'Pro-choice' priest-politician launches court attack on LifeSite News
February 15, 2011
A Canadian Catholic priest is suing the LifeSite News service for libel.
Among the charges lodged by Father Raymond Gravel is that LifeSite misrepresented him by identifying him as pro-abortion, when he says he is "pro-choice."
Father Gravel, a former gay prostitute, ran for a seat in the Canadian parliament in 2006, despite the Church's ban on partisan political activities by clergy. (He did, apparently, have the permission of Bishop Gilles Lussier of Joliette.) During his campaign, Gravel promised that he would not take public stands in opposition to Church teachings. But after he won election as a representative from Quebec, he became an outspoken opponent of a bid to uphold traditional marriage. He also provoked storms of outrage this summer when he defended the award of the Order of Canada, the nation's highest honor, to the country's leading abortionist. He eventually surrenders his seat in parliament in 2008, prompted by a directive from Rome.
Father Gravel's suit asks for $500,000 in damages. A judgment in his favor would certainly shut down LifeSite News. Even the costs of a legal defense will threaten the future of the independent Catholic news agency.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
- LifeSiteNews is being sued for $500,000 - this could shut us down (LifeSiteNews)
- Quebec priest leaves politics at Vatican's insistence (CWN 9/2/2008)
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Posted by: impossible -
Feb. 16, 2011 11:05 AM ET USA
Gravel reminds me of the Mafia Don who claims to be against violence while at the same time he suggests/orders the death of others. His defense might well be that he is "Pro-busiess" and "Pro-choice" - nothing personal. In his case, like in Gravel's case, the "Pro-choice" equals Pro-murder. Law & justice in Canada, with the U.S. on the same slippery slope, has degenerated into being governed by "men" instead of by "law." What percentage of clergy vote liberal??????
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Posted by: rpp -
Feb. 16, 2011 1:59 AM ET USA
Time to start a LifeSiteNews legal Defense Fund.
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Posted by: -
Feb. 15, 2011 9:11 PM ET USA
How can he call himself a Catholic Priest? Some other group maybe but not the faith I am blessed to call my own. DEO VOLENTE
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Posted by: Chestertonian -
Feb. 15, 2011 8:25 PM ET USA
Forget the bishop! How did this guy ever get into a seminary in the first place, with his history as a gay prostitute?! Everybody pray, for LifeSite News, for Gravel to get a clue, and for all the Canadian Catholic clergy.
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Posted by: DrJazz -
Feb. 15, 2011 6:22 PM ET USA
What is that saying about the road to hell being paved with . . . gravel? . . . or something like that.
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Posted by: Gil125 -
Feb. 15, 2011 4:58 PM ET USA
Where's his bishop, again?
