NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      WASHINGTON, DC (CWNews.com) - Cardinal John O'Connor of New York called on Catholics to place life issues in the forefront of social issues in a speech at Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

      The cardinal opened a national conference on the culture of life by stressing the importance of the Gospel of Life over other issues. "This is a demon .... This has to be diabolic, what's happening in our country, the culture of death," he said. He also said he accepted the epithets which opponents hurl at him. "Call me a right-wing fundamentalist. Call me a religious nut. This changes nothing. To claim the right to kill the innocent is to claim the right to be God," the cardinal said.

      Cardinal O'Connor urged pro-lifers to persevere -- "despite legal setbacks" -- in their struggle against the culture of death by promoting "nonviolence, adoptions, and street marches while denouncing attacks on abortionists."

      Church News from Noticias Eclesias also reported that the Archbishop of New York said that "in our society, law has become the great teacher. What we do as gods is change our laws to fit our determination of good and evil".