The following comment against the Vatican and the bishops, made in response to concerns over the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, is taken from a May 8 editorial in the National Catholic Reporter:

“This is the latest episode of episcopal flailing about in a search for enemies anywhere and everywhere to explain how so much has escaped their control. This isn’t about authentic teaching and orthodoxy. This is about thought control and censorship.” (Our emphasis.)

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments as follows:

It is important for the bishops to know that the National Catholic Reporter, which is adored by the Catholic Press Association, regards them to be no better than the totalitarian monsters who have ruled in communist and fascist nations. Hitler, Stalin and Mao perfected thought control, and that is what the bishops are now accused of promoting. Even for the Reporter, this assault represents a new low.

I will make sure that every bishop in the U.S. gets this news release.

Contact Tom Fox: tfox@ncronline.org

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments as follows:

June 21 marks the beginning of the “Fortnight for Freedom” events, the campaign for religious liberty being conducted by the nation’s bishops. Fair-minded persons may disagree with this effort, but there is something unseemly going on when those who work for a George Soros-funded group are quietly providing talking points to the media.

John Gehring is an official at Faith in Public Life, and it is his organization that lives off the bounty of the left-wing atheist billionaire, Mr. Soros. On June 7, Gehring sent a memo to his buddies in the media (a copy of which was generously leaked to me—click here) instructing them on how to handle the bishops. They should begin by questioning the prelates why the Obama “accommodation” wasn’t good enough. “You have to ask why the bishops can’t take yes for an answer,” he wrote.

Teaching them how to handle the “war on the Catholic Church,” Gehring advises, “Several bishops have used inflammatory and irresponsible rhetoric that conflates a process of working through complex policy issues with a fundamental attack on the Catholic Church.” He also frets over the politicization of the religious liberty campaign, an effort made possible, he neglects to say, because of the politicization of religion by President Obama.

Not to be outdone, Gehring presses his lackeys to victimize the victim, beckoning them to ask the bishops—all of whom refuse to prostitute their principles—“Are you willing to sacrifice Catholic charities, colleges and hospitals if you don’t get your way on the contraceptive mandate?”

Finally, Gehring provides a go-to list of Catholic activists who can be counted on to subvert the bishops’ message. It’s what we would expect from a George Soros group.

Contact Gehring: JGehring@faithinpubliclife.org

Catholic League president William Donohue issued the following remarks today regarding the league’s petition drive in support of Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre:

“The initial reaction to the Catholic League’s campaign in support of Bishop Murphy has been overwhelming.  Leaders of the Knights of Columbus on Long Island have pledged to join the petition drive, and such Long Island notables as Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon are also backing the campaign.  The petition, which is available at our website, catholicleague.org, is being sent to every pastor on Long Island and to every Catholic League member in Nassau and Suffolk.  In addition, the Long Island chapter of the Catholic League, led by Jim Krug, is holding an emergency meeting Thursday evening to discuss ways in which the petition can be circulated.

“The petition makes clear that Voice of the Faithful has committed a serious error in judgment by attempting to take down Bishop Murphy.  He will win and they will lose.  He will win because Catholics on Long Island have had it with the lies that Jimmy Breslin of Newsday has spread about Bishop Murphy and because they are fed up with Catholic malcontents who seek to prolong the scandal to advance their agenda.  Most important, Bishop Murphy will prevail because he is innocent of wrongdoing.

“To attack someone on the basis of guilt by association—which is what is happening here (Bishop Murphy served in Boston, ergo he is guilty)—has long been labeled by the Left as McCarthyism.  This is exactly what is going on now.

“The Catholic League has both the resources and the resolve to win this campaign.  Bet on it.”

The Catholic League continued its ad campaign against the Democratic National Committee (DNC) by placing a half-page ad in today’s edition of Roll Call, the influential D.C. publication.  Catholic League president William Donohue said that nothing will stop the league from pressing the DNC to sever its association with an anti-Catholic organization.  By providing a link to Catholics for a Free Choice on its website, the DNC is tacitly endorsing Catholic bashing.

The campaign against the DNC picked up steam last week when it was revealed that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has also implored the DNC to break its support for Frances Kissling’s anti-Catholic group.

The league’s ad has already run in three Catholic weekly newspapers, the National Catholic Register, Our Sunday Visitor and the Wanderer; Roll Call marks the first secular publication to run the ad.  The text of the ad appears below.

IS THE

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE

ANTI-CATHOLIC?

On the website of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), there is a link to organizations of interest.  Astonishingly, under the “Catholic” banner is a notoriously anti-Catholic organization, Catholics for a Free Choice (CFFC).  The head of this group, Frances Kissling, has said it is her goal to “overthrow” the Catholic Church.  Moreover, she has sought to silence the voice of the Vatican in the U.N. and has twice been denounced by the bishops as a fraud.

We have asked the DNC to stop its association with CFFC but it refuses.  That is why we are asking you to join our campaign.  Let the DNC know of your outrage by calling them at 202-863-8000; fax at 202-863-8174; email at dnc@democrats.org.

Catholic League president William Donohue issued the following statement today regarding the Democratic National Committee (DNC):

“Last week, we ran an ad in the National Catholic Register against the DNC.  Now we are running the ad again, only this time it will appear in the September 22 edition of Our Sunday Visitor; it is another influential Catholic weekly with a national readership.  At issue is the invidious relationship between the DNC and an anti-Catholic organization, Catholics for a Free Choice (CFFC).  Below is the text of the ad.”

