Catholics for Choice

Catholics for Choice (CFC), formerly Catholics for a Free Choice, is a pro-choice organization that was founded in 1973 "to serve as a voice for Catholics who believe that the Catholic tradition supports a woman’s moral and legal right to follow her conscience in matters of sexuality and reproductive health." [ [http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/about/default.asp Catholics for Choice- About Us] ] It is currently led by President Jon O'Brien.

History

Catholics for Choice (CFC), formerly Catholics for a Free Choice, was founded in by Joan Harriman, Patricia Fogarty McQuillan, and Meta Mulcahy, to promote access to abortion in the context of Catholic tradition. Its first president was Joseph O'Rourke, who was expelled from the Jesuits and the priesthood in 1974. The group emerged from Catholics for the Elimination of All Restrictive Abortion & Contraceptive Laws, a New York lobby group that had been formed in 1970. The first public event held by the organization was the heretical crowning of Patricia Fogarty McQuillan as "Pope Patricia" on the steps of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York to celebrate the first anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade. cite web|title=A Guide to Election 2004 by the CFFC|work=Catholics in Political Life|url=http://www.catholicvote.net/issues/additional_resources/2004bishops_history.htm|accessdate=March 03|accessyear=2006]

Mr. O’Rourke remained as president of CFC until 1979, when Pat McMahon was hired as Executive Director. McMahon shifted CFFC's legal status from a lobby to an educational association, opening the group up to tax-exempt status and to foundation support. One result of this was a $75,000 grant on behalf of the pro-abortion Sunnen Foundation which funded the group's first publications, the "Abortion in Good Faith" series.

In 1980 Frances Kissling joined the group, and in 1982 she was made president. Kissling led CFC until announcing her retirement in February 2007. [http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/news/pr/2.20.07FKDeparture.asp] CFC's former Vice-President and Director of Communications Jon O'Brien was subsequently appointed as the organization's new President.

Mission

The mission of Catholics for Choice states that the organization "shapes and advances sexual and reproductive ethics that are based on justice, reflect a commitment to women's well being and respect and affirm the moral capacity of women and men to make sound decisions about their lives." CFC states that its purpose is "through discourse, education and advocacy" to infuse the organization's perspective in the US and internationally into "public policy, community life, feminist analysis and Catholic social thinking and teaching." [ [http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/about/ourwork/default.asp Catholics for Choice - About Our Work ] ]

The organization's stated issues include:
*Keeping abortion legal [ [http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/topics/abortion/default.asp Catholics for a Free Choice - Topics/Issues ] ]
*Expanding access to contraception [ [http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/topics/contraception/default.asp Catholics for a Free Choice - Topics/Issues ] ]
*Expanding the range of services provided by the Catholic healthcare system to include abortion [ [http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/topics/healthcare/default.asp Catholics for a Free Choice - Topics/Issues ] ]
*A frank exploration of human sexuality [ [http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/topics/sexuality/default.asp Catholics for a Free Choice - Topics/Issues ] ]
*Awareness of HIV & AIDS issues [ [http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/topics/hivaids/default.asp Catholics for a Free Choice - HIV & AIDS ] ]
*Exploring diversity of views within the Catholic tradition [ [http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/topics/reform/default.asp Catholics for a Free Choice - Topics/Issues ] ]
*Challenging public policy initiatives by "conservative religious groups" [ [http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/topics/politics/default.asp Catholics for a Free Choice - Topics/Issues ] ]

In addition, CFFC engages in the following activities:

*Removing the Holy See from its permanent observer status at the U.NFact|date=February 2007

Although Catholics for Choice has several goals, it is most well-known for its pro-choice advocacy.

Condom program

In 2001, CFC initiated a worldwide public education campaign called Condoms4Life [ [http://www.condoms4life.org Condoms4life.org Web Site ] ] to raise awareness about the Church's teaching regarding the use of artificial birth control, including condoms. In 2005 CFC created a group called World Youth Day for All that attended the Catholic World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany. They passed out postcards and stickers saying "Good Catholics Use Condoms". [ [http://www.condoms4life.org/news/2005/cwydinitialrelease080905.htm Condoms4Life.org : Good Catholics Use Condoms - Good Shepherd Awards ] ] Posters from the group at this event also portrayed two men in an intimate embrace. Some critics claim this portrayal of homosexuality in the context of expressing sexuality (which the Catholic Church opposes) was offensive. [ [http://www.scripturecatholic.com/homosexuality.html Scripture Catholic - HOMOSEXUALITY ] ] According to critics, CFFC also ignores the Catholic Church's teaching on abstinence. [ [http://www.epigee.org/guide/catholicism.html Family Planning and Religion: The Roman Catholic Church's Views on Sex ] ]

The organization maintains that condom use will prevent the spread of AIDS, since couples will have sex despite Vatican prohibition. [ [http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1683801,00.html Reformers Turn Up Heat on Church] ] Two bishops share the beliefs of Condoms4Life, [ [http://www.aegis.com/news/ads/1996/AD960271.html French Bishop Supports Some Use of Condoms to Prevent AIDS] ] [ [http://www.religiousconsultation.org/newsletters/January_2002/South%20African%20Bishop%20Supports%20Condoms%20to%20Prevent%20AIDS.htm One South African Bishop Supports Condoms To Prevent AIDS] ] and have come out in support of condom use when one partner has AIDS, arguing the Roman Catholic church's official position on this issue is unconscionable. [ [http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1683801,00.html Reformers Turn Up Heat on Church] ]

