Rabid pro-abort on National Review Board

By Domenico Bettinelli, Jr. ( articles - email ) | Nov 01, 2004

Last month, at CWN, we reported that Pamela Hayes, a member of the US Bishops' National Review Board, was one of three members who have donated money to John Kerry. Of course this isn't news: I reported on her political donations, all the way back in July 2002 when she was appointed to the board.

But now Hayes has responded to questions about her political contributions. And she doesn't even attempt to explain it away.

"I've contributed to a lot of pro-choice candidates, and so what? So what?" Hayes told the Register. "What are they going to do about it? If they don't like it, then don't put me on the board. If they've got a problem with that, you tell them they've got a problem."

She doesn't just acknowledge her pro-abortion activism, she's openly defiant about it. This is who the bishops think should represent the laypeople of the US on their board? Notice that of the three openly pro-abortion members who were on the board at the beginning of October, Hayes is the only one who remains after a re-stocking with new members.

And she doesn't attempt to pretend that she's trying not to be a "single-issue" voter, but states openly that abortion is her most important value:

Hayes characterized support for abortion as the key political issue for her. “If they’re pro-choice and they’re Democrat, they’re my kind of candidate,” said Hayes, who grew up Catholic, attended Catholic schools in Manhattan and belongs to Manhattan’s St. Aloysius Parish.

And what is the official response of the US Bishops' Conference?

Bill Ryan, deputy director of communications for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said neither he nor other officials at the conference would comment about the pro-abortion views expressed by Hayes. “It would be inappropriate to comment on the views of an individual board member,” Ryan told the Register.

Why not? Is it evil to promote abortion or not? Way to go, Bill. Yet another message has been sent to US Catholics: Catholic teaching on the sanctity of life just isn't that important.

By the way, Pamela Hayes is now on the board of directors of the National Catholic Reporter. Excuse me if I don't look surprised.