Washington D.C., Apr 8, 2009 / 02:38 am
Several Catholics are included among President Barack Obama’s announced appointments to his advisory council on faith-based partnerships. However, the appointees also include a homosexual activist who has described the Pope as a “discredited leader” and the Knights of Columbus as “foot soldiers” of an “army of oppression” because of their opposition to same-sex “marriage.”
Anthony R. Picarello Jr., General Counsel of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), was announced as an appointee on April 6. A former head counsel and executive director of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Picarello has litigated several major religious freedom cases. He is a 1991 graduate of Harvard University and received his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1995.
Picarello joins Fr. Larry Snyder, President of Catholic Charities USA, who was appointed to the advisory board in February.
However, President Obama also appointed to the board Harry Knox, a leader with the homosexual activist group Human Rights Campaign (HRC).