St. Paul, Minn., Apr 15, 2009 / 04:03 am
A Minnesota Planned Parenthood fundraiser which tied donations to the number of abortion clinic protesters on Good Friday received about $14,000 by capitalizing off of increased crowds drawn by Archbishop of St. Paul-Minneapolis John Nienstedt’s presence. An archdiocesan spokesman said the pro-lifers are concerned with preventing abortions, not with the money.
Every Good Friday, Pro-Life Action Ministries of the Twin Cities hosts a protest outside a Planned Parenthood clinic on Ford Parkway in St. Paul. This year was the first time that someone the stature of the archbishop participated in the demonstration.
Pro-life protester Megan Noll told Minnesota Public Radio that Archbishop Nienstedt made a “huge difference” and brought perhaps the biggest crowd she had seen.
Seeking to put a dent in the pro-life protest, Planned Parenthood set up a “pledge a protester”system that allowed its supporters to donate a set dollar amount for each protester. The abortion clinic raised $14,000 on Friday through their protestor campaign.
“The day went well and we know that the majority of Minnesotans are supportive of our work in communities across the state,” said Kathi Di Nicola of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota (PPMNS).
CNA spoke about the Good Friday protest with Dennis McGrath, Director of Communications at the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis.
He said he had no way of verifying the fundraising claims, and was not at the protest himself.
Reporting there were no “incidents” or physical altercations at the protests, he acknowledged “There were more of them than there were of us.”
McGrath reported that Planned Parenthood and abortion supporters conducted “significant promotions” and “really worked the web and the phones.”
However, McGrath told CNA, the fundraising program would not dissuade pro-lifers from continuing and “doing whatever is necessary in the fight for life.”
“It’s not a question of money, it’s a question of a fundamental tenet of our faith. We aren’t about to weaken our resolve or stop speaking out in any way necessary to prevent abortion and all its derivatives.”
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
At Catholic News Agency, our team is committed to reporting the truth with courage, integrity, and fidelity to our faith. We provide news about the Church and the world, as seen through the teachings of the Catholic Church. When you subscribe to the CNA UPDATE, we'll send you a daily email with links to the news you need and, occasionally, breaking news.
As part of this free service you may receive occasional offers from us at EWTN News and EWTN. We won't rent or sell your information, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Click hereOur mission is the truth. Join us!
Your monthly donation will help our team continue reporting the truth, with fairness, integrity, and fidelity to Jesus Christ and his Church.
Donate to CNA