Mexico City Policy reversal a ‘betrayal,’ Catholic University president says

Washington D.C., Feb 2, 2009 / 16:28 pm

Fr. David M. O’Connell, President of Catholic University of America, has criticized President Barack Obama’s decision to fund overseas organizations that perform and promote abortions, calling the decision a “disappointment and even a betrayal.”

He also suggested the president is certainly going to get a “fight” from Catholics over his support for abortion.

President Obama lifted the Mexico City Policy on Jan. 23, which had been implemented by President George W. Bush at the start of his presidency.

“I don’t think President Obama is looking for a fight but I think he’s certainly going to get one as he wiggles away from issues that are very important to the Church,” Fr. O’Connell said in remarks published by Fox News on Jan. 28.

“I’m sure for many Catholics who supported Obama because they believed in his words to do everything he could to reduce abortions,” he continued. “This comes as a disappointment, and even a betrayal to some.”

Fr. O’Connell also named as matters of concern President Obama’s support for embryonic stem cell research and disagreement with Proposition 8, California’s successful ballot measure which overturned a same-sex “marriage” court decision.

“The Church holds these issues as very significant and very consequential and the church is going after the president, not because he’s the president or because it’s the United States, but because it believes any government system that support issues that are contrary to its core beliefs are dangerous,” he told Fox News. “Because the beliefs are rooted in good for all of humanity, not just the Catholic Church.”