South Texas Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 34, Ed. 1 Friday, October 5, 1990 Page: 1 of 12
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Vol. XXV, No. 34 _ Serving the Diocese of Corpus Christi Since 1966 __October 5, 1990
Pastoral letter clarifies teachings
on abortion, excommunication
Bv Rachelle Ramon
StC editor
CORPUS CHRIST!---Catholics in me
Diocese of Corous Christi should “live the
Spirit of Christ in the world" and “renew
their respect for human life from concep-
tion to natural death,' said B i shop Rene H.
Oracida in a recent pastoral letter.
Entitled “Choose Life. Not Death!—A
Pastoral Letter on Abortion and Excom-
munication,” it was released as an eight-
page supplement in the Sept. 28 issue of
the South Texas Catholic newspaper. The
letter is dated Sept. 8, the Feast of the Birth
of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
At the beginning of the document, Bishop
Gracida said he is addressing it to the
Catholic faithful of the diocese to ensure
that“thc teachings of the Church concern-
ing the protection of unborn life might be
more calmly and clearly received”; to place
that teaching in the broader context of
each Christian’s call to seek “the will of
God the Father”; and to correct “any mis-
conceptions concerning excommunication.”
The bishop noted in the letter that ex-
communication and abortion have been
widely debated recently,particularly since
the public disclosure in late June of his
decision to “formalize the automatic ex-
communication of two members of the
Catholic Church because of their proxi-
mate cooperation with the destruction of
innocent life in the womb.”
During a press conference in Corpus
Christi Cathedral auditorium Sept. 26,
Bishop Gracida distributed copies of the
pastoral letter, summarizing its contents
and answering questions ranging from the
two excommunications to his recent letter
to law enforcement personnel concerning
rescues held at local abortion clinics.
The bishop said if he had known at the
time that the two formal decrees of am >-
matic excommunication would have re-
ceived as much attention as they have, “1
would have prepared this pastoral letter in
advance, so that my actions would have
been clearly understood by everyone, but
especially by the Roman Catholics of the
Diocese of Corpus Christi.”
Bishop Gracida pointed out that in the
first part of the pastoral letter “Choose
Life, Not Death!”, he explains what is the
“dignity and challenge of the Christian
life,” and that the pastoral mission of the
Church is to “teach and live the Gospel.”
He then specifically addresses one of
the “burning” issues of our time—abor-
tion—describing how “the sources of the
Church’s teaching with respect to the pro-
tection of the child in the womb arc divine
in character; they go back to the very
auilude and actions of lesus Himself.”
The Church's tradition concerning the
prohibition against abortion and respect
See Pastoral Letter, page 7
Bishop Rene H. Gracida displays a copy of his pastoral letter entitled "Choose Life,
Not Death'" which wasdistributedas an eight-page supplement in the Sept. 28 issue
of the South Texas Catholic. (STC photo by Luz loza)
Inside.
Woodsboro parish
celebrates 75th
anniversary
Page 3
Respect Life Sunday
is Oct 7;
special stories
Pages 4-7
Over 200 people
demonstrate at
pro-life rescue
By Paula Espitia
STC staff writer
CORPUS CHRISTI—Nineteen people—
including a priest from the Diocese of Cor-
pus Christi, a Sister from the Diocese of
Brownsville and a 13-year-old girl—were
arrested Sept, 29 during a pro-life rescue at
Reproductive Services, a locai abortion
clinic.
Over 200 attended the demonstration as
“rescuers,” who block the paths to the
three entrances of theelinic; “counselors,”
who offer women alternatives to abortion;
or “prayer supporters,” who stand away
from the building and pray quietly.
Nearly 30 officers from the Corpus Christi
Police Department removed rescuers from
the doorways in order to escort clients in
and arrested demonstrators in other areas
of Stonegate Center where the abortion
clinic is located.
The rescue began at 6:30 a.m. and con-
tinued for four hours as rescuers and prayer
supporters sang and prayed. Most of the
arrests occurred from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
According to Rex Moses, founder of Body
of Christ Rescue, this was the largest res-
cue in the city since last November when
Moses brought the movement to the dio-
cese from Austin.
Thomas Ketterhagen, a member of Body
of Christ Rescue, was among those charged
with criminal trespasses were most of the
See Rescue, page 6
Over 20 police officers blocked the
doorway of Reproductive Services,
an abortion clinic, during the Sept. 29
rescue. Over 200 pro-life demonstra-
tors participated by praying for the
unborn and offering abortion alterna-
tives to clients. (STC photo by Luz
Loza)
More photos, page 6
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Freeman, Robert E. South Texas Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 34, Ed. 1 Friday, October 5, 1990, newspaper, October 5, 1990; Corpus Christi, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth840335/m1/1/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .