Crusade for the defence of the Church. (News in Brief: United States).

Washington -- American Life League, under president Judie Brown, is launching a national campaign, the "Crusade for the Defense of our Catholic Church," to support Catholic clergy in reasserting their position of moral authority. Catholic clergymen are asked to proclaim their absolute opposition to abortion, contraception and euthanasia, to eliminate all associations between the Church and Planned Parenthood, including associations in partnerships such as the United Way. Also, bishops and priests are asked to deny the Eucharist to professed Catholics known to support abortion, contraception and euthanasia, including senators Daschle, Kennedy, Leahy, Biden and Kerry.

"The despicable practice of tolerating pro-abortion Catholics has gone unchecked long enough," said Judie Brown. "When an allegedly Catholic senator like Tom Daschle can use his powerful position to stop pro-life initiatives--while insisting that his Catholicism should not be challenged--something is dreadfully wrong" (Life Site Daily News, Oct 21, 2002).

For his part, Senator Daschle, the U.S. Democratic Senate Majority Leader, has exposed himself as a single-issue pro-abortion activist politician. Writing a letter to beg for funds for the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), he stated: "...I've stood up for a woman's right to choose and the pro-choice leadership of the Senate has made a difference by safeguarding women's rights from the anti-choice agenda of the Bush administration" (Life Site Daily News, 4 Nov. 2002). He has blocked votes on five major pro-life bills that passed the U.S. House and that are supported by President Bush. On Nov. 5, Daschle lost his position as Senate Majority Leader.