During the 2007 Legislative Session VOCAL reported that Roger Martin, the replacement lobbyist for long time Oregon Catholic Conference's Bob Castagna, voted to legalize abortion when he was a legislator in 1969. Abortion became legal in Oregon after that vote.
In 1970, Martin sponsored a bill to bar husbands or parents from being informed when an abortion was to be performed on the wife/child. That bill failed, but how responsible is he for the fact that we now have NO parental notification? There has been no confirmation from the Archdiocese or fellow lobbyists that he has changed his views. The Archdiocese of Portland still has hope for a "conversion".
The "Respect Life Office" has now been swallowed by the Office of Respect Life, Justice and Peace and their "seamless garment" view of Life. Only the name has changed there's still no budget for a solely unborn protection focus. This seems to protect the Archdpdx from being embarrassed on how little the babies are valued. Matt Cato is head of this office, but is lacking education in this area.
There is now a $50 million Archdiocese Capitol Campaign that puts the $3.5 Archbishop's Catholic Appeal (ACA) on hold for now. Are we replacing depleted coffers due to the scandals?
It cost around $350,000 or 10% of the ACA to raise the money. How much will it cost to raise $50,000,000 for the Archdiocese Capital Campaign, $5,000,000? Is there a plea to help the unborn in this?
Eleven to twelve babies are killed through abortion each day in Oregon. How many Catholic babies are in these numbers? How many babies and their mothers would even a drop of money save? Catholics want to pay for Catholic, Christ-centered values
.
There are three bills now being drafted sponsored by Oregon Right to Life for this legislative session. They don't have the title wording or bill number yet but they are for:
- Putting an opt-out clause for the funding of abortion in President Obama's health care plan.
- Having abortion "clinics" included in current clinic health regulations. They have always been exempt.
- Eliminating abortions at 20 weeks due to infant pain at that time.
"Poor human reason, when it trusts itself, substitutes the strangest absurdities for the highest divine concepts."
St. John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church