ANTI-CATHOLIC?

On the website of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), there is a link to organizations of interest.  Astonishingly, under the “Catholic” banner is a notoriously anti-Catholic organization, Catholics for a Free Choice (CFFC).  The head of this group, Frances Kissling, has said it is her goal to “overthrow” the Catholic Church.  Moreover, she has sought to silence the voice of the Vatican in the U.N. and has twice been denounced by the bishops as a fraud.

We have asked the DNC to stop its association with CFFC but it refuses.  That is why we are asking you to join our campaign.  Let the DNC know of your outrage by calling them at 202-863-8000; fax at 202-863-8174; email at dnc@democrats.org.

Catholic League president William Donohue issued the following statement today regarding the Democratic National Committee (DNC):

“The current edition of the National Catholic Register (September 15-21) carries the first of a series of ads the Catholic League is running in Catholic and secular newspapers targeting the DNC.  Though the league has heard from Rep. Tom Lantos and Rep. Tim Roemer, both of whom are exploring the league’s complaint, nothing has changed: the DNC continues to align itself with an anti-Catholic organization, Catholics for a Free Choice.

“We do not believe that the Democrats in Congress would knowingly sanction anti-Catholic bigotry.  But until they get the DNC to drop its association with one of the nation’s preeminent Catholic-bashing groups, we will continue our campaign.  Below is the text of the ad.”  

IS THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE

ANTI-CATHOLIC?

 On the website of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), there is a link to organizations of interest.  Astonishingly, under the “Catholic” banner is a notoriously anti-Catholic organization, Catholics for a Free Choice (CFFC).  The head of this group, Frances Kissling, has said it is her goal to “overthrow” the Catholic Church.  Moreover, she has sought to silence the voice of the Vatican in the U.N. and has twice been denounced by the bishops as a fraud.

We have asked the DNC to stop its association with CFFC but it refuses.  That is why we are asking you to join our campaign.  Let the DNC know of your outrage by calling them at 202-863-8000; fax at 202-863-8174; email at dnc@democrats.org.

Today marks the first day in the Catholic League’s campaign against the Democratic National Committee (DNC).  It will continue throughout the fall until such time as the DNC drops its association with an anti-Catholic group, Catholics for a Free Choice (CFFC).  At issue is the DNC’s listing of CFFC on the organizational link page of its website, democrats.org.

On July 31, Catholic League president William Donohue wrote to DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe imploring him to “act quickly and decisively by removing Catholics for a Free Choice from the DNC’s links of interest organizations.”  On August 6, Donohue wrote to every Democrat in the House and Senate asking for assistance in this matter.  But nothing has changed.  Thus, the need for a formal campaign.  Donohue explained the content of the campaign today:

“We are asking all Catholics to contact the DNC and make known their outrage over the DNC-CFFC link.  Frances Kissling, who heads CFFC, has said that it is her goal to ‘overthrow’ the Catholic Church.  She has also lobbied the U.N. to kick the Holy See out of the world organization.  No wonder she has twice been denounced as a fraud by the U.S. bishops.  And this is the kind of Catholic that the DNC wants to associate with?

“We are posting on our website the phone and fax numbers of the DNC and we are also listing its e-mail address.  In addition, I am preparing a media campaign against the DNC for September and October.  To be exact, the Catholic League will be taking out ads in several national Catholic newspapers and in prominent Washington publications condemning the DNC for its obstinacy.  To think that the DNC would consider anti-Catholics to be representative of its Catholic base is mind-boggling!  When columnist Mark Shields first brought this matter to light, we were as astounded as he was.  Now the situation has worsened and that is why we are prepared to spend what we need to conduct an effective campaign.”

On the home page of the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) website, democrats.org, there is a link to organizations of interest.  Last week, under the “Catholic” heading, there was one group listed, Catholics for a Free Choice (CFFC).  After syndicated columnist Mark Shields mentioned this as his “Outrage of the Week” on last weekend’s edition of the CNN show “The Capital Gang,” the DNC added another Catholic source to its “Catholic” listing: catholic-USA.com.

Catholic League president William Donohue spoke to this matter today:

“I have written to DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe imploring him to ‘act quickly and decisively by removing Catholics for a Free Choice from the DNC’s links of interest organizations.’  The very fact that this group was the only Catholic listing on its website until this week is mind-boggling: it suggests that the DNC believes its Catholic base is led by Frances Kissling.  That it added a legitimate Catholic website to its listing only complicates Mr. McAuliffe’s problem: if CFFC were an authentic Catholic group, it would have been named in the umbrella Catholic source, catholic-USA.com (e.g., there are scores of bona-fide Catholic groups posted there, including the Catholic League).  Ergo, the DNC knows CFFC is bogus yet continues to provide cover for it.

“It is flatly wrong to tag CFFC as merely a ‘pro-choice’ group of ex-Catholics.  Kissling has openly admitted that it is her goal to ‘overthrow’ the Catholic Church.  That is why she works so hard to subvert the Church by attempting to get the Holy See kicked out of the U.N.  Twice the U.S. bishops have condemned CFFC as a fraud, yet the DNC amazingly gives legitimacy to this anti-Catholic front group.

“If the DNC thinks the Catholic League gave George W. Bush a hard time over speaking at Bob Jones University, it hasn’t seen anything yet.  Bob Jones is small potatoes next to Kissling’s hate group.”