Catholic Bishops Slam Governor Quinn's Planned Speech At Pro-Choice Event

Catholic groups in Illinois have joined Cardinal Francis George in slamming Illinois Governor Pat Quinn for his decision to present a pro-choice leadership award at an upcoming luncheon.

Quinn is slated to present the award to a rape survivor who has helped support pro-choice causes at the Nov. 17 luncheon for Personal PAC, a political action committee that works to get pro-choice candidates elected in Illinois.

"We deeply regret the Governor’s decision to present this award, which so closely associates him with a political action group whose purpose is contrary to the common good," the Catholic Conference of Illinois said in a statement. The group consists of state bishops and Cardinal George. "With this action, Governor Quinn has gone beyond a political alignment with those supporting the legal right to kill children in their mother’s wombs to rewarding those deemed most successful in this terrible work."

The church went a step further by saying that Quinn "should not be given special recognition on Church property or at functions held in support of Church ministry."

The group clarified their stance to Rich Miller of the Capitol Fax Blog:

The Catholic dioceses in the state have policies prohibiting any politician who has voted in favor of policies that go against the Church’s teaching from speaking at or receiving an award from a Catholic institution, like at a school.

The bishops have not banned Quinn from receiving Communion. An individual priest could make the decision not to give Quinn Communion.

During a Thursday press conference, Quinn fired back at the Catholic Conference.

"I'm going to the event to present an award to a woman who is a victim of rape, and who is a very strong advocate of helping rape victims all over our state and country, so I really think that's a proper Christian thing to do, to honor someone who's doing something that helps the community at large," Quinn said, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Personal PAC president Terry Cosgrove told the Chicago Sun-Times that the bishops have been angry ever since Quinn defeated conservative Republican Bill Brady in the gubernatorial race. The Catholic Conference threw their support behind the anti-abortion Brady during the election. Cosgrove also mentioned that Catholics are against birth control, which would reduce the number of abortions if it were more accessible in all communities.

“It’s very hypocritical for them to be so passionate about denying women the right to make this profoundly personal decision, yet they won’t do anything to lessen the need for something they see as so wrong,” Cosgrove told the Sun-Times. “The hypocrisy is so alarming.”

Comments

[emsmith]

08:00 PM on 11/06/2011

Make up your mind, if you want to be part of the political discord pay taxes. It is quite enough that you add to my tax burden I should have to live by your rules. Where is the praise for Quin for ending the death penalty in IL.

[corwin]

09:02 AM on 11/07/2011

FIrst, paying taxes is not a sine qua non for being politically nactive.Secondly,Quinn would have done far better to keep the streets safe for innocents.
Candidly,since things are worse each successive year,don't you ever question why?

[617patrick]

08:31 AM on 11/06/2011

Cardinal Francis George is an integral part of the history's largest pedophile protection program. Fr Robert Larson raped 17 boys, and FIVE of them committed suicide. He spent less than 2 years on jail, and now lives in the St John Vainney Center, with a retirement fully paid by your Catholic contributions.

Of course, there were thousands and thousands of other child rapes in the United States alone, all of which bishops attempted to hide, as you know.

In 2008, after all this had happened, the pope conceded, quoting Cardinal Francis George, president of the U.S. bishops, that the crisis was “sometimes very badly handled.”

"Sometimes very badly handled".

Parents - keep your children away from Catholic priests.

[WiltonDiary]

04:53 AM on 11/05/2011

The more children that are born into unwanted homes the more babies there are for Gays to adopt.

[Pawel Czarnota]

11:11 PM on 11/04/2011

Bravo bishops! And a note to the author of this article: please be consistent. If you're saying "pro-choice," then also say "pro-life" and not "anti-abortion." Or alternatively call "pro-choice" for what it is: "pro-abortion."

[WiltonDiary]

04:50 AM on 11/05/2011

Pro-Choice is NOT Pro=Abortion. I am against abortion personally as a man, but I believe a woman has the right to chose and make her own decision; therefore the is Pro-Choice.

Stop playing with words. Abortion is a legal medical procedure in the USA protected by the US Constitution.

Tax the Catholic Church or tell them to stay out of Politics!

[corwin]

05:21 PM on 11/05/2011

1) It's not protected by the Constitution. It's a Supremem COurt decision. Like,Dred Scott.
2)No restrictions on it?
3)Catholics ,even organized Catholics ,have a right to political expression and trying to influence the process
It's not that complex. I'm surprised I had to explain it to you.
Corwin.Cruel.Kind. To help the people of Chicagoland

[yoyoming]

03:21 PM on 11/04/2011

This is just more of the serial misogyny of the Catholic church, which has warped the teachings of Jesus since their beginning.

[Anarchy4hire]

01:52 PM on 11/04/2011

why does anyone listen to a belief system in which they claim to help the poor and less fortunate while its leader lives in a golden city-mansion?

[bitsy79]

01:35 PM on 11/04/2011

Hey, Catholic Bishops: knock it off.

[jbad]

01:27 PM on 11/04/2011

Doesn't the Catholic Dioceses recognize that their opinion violates the separation between church and state ? It's pretty ignorant of Cardinal George to impress upon anybody in office to lean toward the churches views but then he is ignorant of violations against children's feelings and rights and also of his direct concealment of evidence in crimes against children.

[corwin]

05:25 PM on 11/05/2011

Baby Jesus tells us the 'separation of church and state ' refers to no taxation to sponsor a state sanction religion.He also warns us against run...... on ..............sentences

[Lewsgirl]

03:40 PM on 11/06/2011

Frank George is a thorn in the side of Chrisians throughout the city and all of Illinois. He ought to understand that churches have no right to interfer with laws. Jesus affirmed that point himself in his render unto Caesar speech. Hasn't Mr. George ever read the bible? Doesn't appear to have.

[Monrocsol]

11:51 AM on 11/04/2011

Killing the baby when is a clump of cells is better than not providing for the baby. Religious leaders are such hypocrites. I am a evangenital.

[Matt Hotz]

10:56 AM on 11/04/2011

Speaking from the perspective of a man with emotions and a certain sense of empathy included. There is certainly nothing pro family about bringing a child into the world when it was conceived in direct violation of the woman's body. i.e. conceived in rape.

[PalaceOfWisdom]

11:44 AM on 11/04/2011

Since the church doesn't fully recognize women as human beings (it won't allow them to be priests for example), this comes as no surprise.

[iridium53]

10:40 AM on 11/04/2011

The Catholic Church and anti-abortionists just keep working on behalf of the parent's rights issues of rapists and molesters everywhere.

I suppose they have a real affinity for these individuals.

[Anarchy4hire]

01:50 PM on 11/04/2011

yeah, they are currently hiding a lot of them in their clergy

[RageVsMachine]

10:38 AM on 11/04/2011

You show those Catholics who's boss, Quinn! And let em know they can forget about getting any more state money to discriminate against people who want to adopt!

[Kelly Jade]

10:10 AM on 11/04/2011

"The Catholic dioceses in the state have policies prohibiting any politician who has voted in favor of policies that go against the Church’s teaching from speaking at or receiving an award from a Catholic institution, like at a school. "\

Can we just tax them already, please?

[commonsensewarrior]

09:55 AM on 11/04/2011

The Cardinal is definitely taking a political position. It's well past time for the Catholic Church to lose it's tax exempt status.

Keep your religious beliefs away from elected officials.

[niumarmion]

09:24 AM on 11/04/2011

Too bad the Catholics are not as concerned about pedophilia, instead of controlling women's bodies. They miss burning "witches" at the stake.