Indiana bishop not to attend pro-life banquet featuring RNC head Steele

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Comments: 21

Bishop Gerald Gettelfinger / RNC Chairman Michael Steel

Evansville, Ind., Mar 24, 2009 / 06:42 am (CNA).- Saying there can be “no equivocation” about abortion, Bishop of Evansville, Indiana Gerald Andrew Gettelfinger has decided not to attend the Vanderburgh County Right to Life (VCRL) banquet because Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, a Catholic who made conflicting comments about his abortion views, will be addressing the gathering.

Bishop Gettlelfinger charged that Steele “assiduously avoids” strong language on abortion.

The Washington Times reports that 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is also to address the banquet attendees.

Paul Leingang, communications director for the Diocese of Evansville, told CNA that the bishop intends not to attend the dinner he would normally attend.

Evansville Catholic Charities Director Jim Collins also plans not to attend the gathering, saying he was “shocked” by Steele’s comments on abortion in an interview with GQ magazine.

The Republican leader had told GQ that he believes women “absolutely” have the right to choose abortion and that he believes abortion is “an individual choice.”

Steele later distanced himself from remarks in a statement, saying “I am pro-life, always have been, always will be” and voicing his support for the Republican Party platform and “its call for a Human Life Amendment.”

Last Thursday the VCRL board voted to honor its speaking contract with Steele, which agreement was reached last fall, according to the Washington Times.

"We have done our due diligence," VCRL Executive Director Mary Ellen Van Dyke told the Washington Times. "Michael Steele has made the board of directors more than satisfied with his response regarding the GQ article. He told us he always has been and will be pro-life and against abortion in all cases."

However, Bishop Gettelfinger wrote a letter to VCRL, saying that “the principled answer for us is that there can be no equivocation: Intentional abortion is an act of killing the unborn. There is no room for choice in this deadly matter. Mr. Steele assiduously avoids such strong language.”

On Monday CNA spoke with Evansville diocesan communications director Paul Leingang about Bishop Gettelfinger’s decision.

He said there were no new developments concerning the situation because Bishop Gettelfinger is out of town. The diocese had not received a response to the letter the bishop had sent to VCRL, but was still hoping for comment. The organization may not yet have received the bishop’s letter, Leingang explained.

Explaining to CNA why Bishop Gettelfinger will not be attending, Leingang said the bishop was “disturbed” by Steele’s comments in GQ magazine in regard to a woman’s “right to choose” and that they seemed to come from “a political stance, not a principled one.”

“The principled answer would be there can be no equivocation, there’s no room for ‘choice’,” Leingang told CNA, because of what is being chosen.

CNA asked about defenses of Steele which claimed he merely spoke with “unfortunate phrasing” in his GQ interview.

“The salient point is that this is the principled decision of Bishop Gettelfinger,” Leingang replied, reporting that the bishop spoke with Steele by phone last Friday and also read the statement that Steele had issued following the GQ interview.

“After that conversation and examination of the statement, Bishop Gettelfinger maintained his decision not to attend the banquet.”

The bishop has not previously had to take a stand by declining to attend an event.

“This is unique,” Leingang told CNA.

He added that Bishop Gettelfinger will explain his decision in an upcoming article for the diocesan newspaper The Message.

Comments: 21

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Jane in Maine VOTF
Kennebunk, ME 04/01/2009 01:20 PM EST

I only wish those who speak so fervently against abortion would speak so fervently against rape and sodomy of Catholic children like VOTF does. Where are you people?

This bishop, along with the hundreds of others continue to make themselves irrelevent. Good for them because their "yes" and their "no" have been full of lies for years. Read todays NCR news.
Even the pope was warned as far back as the 1950s. Do the bishops words match the truth?

Go ahead, continue making yourself insignificant Jerry Gettlefinger.

Amen.

Published by: EJ
Waterloo, Iowa USA 03/31/2009 02:42 PM EST

The bishops in Texas came out against more coal plants being built because of the effect of mercury on the developing fetus and saw it as a pro life issue. It would be interesting to see if there is anything other than abortion and stem cells on the agenda of the Indiana pro life group about taking care of life after the baby is born. The Bishop could have a tougher job-- his distant cousin is now the national head of the UAW.

Published by: RCharles
Easton, PA 03/26/2009 10:05 AM EST

Hi Rose,

"We have no moral right to stand against the Church..."

Sorry, but you have every right, even a responsibility, to change the church when it is wrong. This has happened many times in the church's history. 1. If you were around during the inquisitions, would you support the church while it tortured and murdered thousands of innocent people? 2. When the news surfaced on the extent of church hierarchy involvement in covering up and protecting pedophile priests, did you protest, picket the church or post on blogs that the bishops were intrinsically evil? 3. Would you support the church in torturing Galileo to force his recant of a sun-centric solar system? It took the church 200 years! to admit it was wrong with Galileo, long after everyone knew it was wrong.

