NATION : Church Reacts to Abortion Stand
A Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania General Assembly said today she has been barred from running the nursery at her Roman Catholic parish because of her advocacy of abortion rights.
Cliessa Nagle, 31, of Hatfield, Pa., is the second female Catholic political candidate in Pennsylvania to be penalized by the church this year for her abortion stand.
Nagle, running unopposed in the Democratic primary for the Assembly seat held by Republican Robert Godshall, contends the church is becoming improperly involved in the political process.
She said she was removed from duties as nursery coordinator at St. Stanislaus parish in nearby Lansdale, Pa., two months ago, but only decided to make the sanction public after the state’s bishops issued a pastoral letter last week stating support for abortion rights by Catholic politicians was incompatible with the church’s teaching.
Last month, Rosemary McAvoy, one of seven Republicans contending for another Assembly seat, was removed from several church posts by her pastor because of her abortion rights stand.
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