US bishops urged to dismiss staff aide after praise for abortion activist

Catholci World News ^ | 09.19.05

[Coleus]

An American pro-life leader has called for the removal of an official at the US bishops' conference who lavishly praised a deceased Jewish leader who was also a leading proponent of legal abortion.

After Rabbi Balfour Brickner died on September 1, Eugene Fisher-- the associate director of ecumenical and inter-religious affairs at the US Conference of Catholic Bishops-- referred to the deceased rabbi as "one of the greatest American religious leaders of the second half of the 20th century."

In addition to his prominent involvement in Jewish and inter-religious affairs, Rabbi Brickner was a founder of Religious Leaders for a Free Choice, who served on the board of the Planned Parenthood Federation, the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws, the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, and the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.

Judie Brown, the president of the American Life League, argued that in light of Rabbi Brickner's abortion advocacy, the unqualified praise from a representative of the US bishops' conference was harmful and misleading to the public. "Since he clearly does not understand the gravity of the situation, Fisher must be removed from any official position with the USCCB," she said.

The US bishops should take immediate action, Brown added, to ensure "that those who speak for America’s Catholic bishops understand that a person who supports the sin of abortion should not be given unqualified adulation."

[Coleus]

Catholic bishops' group must drop official

[Cicero]

Actually, the bishops might do well to dismiss their entire staff. The national organization has been a disaster for the past several decades. It's packed full of people who don't even belong in the Church, let alone wielding the levers of power in the Church.

[Know your rights]

Rabbi Brickner was a founder of Religious Leaders for a Free Choice, who served on the board of the Planned Parenthood Federation, the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws, the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, and the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.

Sounds like the Rabbi thought killing babies was God's work. The guy who praised him should certainly be fired ... that's a no-brainer.

[Hound of the Baskervilles]

They won't dismiss Fisher. He's been working in Jewish/Christian relations for a long time. I would venture to guess that he did not take the Rabbi's pro-choice stance into consideration...just forgot about it probably.

Praising the Rabbi is not the same thing as condoning abortion. I have friends that are pro-choice, and when they die I am going to say nice things about them. It's the proper thing to do...just respecting the memory of a departed friend.

[Coleus]

Planned Parenthood Catholic on the FR

 

[8mmMauser]

Pinged from Terri September Dailies

8mm

[milford421]

I agree with your comments.

[SuziQ]

I think Judie Brown has had too much of a public knee-jerk reaction here. I understand the Bishop's Conference comments honoring the Rabbi, if they've been involved with him in Catholic-Jewish relations for many years. Mentioning his involvement with Planned Parenthood in a negative way would have been rude, in my opinion, and would not have been correct in a official statement mourning his passing.

JMHO

[Aussie Dasher]

But he's a baby killer. How can that not be relevant? It's like saying Hitler or Stalin were great guys!