Church event with pro-choice sponsors sparks outcry

PORTLAND – The inclusion of two abortion-rights supporters at a Roman Catholic church fundraiser to help low-income families heat their homes drew a protest from a Lewiston activist who helped lead the fight against Maine’s gay rights law.

Paul Madore and about a dozen supporters rallied Saturday outside the offices of the Diocese of Portland to express outrage that St. Hyacinth’s Church in Westbrook allowed state Reps. Timothy Driscoll and Bob Duplessie to sponsor the event that evening to benefit the Keep ME Warm program.

Madore, director of the Maine Grassroots Coalition, said allowing the two Westbrook Democrats to participate in the event undermines a ban on political activities by abortion-rights supporters on church grounds.

A day earlier, Madore issued a news release accusing Bishop Richard Malone of covertly supporting abortion and the Catholic Church of selling out to “pro-abort” politicians as a way to guarantee government financial support for Catholic Charities of Maine.

“Pro-life Catholics have the responsibility to denounce evil and to hold the Bishop accountable for failing to do the same,” Madore said. “It’s gotten to the point where ordinary Catholic faithful need to tell the clergy the difference between right and wrong. If they don’t care about standing against evil, maybe they’ll care when Catholics stop blindly sending them money.”

The controversy surfaced after George Rodrigues, a member of the Westbrook church, complained that the church was excusing abortion “in the name of heating oil.”

Malone responded by citing the profound need for heating assistance that the Saturday night spaghetti supper was intended to address.

Diocesan public affairs director Marc Mutty said Madore was drawing a line between two things that are unconnected.

“He’s making a claim that the event is political and that (the two representatives) are trying to use the event to gain credibility in the Catholic community,” Mutty said. “It would be naive to think politicians don’t have things like that in mind, but we’re saying the primary focus of this event is the Keep ME Warm program.

“The bishop made it very clear soon after arriving in Maine that the church would not provide a forum for legislators who hold views contrary to the church’s,” Mutty continued. “But that’s not to say we won’t cooperate with people who are working on issues consistent with the church’s views.”

Madore demanded that Mutty be fired and also called for a boycott of the Bishop’s Appeal, which supports the budget of the Catholic chancery.

Madore and his organization helped lead last year’s losing fight against the state law that bars discrimination in such areas as jobs, housing and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation.

“People do rally around the bishop even though they may not agree with all his positions,” Mutty said.