Wisconsin Catholic Conference’s “Catholics at the Capitol” 2013: A Pro-lifer’s Perspective


Thank you to Will Goodman for submitting this article to the BC(well, with my instigation). Will is the founding member of the Servants of Our Lady of Guadalupe, an apostolate formed by a daily hour-by-hour schedule of prayer, contemplation, study, administrative work, and pro-life action. Founded in 2001 by then Bishop Raymond Burke, the Servants continue their work in the Diocese of La Crosse and the greater Catholic community in Wisconsin and beyond.




3 comments:

Veridicus said...

Great job, Will!

It sounds generally better from when I attended a 2011 session on the Catholic approach to implementing Obamacare. The presenters were career Democrat activists who assured us all that there was no legislation around that threatened conscience rights with regards to abortion.

Badger Catholic said...

I heard about that some time ago as well. A really pathetic utilization of "Catholic" interests for that conference. I'm glad that enormous embarrassment did not repeat this year.

Anonymous said...

I know this is not specifically a pro-life issue, but what do you think of John Huebscher's support of the WISDOM group's "11 x 15 plan"?
In a letter written on March 15, 2013, he wrote (in part):

4. Urge legislators to support the “11 x 15” initiative to reduce our prison population by diverting non-violent drug and alcohol offenders into community treatment and supervision programs.

``````````````` I have a problem with this, as WISDOM is an affiliate of The Gamaliel Foundation, which, according to www.discoverthenetworks is a:
Network of grassroots organizations working to bring about social change
Models its tactics after those of the radical Sixties activist Saul Alinsky
and:
GF receives much of its funding from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. Yet according to the Roman Catholic Faithful website, the foundation's “goals and philosophies are at fundamental odds with Church teaching.” In March 2010, David Ricken -- the Roman Catholic bishop of Green Bay, Wisconsin -- said that certain “principles of the Gamaliel Foundation are inconsistent with the tenets of our Catholic Social Teaching.” Vicar general and chancellor Father John Doerfler of Northeast Wisconsin specified one particularly problematic GF doctrine: “The end,” he said, “does not justify the means.”
```````````````
I find it troubling that Bishop Morlino would endorse the 11x15 plan as WISDOM has a history of touting its connections to faithful Catholics in order to boost their standing and garner support for their causes. The Diocese of Madison was warned about WISDOM and its many affiliate community organizations, in particular, one which had been operating the Madison Diocese.