No, Rose, we are intelligent, rational beings with the right to critically examine everything we are asked to believe and to challenge that which we conclude is incorrect.

The church won't change because the hierarchy studies the issues and decides it is wrong; it only changes when the tide of human behavior combined with new scientific evidence forces it to change.

Best

RCharles

Published by: Rose
IL 03/24/2009 11:55 PM EST

"one must be unreasonable to bring change to the Catholic Church." Really??

The Catholic Church was established by Jesus; how He wanted it. The Church is His & we have no lawful authoirty to change Her.

We have no moral right to stand against the Church when She speaks against the intrinsic evil of the killing (murder) of innocents.

It's Biblical as well. We are to conform our minds to Christ...not to the world. (Romans 12:1-2)
Let us come & reason.
(Isaiah)*

Published by: Mary
Evansville, IN 03/24/2009 10:13 PM EST

I wish our bishop had shown similar pro life convictions BEFORE the election when Catholics for Obama came to town & got front page coverage in the Catholic newspaper.

Published by: Lee Meyers
USA 03/24/2009 09:56 PM EST

I just hope Mr. Steele wasn't politically grandstanding, to get noticed.

Play with fire, Mr. Steele, and you will get burnt, Now and in Eternity.

I hope the Bishop Gettlefinger won't let the sun go down on his anger without forgiving Mr. Steele, and meeting with him, so as to offer him an "Opportunity" to go to Confession.

Pope Benedict XVI I'm sure did this with Senator Pelosi. At least I hope, that's what occurred.

One can Hope and Pray, that "Cooler Heads, Prevail."

Published by: Robert
Elk Grove Village, IL 03/24/2009 09:48 PM EST

The greatest attribute of man is ability to think which implies his ability to choose, the exercise of free will. Is the bishop's intention to deny people the right to exercise that free will? His stand is, to be frank, one of narrow minded ignorance.

Published by: Randolf
Philippines 03/24/2009 03:18 PM EST

I applauded you Bishop! I am fully supportive of your decision! But I have some request; could you use your authority or influence to somehow sanction the NDU. It's a big slap to our face as catholics who are many of us are not yet fully mature in faith. What the NDU has been showing is giving a great confusion to many of us catholics. Indeed it is too appalling! As a church, we should be one in our view, stand, belief, faith and principle; as you put it: " There must be no equivocation!" But to what the NDU has been demontrating, it's a big contrary!" I hope there must be proper action to address to this. Let's pray to our Lord Jesus Christ with His Blessed Virgin Mother to enlighten us with this great perplexities that beset our world today.

Published by: Francis Xavier T
Washington, D.C. 03/24/2009 02:45 PM EST

Terence from Albuquerque, NM., you are 100% accurate. RCharles from Easton, PA., for you record, abortion is a substitute word of murdering defenseless innocent babies. Go see an aborted baby yourself and come back to debate with us. If you have not seen an aborted victim before, you have no idea what you are talking about.

Published by: Bob
Fort Walton Beach 03/24/2009 01:54 PM EST

Bishop Gettlefinger is a true follower of Christ and he is setting a good example.

Everyone, except environmentalists (who want to reduce the population to relieve stress on habitats) is against abortion however, the prochoice crowd insists that a "woman has a right of choose."

God does give us free will since we are made in His image, however, we do not have the right to do wrong. We indeed have that capacity to do wrong, but not the right.

A return or embrace of Faith in Jesus is missing in our society. We are like the Israelites of the Old Testiment...we worship Baal and sacrifice our children to Mulock. And like the Israelites, we are exiled in Babylon (Iraq) and are trapped in economic mess which also has as its root a lack of morality. Alt A (liars) mortages and other shady practices are all immoral because people did not tell the truth.

Published by: DOLORES WOODS
GREENWOOD, IN 03/24/2009 01:05 PM EST

Abortion is the killing of an innocent baby. the 5th commandment is "thou shall not kill" given by our good Lord. Why doesn't the human race understand this teaching?

Published by: Terence
Albuquerque/NM/USA 03/24/2009 12:11 PM EST

Rate: Excellent

I think the confusion about the "right to choose" is as follows. One of my high school students asked me - "didn't God give us free will? Don't we have a right to choose our actions even if they are wrong according to the Church?" Of course I answered that while I see his logic our society still shouldn't codify into law a women's "free will" to murder her baby. If we submitted to an individual's "free will" on every matter then none of our laws restricting anything could stand. I was sorry to hear that Michael Steele equivocated on the matter. It is the right to life of the baby that needs protecting not the right of the mother and Doctor to commit an evil act.

