FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Information:
Mary Kate Zander
President
Illinois Right to Life
P: 312-422-9300
E: [email protected]
RELEASE DATE:
August 20, 2024
ILLINOIS RIGHT TO LIFE RESPONDS TO INVOCATION BY CARDINAL CUPICH AT THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION
(CHICAGO, IL) – – On Monday, August 19, Chicago Archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich, who addressed the March for Life Chicago in 2019, offered the invocation at the Democratic National Convention while free abortions were being provided just outside its doors.
“It is incredibly disheartening to see a local church leader who once aligned himself with our cause participate in such a deeply anti-life, anti-family event as the DNC,” said Illinois Right to Life President Mary Kate Zander. “The Harris-Walz ticket is the most pro-abortion presidential ticket in U.S. history – and the Democratic party, particularly in Illinois, is more anti-life than it has ever been before. Cardinal Cupich missed a clear opportunity last night to condemn their vile, murderous policies and, in effect, betrayed the vibrant pro-life community that he once aligned himself with in our state.”
Cardinal Cupich has a history of toeing the line when it comes to the issue of abortion, particularly inside of his own Archdiocese where abortion numbers continue to rise.
In January, the Chicago Tribune reported a 49% spike in the number of women traveling into Illinois to receive abortions since the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022.
And according to the Illinois Department of Public Health, 13,809 abortions were performed in Cupich’s Chicago – nearly 1/3rd of all abortions performed in the state that year. These numbers are not representative of the dramatic increase that the state – and Chicago – have seen in more recent months.
On Tuesday morning, Planned Parenthood staff reported that ten free abortions were provided during day 1 of DNC proceedings.
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