Bishops reaffirm teaching on life in light of deceptive ad campaign

Bishop Richard Pates

Des Moines Bishop Richard Pates joined New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan and other bishops in affirming Catholic teaching that instructs life begins at conception and ends at natural death.

This affirmation makes clear Catholic Church teaching in light of a deceptive ad campaign, "Abortion in Good Faith," funded by a group that calls itself Catholics for Choice, which placed ads in major newspapers across the country Sept. 12.

 Their ad campaign contradicts Catholic Church teaching.

"The use of the word 'Catholic' used to promote the taking of innocent human life in the ad campaign is offensive not only to Catholics but to all who expect honesty and forthrightness in public discourse," said Cardinal Dolan, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities. "CFC is not affiliated with the Catholic Church in any way. It has no membership and clearly does not speak for the faithful."

He referred to Pope Francis, who said this past summer, "Life must always be welcomed and protected...from conception to natural death. All of us are called to respect life and care for it."

"CFC's extreme ads promote abortion as if it were a social good," said Cardinal Dolan. "But abortion kills the most defenseless among us, harms women, and tears at the heart of families. Pushing for public funding would force all taxpaying Americans to be complicit in the violence of abortion and an industry that puts profit above the well-being of women and children."

"Abortion is often portrayed as a conflict between the needs of the pregnant woman and the unborn child. Yet we know that when we offer education, help and compassion to women facing crisis pregnancies, and the extensive availability of adoption, we can help her and protect the young and vulnerable life growing within her," said Bishop Pates. "It's not an either or, it's an opportunity to help both mother and child."