Washington D.C., Apr 22, 2004 / 22:00 pm
Two days prior to a pro-choice march that is expected to draw one million people to Washington D.C. democratic presidential candidate Senator John Kerry confirmed abortion rights as a major focus of his presidential campaign.
"I believe that in the year 2004 we deserve a president who understands that a stronger America is where women's rights are just that, rights, not political weapons to be used by politicians of this nation," said Kerry, stating his support for Sunday’s march.
His comments come on the same day of Cardinal Francis Arinze’s reiteration that any Catholic in support of abortion may not receive Communion.
Cardinal Arinze reafirmed the Church’s teaching in response to a journalist’s question at a press conference in which he presented the Vatican document "Redemptionis Sacramentum”, regarding the celebration of the Eucharist.
Judy Brown, president of the American Life League, criticised Kerry´s position of being personally opposed to abortion while supporting abortion rights as hypocritical. "There is no such thing in the Catholic Church as personal morality. There's only right and wrong," she said. Kerry has said that he would nominate only Supreme Court justices who support abortion.
The pro-choice march will be attended by Pro-choice America, the Planned Parenthood Federation – which today endorsed Kerry -, other pro-abortion groups and individuals.