Woman weeps over her abortion at Austin abortion funding hearing

September 02, 2010

At a September 1 public hearing on the budget of Central Health, which provides public health services in the Austin area, people spoke for and against the agency’s decision to spend $450,000 on abortions annually.

As four nuns prayed the Rosary, an official of the Diocese of Austin read Bishop Joe Vásquez’s statement on the issue.

“Nothing good can ever come from abortion-- nothing,” said Bishop Vásquez.

“At the heart of our concern is this: Those who assist in the procurement of an abortion are morally culpable for their actions,” he added. “Voting to allocate these funds carries moral weight for the Board of Managers and at the same time has implications for all those who pay taxes. As Catholics and Christians we dutifully pay our taxes, but doing so should not violate our conscience.”

At the public hearing, a woman wept over the abortion she had ten years ago. “Some people don’t get a shot (at life) because someone else decided they had a choice,” said Catherine Brites.

Since 1950, Austin has grown from a small city of 132,000 to the nation’s 15th-largest city; it now has a population of 758,000.

 

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Further information:

• At Central Health hearing, praise for board, tears over abortion (Austin American-Statesman)
• Texas bishop urges local officials: Stop funding abortions (CWN, 9/1)