Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Bishop's decision to move meeting because of speaker's abortion stance draws protest

More than a dozen Catholic parishioners, former Austin Mayor Gus Garcia and local activists protested Bishop Joe Vasquez's decision this week to move a public meeting about immigration from Cristo Rey Church to the A.B. Cantu/Pan American Recreation Center because a congressman speaking at the meeting is a supporter of abortion rights.

Saturday's scheduled speakers at the public meeting about immigrant rights, which organizers say has been planned for three weeks, include U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, an Illinois Democrat. 

Christian Gonzalez, a spokesman for the diocese, said that the meeting was moved because of Gutierrez's record of voting in favor of abortion rights legislation, which is in direct contradiction with Catholic teaching and policies.

The decision echoed Vasquez's September cancellation of Yom Kippur services at St. Louis Catholic Church because Rabbi Alan Freedman with Temple Beth Shalom served on the board of the local Planned Parenthood . 

Gonzalez said the bishop was out of town Thursday and unavailable for comment.

"The meeting is not being changed because the bishop has changed his stance on immigration," Gonzalez said, noting that Vasquez was one of nine bishops who participated in an advocacy day to express their support for issues like immigration reform and anti-abortion legislation at the Capitol on Wednesday.

"The issue is that Gutierrez has consistently voted in favor of pro-choice issues, and as the Catholic Church, we cannot support that."

Emilio Zamora, one of the organizers for the Saturday event, was among more than a dozen people who held signs and read from prepared statements outside of the front door of the diocese. 

Zamora said that the short notice of the move was "arbitrary and harmful to the immigrant community."

He and others said that they were dismayed that the message was transmitted through Monsignor Mike Sis, who informed one of the organizers this week of the decision.

"We don't know why he does this," Zamora said, referring to Vasquez. 

"We think it's capricious and disappointing, because immigrants are contributing to the growth of the Catholic Church. They should at least give us the courtesy of giving us enough notice."

Blanca Garcia, a parishioner at Cristo Rey Church, said that she was particularly dismayed at what she called a distinctly un-Christian move during the holy season of Lent. 

"I'm saddened that during our holy season, our leader, who is supposed to be our shepherd, is acting against everything Christians teach."

Gonzalez said that Sis spoke with members of the meeting's organizing committee and agreed to pay the costs of moving the meeting's venue from Cristo Rey to the recreation center.