Boston, Mass., Nov 21, 2008 / 20:19 pm
Dianne Luby, the head of the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts has responded to comments by Cardinal Sean O’Malley after the prelate criticized President-elect Obama and Planned Parenthood. Charging that his comments diminish his credibility, she argued that Catholics “overwhelmingly support” the “views and services” offered by Planned Parenthood and advocated by Obama.
She also claimed Planned Parenthood shares common ground with the Catholic Church on working to reduce “risky behavior among young people” and the need for abortions.
Luby’s reply was directed to the Boston Globe’s Michael Paulson, who had interviewed the cardinal.
In his interview with Paulson after Election Day, the cardinal had remarked that Obama “is possibly in the pocket of Planned Parenthood, which in its origins was a very racist organization to eliminate the blacks, and it’s sort of ironic that he’s been co-opted by them.” He also said Obama had a “deplorable” record on pro-life issues and argued that church-going Catholics reflect the Church’s teaching, though “not as much as we’d like them to.”