Published by: Bobette Pestana
Tampa FL US 03/24/2009 11:53 AM EST

I find this article confusing. Maybe because I haven't followed each individual. FWIW I have a high IQ and a degree in Reading Education....

Published by: Diane Chapman
El Cajon 03/24/2009 10:26 AM EST

Rate: Excellent

This is a proud to be Catholic moment. Thank you for being the good shephard Bishop Gettelfinger, your actions speak louder than words.
Time for a new RNC chairman...
Rgds,
Diane Chapman
California

Published by: Radomysl Twardowski
Bismarck, ND, USA 03/24/2009 09:41 AM EST

There is something assymetrical about Catholic leadership boycotting pro-life events in which the "imperfect" Catholic Republicans participate and refusal to disinvite the most atrociously pro-abortion Democrat president in history from giving a commencement address at a "Catholic" University. The fact that the President is not a Catholic should not lessen the Catholic stance and response. These sentiments probably reflect bishop's ideological and political pro-Democrat (?leftist) bend, which is a sad alliance in today's America. Hopefully, the bishop would similarly boycott Michael Steele (he retracted his comments and seems reformable on the subject) and Biden, Pelosi, Dodd, Kerry, Giuliani and Schwarzenegger who appear totally intransigent to the possibility of protecting the unborn.

Published by: Tim H.
Duluth, MN USA 03/24/2009 09:25 AM EST

If someone states they are pro-life, wouldn't this be a 100 percent pro-life? I don't understand why people say they are pro-life, and then in another statement say that it is a woman's right to choose to end a life in their womb. In the same breath, how can someone say they are Catholic and still be pro-abortion. Being Catholic has to mean a 100 percent Catholic. When Catholic poli-ticians continue to appease the world for votes by supporting abortion, then consume the Holy Eucharist, are not they eating the body of Christ unworthily. This public display is very misleading. Bishop Gettelfinger is doing the right thing because he is leading people to the truth.

Published by: AM Santiago
philippines 03/24/2009 08:49 AM EST

As St. James said in his epistle, "Let your yes be yes and your no be no that you may not fall into condemnation". And as God Himself said,He will vomit the lukewarm who are neither hot nor cold. A Christian must not be ashamed to speak for the truth. NO EQUIVOCATION. We need more Bishops who are not afraid to stand up for the truth. Viva Cristo Rey.

Published by: David LeBlanc
Houston, TX USA 03/24/2009 08:11 AM EST

Snub Michael Steele for not being always consistent on his views regarding abortion, fine. For the record, as I understand it, Mr. Steele is usually pro-life.

Yet if Catholics are going to be consistent and credible on abortion, why is Notre Dame giving President Obama an honorary doctorate? President Obama is the radically, profoundly pro-abortion. President Obama should be snubbed as well. Or are the powers that Notre Dame more interested in a bit of suck up?

Ridiculous.

Published by: Bryce
Prairie du Sac/WI/US 03/24/2009 07:41 AM EST

This decision by Bishop Gettelfinger stands in contrast to the decision by Notre Dame University to have Pres. Obama speak at their commencement and Catholic Charities President, Father Synder's decision to join Pres. Obama's advisory council .

Where is the unified, "catholic" church in America? There doesn't seem to be a common sense of principles in US church leaders. Our priests and bishops are moving in different directions daily. As a result, US Catholics have conflicting messages of what is acceptable and what is not.

It seems that we have a house divided against itself. In this present environment how long will the US Catholic Church stand?

There needs to be a constant voice to address contradictions to official Catholic teaching. Who better to do this than the US bishops? If Catholic universities and priests contradict the actions and teachings of the bishops, a lack of response from them can be interpreted as consent.

I appreciate Bishop Gettelfinger's stand on this matter with Michael Steele. However, I'd like to see him make a similar stand by directing a so called "catholic" university in the northern part of his state to follow his lead.

Published by: RCharles
Easton, PA 03/24/2009 07:38 AM EST

Rate: Bad

Bishop Gettlelfinger is infected with the church's knee-jerk reaction to anyone who disagrees.

RNC Chairman Michael Steele is supporting two things:
1. The Law of the Land in our Democracy
2. he believes women “absolutely” have the right to choose abortion

So Michael Steele, a Catholic, joins other brave catholic politicians like Biden, Pelosi, and Sebelius in standing up to the church - holding firm to their evaluation of the issue and their moral right to do so.

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man. George Bernard Shaw

One must be unreasonable to bring change to the catholic church.

RCharles

Published by: DAVID KOZAK
United States 03/24/2009 07:11 AM EST

Good for you Bishop!
At least one prelate understands he is not a private chaplain to the Republican Party!
God bless you!

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