Pope-Watch

After Benedict XVI was elected, Catholics for Choice initiated a project called Pope-Watch.org.cite web|title=Pope-Watch.org|work=About the First 100 Days Campaign|url=http://pope-watch.org/|accessdate=December 13|accessyear=2005]

Among the demands made to Pope Benedict XVI by the project are:
*a reversal of Church teaching regarding contraception, claiming that their use promotes the Catholic doctrine of the culture of life
*the allocation of 25% of senior positions in the Vatican to women (see affirmative action)
*optional celibacy for priests and religious
*integration of "already-married priests"
*meeting with survivors of clergy sex abuse
*promotion of "intellectual and theological freedom throughout the church"
*clarification of the rights of Catholics to receive the Eucharist
*celebration of the Eucharist with those whom the church has "hurt." According to CFFC, this includes members of the clergy who have married, all victims of clergy sexual abuse, dissenting theologians and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Response to criticisms from Pope-Watch

*The Church maintains its official teaching against artificial contraceptives. [ [http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/family/documents/rc_pc_family_doc_20031201_family-values-safe-sex-trujillo_en.html FAMILY VALUES VERSUS SAFE SEX A Reflection by His Eminence, ALFONSO CARDINAL LÓPEZ TRUJILLO President, Pontifical Council for the Family December 1, 2003] ]
*The Church also continues to allow some Protestant clergy that have converted to be ordained, though many of them are already married, due to a dispensation granted by the Pope. However, celibacy is maintained for the vast majority of priests, who do not fall under this extraordinary condition. [ [http://anglicanuse.org/EdwardPentin.htm Major Anglican Group Prepares for Full Communion With Rome] ] [ [http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cclergy/documents/rc_con_cclergy_doc_01011993_revel_en.html The Relevance of Priestly Celibacy Today ] ]

Criticism of CFC

The USCCB has made the statement that " [CFC] is not a Catholic organization, does not speak for the Catholic Church, and in fact promotes positions contrary to the teaching of the Church as articulated by the Holy See and the NCCB." [ [http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2000/00-123.htm U.S. Catholic Bishops - Office of Communications ] ] It has been described by the Catholic League as an "anti-Catholic front group" [ [http://www.catholicleague.org/catalyst.php?year=2007&month=April&read=2214 Catholic League: For Religious and Civil Rights ] ]

In response, the CFC maintains that Roman Catholicism is an individual choice [ [http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/new/pressrelease/051200FKResponseToBishops.htm] Dead link|date=March 2008] and that the CFC is an advocacy group of pro-choice Roman Catholics, not a sanctioned Catholic organization. This emphasis on the individual and the individual conscience is a basis of CFC's organizational mission. [ [http://www.cath4choice.org/new/opeds/100101IndividualConscience.htm] Dead link|date=March 2008] CFC provides arguments they claim are based in theology, such as the Jesuit branch of casuistry known as probabilism, to advance the organization's ideas.Fact|date=October 2008

However, some Catholic critics argue that CFC is directly opposed to Catholic teaching. [ [http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/new/pressrelease/051200FKResponseToBishops.htm] Dead link|date=March 2008] These critics respond to CFFC by stating that the organization's theological arguments directly contradict the Catholic Church's teaching on abortion. [ [http://www.priestsforlife.org/pressreleases/05-07-20kissling.htm Fr. Frank Pavone to Francis Kissling: Being Catholic is not a game ] ] This teaching is described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. [ [http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P7Z.HTM "2270-2275"] ]

Against its conservative opponents, it should be noted that Catholics for Choice does criticize the United States Catholic hierarchy on issues other than its stance against abortion. These include past hierarchy concealment of clergy paedophilia against male and female lay Catholics. It argues that the hierarchy should not necessarily be seen as infallible when it comes to Catholic doctrine and pastoral practice,Fact|date=October 2008 and has expressed concern for academic freedom within Catholic universities and institutions of higher education.

One pro-life activist, Diane Dew, has pointed out on her website that through the 1970s, the majority of the organization's budget came from a New York foundation related to a Long Island Unitarian Universalist church, and that the organization first operated out of office space donated by Planned Parenthood. Dew claims that CFC is funded by groups that oppose the Catholic Church, such as the Playboy Foundation, and other groups supporting population control. [ [http://dianedew.com/CFFC.htm Who Are 'Catholics for a Free Choice'? ] ] In response, it should be noted that Catholics for a Free Choice has been a long-time member of the interfaith Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, which includes liberal mainline Protestants and Jews, as well as humanist organisations.Dubious|date=October 2008 It is committed to ecumenical and interfaith co-operation with other religious pro-choice organisations.Fact|date=October 2008

Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska issued an interdict in March 1996 forbidding Catholics within his diocese from membership in twelve organizations, operating locally, where membership is described as "...always perilous to the Catholic Faith and most often is totally incompatible...", in a letter of formal canonical warning published in the diocesan newspaper, the Southern Nebraska Register. Catholics for Choice was the last of the twelve organizations. Members of the diocese were given one month from the date of the interdict to remove themselves from participation in the named organizations or face automatic excommunication. [ [http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=2863 Catholic Culture : Missing Page Redirect ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/ Catholics for Choice official site]
* [http://www.condoms4life.org/ Condoms for Life]
* [http://www.CatholicsInPublicLife.org/ Catholics in Public Life]
* [http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/conscience/default.asp "Conscience" magazine]
* [http://usccb.org/comm/archives/2000/00-123.shtml USCCB Press Office statement on CFC] .