and mass transit to achieve that genial Christian balance against the welfare of those 42 million unseen children.
Borrowing from the "New York Times Guide to Word Usuage", the pastor spends a sentence assuring us that the parish is indeed "anti-abortion", but hastens to inform us in some detail that he has spoken with the police and can have us arrested if we stray off "the strip of grass between North Territorial Road and the side walk". He encourages his guys not to "respond to antagonism" or "return harassment" for then the parishioners would sink to the protester's level and even "further smother a spirit of Peace". Everything will work out though, for they "have a powerful tool at [their] disposal, and that is the power of prayer" (Erasing any doubts, I suppose, in whose tent Yahweh can be found strategizing). (
http://www3.catholicweb.com/bulletins/59371/Aug-11-2002.pdf)
More distressingly, Adam Cardinal Maida has not taken a public stand against this very public heresy. In fact, the only criticism he has leveled (through his spokesman) has been directed at the picketers’ tactics. Apparently the Cardinal’s teaching is that the protesters would more effectively combat this flagrant affront to a fundamental Catholic principle if they were not seen (
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/737793/posts).
Last February, Cardinal Maida did speak (through a spokesperson) about Ms. Granholm’s fitness with regard to another controversy. The Cardinal's office said that there was no reason Ms. Granholm couldn’t speak to a Catholic youth group at St. Raphael Parish in Westland, as she is a “Catholic in good standing” and is not “pro-abortion per se, but [rather] does not think abortion should be illegal”.
Apparently it all worked out because Sr. Patricia Donnelly, SC, Director of Religious Education, said that “she gave a very good spiritual talk to the children. The way she did it, she really grasped the attention of the youth, by telling them how to be good.” (
http://www.credopub.com/archives/2000/iss20000228/20000228p08.htm).
Perhaps not unrelated to this saga are two other incidents that the author happened upon in his research:
1) Cardinal Maida arranged for a special 2-hour mass for Presidential candidate Gore, allowing him to speak after the homily for 15 minutes while smiling clergy served as background for a network photo op (
http://www.mich.com/~buffalo/girouxoped.html).
2) This year the Cardinal ignored pleadings from orthodox Catholics to disallow a gay Valentines Day Dance at Marygrove College, saying (through a spokesman) that “he will not get involved”. The dance had also been ignored the previous 6 years. (
http://detnews.com/2002/religion/0202/14/d01-416299.htm).
CONTACT INFORMATION:
His Eminence Adam Cardinal Maida / Archdiocese Of Detroit / 1234 Washington Blvd. / Detroit, MI 48226-1825 / Phone: (313) 237-5816 / Fax: (313) 237-4642 /
pr.office@aod.org
Rev. John J. Sullivan / Pastor / Our Lady of Good Counsel Church / 47650 North Territorial Road / Plymouth, MI 48170 / Phone: (734) 453-0326 / Fax: (734) 416-9257 / To E-Mail Fr. John:
counsel-frjohn@ic.net
Rev. Doc Ortman / Associate Pastor / To E-mail Father Doc:
counsel-frdoc@ic.net
Deacon Tim Sullivan / Phone: (734) 502-1818 /
timpsullivan@prodigy.net
ASSOCIATE PASTOR TELLS WHY ABORTION CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR IS A PARISIONER IN GOOD STANDING:
Many people have come to me in the two weeks just past to ask about television ads which point out that Ms. Granholm, our sister, is pro choice. The concern has come from a mistaken notion that being pro choice is equal to being pro abortion. However, choice is part of the very foundation of our Catholic Christian Community. There are some who would gloss over theological reflection for the sake of emotion; these people often end up persecuting other brothers and sisters through their ignorance. As disciples of the Lord Jesus we are required to pray for their good, and for their enlightenment.
The Lord God has created all people in absolute freedom. Every action we take, each word we utter, is a matter of choice. As Catholic Christians we understand that this Awesome freedom carries with it a grave responsibility. In the light of the teaching of Jesus we make choices according to a well formed conscience – a conscience which is founded in the gospel which proclaims the blessedness of all people in any circumstances.
Scripture tells us that when God was finished creating, everything was very good. The correct response to that good is a life which reverences and cares for all that God has made. This is our faith, and I know well that this is also Ms. Granholm's faith as a Roman Catholic Christian person.
To say that one is pro choice is, for the Christian community, an admission that we are created in freedom. This is a freedom that no state or government can grant or take away; it is a gift from the Creator. By the same understanding it is a grave error to assume that the ability to freely choose actions and words is sinful.
For the past several weeks we have been persecuted by people who are living with a misguided notion of the freedom in which we are created. These people, signs in hand, are not interested in the reverence of God's gift of life; they are concerned only with the threat of abortion. This is one small part of the reverence we are called to have for all that the Lord has Created. These people would have the state legislate the freedom that only God can give or take. The reverence of all life is a choice that we make according to our discipleship. It is a response to the love of God, in Jesus, which leads us to reverence the unborn, the challenged, the elderly , the sick, the brilliant, the talented, the humble, the simple, the peacemakers . . . you get the idea.
Those who regard Ms. Granholm as a "heretic" do not understand, nor do they wish to understand, that choice in itself is a blessed gift. As with many other things this blessing can be used for evil rather than for blessing.
Make no mistake, Christians are pro choice in the purest understanding of the term. We are free to choose between the Lord and the evil one. We are fee to choose the Lord's abundant and awesome love, and we are free to choose to deny it. The ability to choose is neither good nor evil. The choice made may be either. Many persecute because they choose not to hear or understand the depth of God's gift of freedom. The freedom to choose is a gift in which to revel. It is not a heavy burden. The Lord has given us direction, and has asked that we CHOOSE according to what he says and does.
To borrow from the gospel . . .
"Let those with ears to hear heed what they hear!"
Grace and peace,
Doc
Source:
http://www3.catholicweb.com/bulletins/59371/Aug-04-2002.pdf