Colorado Springs, Colo., May 19, 2004 / 22:00 pm
The Diocese of Colorado Springs is willing to be poor in order to preach the Gospel and it is not intimidated by threats to withdraw funding.
A diocesan spokesman made this comment yesterday after several benefactors expressed their intention to withhold or redirect large donations in protest of Bishop Michael Sheridan’s May pastoral letter. In his letter, the bishop states that Catholics will not be given Communion if they vote for politicians who are not in line with Church teachings on abortion, euthanasia, same-sex marriage and embryonic stem-cell research.
Led by local lawyer and businessman Ric Kethcart, these benefactors are calling on the bishop to reverse his decision. Kethcart is threatening to revoke a $100,000 pledge to his parish's building project.
However, Peter Howard, the bishop’s spokesman, has dismissed the threat of decreased giving and said the diocese is willing to sacrifice dollars to make a moral stand.