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DEFEND LIFERS PICKET BISHOPS

Over 30 Defend Lifers staged a dramatic confrontation with the U.S. bishops at their fall meeting in Washington, D.C., November 10, urging them to deny Holy Communion to pro-abortion Catholic politicians.

Assembling in front of the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, where the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was meeting, the demonstrators carried signs bearing photos of specific politicians and their respective bishops.

A typical sign read, "Bishop Kenneth Angell: Bravely Refuse Holy Communion to Pro-Abortion Senator Patrick Leahy."

They passed out leaflets citing Canon Law 915, which states: "Those who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Communion."

"In voting pro-abortion, Catholic politicians are, publicly and blatantly, approving and facilitating abortions; in effect, they are accomplices to murder--surely manifest grave sin, for which they should be denied Communion," the leaflet declared.

It called on the U.S. bishops to act with the courage of Mexican Norberto Cardinal Rivera and Peru's Juan Luis Cardinal Cipriani, both of whom have issued ultimatums denying Communion to politicians who support abortion.

Soon after the picketers had stationed themselves on the sidewalk in front of the Hyatt Regency, three police cars, one with its siren blaring, pulled up in front of the building.

As the picketers stood quietly, holding their signs, four large buses pulled up at the curb and waited to take the nearly 300 bishops to a Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

At about 5 p.m. the bishops started coming out of the building to board the buses. A contingent of pro-lifers immediately lined up in front of the hotel driveway with their signs, facing them.

Ebullient Defend Life veteran Olga Fairfax shouted over the roar of the bus engines, "Your excellencies, take a look--look for your picture here!

"We support the Catholic Church, we're Catholics ourselves. But stop supporting the so-called ÔCatholic' pro-abortion politicians. They've excommunicated themselves!"

A steady stream of bishops made their way quickly past the demonstrators, who tried to hand them the leaflets. Their attempts were hindered by police and hotel security personnel, who formed a cordon.

Although many bishops looked at the signs, many more studiously averted their gaze.

A notable exception was Rev. John Kozar, National Director, Pontifical Mission Societies in the U.S., who walked across the hotel driveway to accept a leaflet from Mrs. Fairfax.

When Francis Mahoney tried to give a leaflet to Most Rev. John Favalora, Archbishop of Miami, the prelate refused it, saying, "I've already got enough to read."

Roger Cardinal Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, ignored the pro-lifer as he walked by. But Francis was able to hand fliers to some bishops.

"Some of them threw them in the trash bin," he said. "A couple of them kept them."

"It's so disheartening," said demonstrator Mary Susan Grayson of the bishops' reactions.

Holding her sign aloft and facing a packed bus, she called out in frustration, "Are there any men on that bus? Are there any Catholics on that bus? Come out and talk to us!"

"Is this the way you treat the faithful?" Mrs. Fairfax chimed in.

After the buses pulled away, about half of the picketers drove to the Shrine and handed out leaflets to bishops and the laity after the Mass.

"Most of the bishops at the Shrine were cordial," said Defend Life Director Jack Ames.

"For sure they saw our signs at the hotel. "There's no question we had an impact. I think some of the bishops, when they read our leaflet, will agree with us. My guess is that some of them will take it to heart."

Jack plans to find out where the next bishops' conference will be held, find a pro-life group in the area, and ship the signs to them. Defend Life will also be using them at other occasions where bishops are present.

"I'm hoping that this thing will take on a life of its own," he said.

WRC-TV 4, the NBC affiliate in Washington, covered the Defend Life picket. A photo of the picket was also featured on AP Top Stories Photos on the Yahoo! News website.

Paralleling Defend Life's demonstration, on the same day, the American Life League ran a two-page ad in the Washington Times exhorting the bishops to warn the 71 pro-abortion Catholics in Congress that their support of abortion removes them from communion with the Church.

"Today is the feast of St. Leo the Great," reflected demonstrator Sr. Nancy Hanson after the picket.

"He met Attila in the battlefield and kept the barbarians from attacking Rome. He was a courageous shepherd of his people.

"Our bishops need that kind of courage to confront the powerful pro-abortion politicians. That's why we were there: not to condemn them, but to encourage them to take courage and do their job."