Priest right to deny marriage

Planned Parenthood employee 'conflicted', says Bishop Henry

By ART BABYCH
Canadian Catholic News
Medicine Hat

"One of the strengths and reason for the growth in the Catholic Church in Canada and throughout the world is the fact that we stand by our principles and are not swayed by the fashions of the moment," said CCRL president Thomas Langan.

"The truth of Catholicism goes deeper than simple selfish needs of the moment."

Langan was reacting to comments in the press by Planned Parenthood officials, including Frances Kissling, president of the Washington-based Catholics For a Free Choice. She said the priest's decision "does not help reconcile Catholics with the Church" and could drive Catholics further from it.

"If this priest wants to deny sacraments to Catholics who have anything to do with family planning, then his parish church is going to be empty," Kissling said.

Celina Ling and Robert Symmonds, a non-Catholic, had planned to be married at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Medicine Hat on Sept. 21 but Father John Maes told them a month before the wedding date they could not be married in the church because of Ling's involvement with Planned Parenthood.

Langan believes the priest did the right thing. "The Catholic Civil Rights League wants the public to understand the normality, within the Catholic Church, of refusing to marry a person whose professional life violates fundamental teachings," said Langan.

"Like all other sacraments, marriage requires repentance for grave sin prior to valid participation. Father Maes did not refuse this pro-abortion woman marriage because of her beliefs," he said.

"The truth of Catholicism goes deeper than simple selfish needs of the moment." - Thomas Langan

"Rather, he informed her that continued unrepentant involvement with the abortion industry renders her ineligible to receive the sacrament."

Maes has declined to comment publicly, deferring questions to Bishop Fred Henry of Calgary, who told the Canadian Press he supports the priest's decision not to marry the couple.

"No Catholic can responsibly take a pro-choice stand when the choice in question involves the taking of innocent human life," he said. There is no "wiggle room" when it comes to the abortion issue in the Catholic Church, he added.

"She is in a conflicted position and something has got to give," said Henry. "She can be excommunicated for her activities at Planned Parenthood if she's involved in counseling someone to get an abortion or facilitating it."

Planned Parenthood offers birth control and free pregnancy tests, and presents abortion as an option for dealing with an unplanned pregnancy.

The Medicine Hat News quoted Planned Parenthood Alberta's executive director Melanie Anderson as stating "I think the Church should be concerned about what kind of precedent they're setting.

"They could find themselves with some very empty pews."

She said Planned Parenthood has about 200 volunteers, employees and affiliates around the province, many who are married or members of the Catholic Church.

Langan, however, said Planned Parenthood is an "anti-Catholic, pro-abortion organization (that) has no place telling Catholics how the sacraments ought to be administered."

Ling said she is pro-choice, not pro-abortion and that she won't quit her job. She also said she would not return to her parish nor any Catholic Church in the future.

Mae's decision to refuse to marry the couple came after Ling was quoted in a Medicine Hat News article linking her to Planned Parenthood.

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