Church’s Role on Abortion

The vandalism that occurred at St. Norbert Catholic Church was unfortunate. We local pro-choice activists denounce vandalism and violence in the pursuit of our goal of reproductive freedom.

I attended the Operation Rescue rally at St. Norbert as a pro-choice advocate to observe firsthand a tax-exempt church promoting a political movement and encouraging illegal activities.

The Roman Catholic Church collects tax-deductible contributions and pays no taxes on its valuable property. These untaxed funds are being used to host Operation Rescue’s rally and to vigorously encourage their parishioners and priests to commit illegal acts.

The church should not be using its tax-exempt status to launch a political campaign.

I escort at a local family planning clinic, and every week I hear the anti-choice protesters’ wounding and cruel remarks aimed at women.

Their words insult and degrade. Their presence intrudes on a person’s privacy. Their harassment attempts to invalidate the woman’s religious and philosophical convictions.

St. Norbert’s April 23 bulletin invites its parishioners to join this protest.

Recently, a Cypress judge ruled that anti-choice protesters may not approach clients at a local family planning clinic and may not hassle them. The California Constitution guarantees our citizens’ right to privacy. I applaud this ruling.

(Operation Rescue) attempts to deny California citizens their right to privacy in seeking medical help. St. Norbert and any tax-exempt church should not be financing this illegal activity.

BETSY MARTIN

Orange