Catholic groups run ads to counter previous ad that says abortion should not be sole election issue

Pittsburgh, Pa., Oct 27, 2004 / 22:00 pm

Several Catholic groups have placed ads in The Pittsburgh Catholic to counter a previous ad, which says Catholics should not base their decision for the upcoming presidential election on the issue of abortion only.

Pax Christi USA says Catholics also must consider war, poverty, health care, capital punishment, immigration, racism and other issues because "life does not end at birth."

The group is based in Erie, Pa., and includes more than 200 Catholic organizations. It has run full-page newspaper ads in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Five groups, opposed to Pax Christi, have placed ads of their own in the diocesan newspaper.

"We are scandalized that many Catholics, including local priests and religious, have joined with Pax Christi USA in what we believe is their veiled, back door endorsement of an adamant pro-abortion candidate for the presidency," says one ad, placed by Catholic United for Integrity in Voting.

A full-page ad from LIFEPAC mentions a presidential candidate by name. It says Catholics must oppose five social issues: abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning and homosexual marriage. It then says the only candidate to meet this criteria is George W. Bush.

Four statewide candidates have placed ads in the paper and and two voter guides also are scheduled to appear in tomorrow’s edition.

The Pittsburgh Catholic accepts partisan political ads as long as they don't oppose church teachings or attack an opposing candidate.