April 3, 2009
Letter from Bishop Gettelfinger to Mary Ellen Van Dyke
20 March 2009
Ms. Mary Ellen Van Dyke
Executive Director
Vanderburgh County Right to Life
20 Northwest Fourth Street
Evansville, IN 47708
Re: My attendance at 2009 Right to Life Banquet
Dear Mary Ellen,
In reality, Mary Ellen, I do not know where to start with this letter. Michael Steele called me twice yesterday afternoon while I was in a meeting and then on the way to Rockport for the Rogation Day Mass. I returned his call this morning and engaged in a brief discussion. He was sending to my attention his public statement after he had been quoted in GQ a national magazine.
Needless to say, I was quite disturbed to read Michael Steele’s GQ statement quoted in the Evansville Courier & Press. His seemingly flip retort to the interviewer: “Yeah, a woman has the right to choose…etc.” To me, his answer emanates from a political stance, not a principled one.
The principled answer for us is that there can be no equivocation: intentional abortion is an act of killing the unborn. There is no room for choice in this deadly matter. Mr. Steele assiduously avoids such strong language.
On the strength of his words, Mr. Steele is to be applauded for drawing attention to the other side of “a woman’s choice” in detailing for us his Mother’s choice to put him up for adoption. However, his response statement — of which I have a copy — never reflects his position on abortion except by restating that he is “pro-life.”
Mr. Steele’s pro-life rhetoric is to be applauded but it does not clearly and categorically rule out abortion — intentional killing of the unborn — but rather appeals to the very large umbrella of “Choose Life” from the Old Testament and to “welcome all children and protect them under the law.” Why should he be selective? He also avoids all the other pro-life issues such as euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, death penalty, etc., etc.
Mary Ellen, Mr. Steele has a very high profile in the National Republican Party. I have a very high profile in the Catholic community of the Evansville Diocese as well as in its cities. I recognize that my absence or presence at the banquet has the power to divide our Catholic Community. Do you and your board recognize that reality? I am distressed by your “consensus” decision perforce that you maintain the invitation and/or contract with Mr. Steele to speak at the banquet.
My early decision not to attend still stands. I am praying for wisdom!
Please advise!
Faithfully yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Gerald A. Gettelfinger
Bishop of Evansville