Catholics for Choice Condemns Catholic Bishops’ Egregious Spending in Florida
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, July 29, 2024
Contact: Ashley Wilson, Strategic Communications Advisor
Phone: (202) 294-4081
Email: media@catholicsforchoice.org
Catholics for Choice Condemns Catholic Bishops’ Egregious Spending in Florida
With less than 100 days until the election, Catholics for Choice raises alarms about wasteful use of funds by the Catholic church.
ORLANDO — Catholics for Choice, which uplifts and amplifies the voices of the majority of Catholics who believe in reproductive freedom, denounced the Florida Catholic bishops for being the second-largest contributors to defeat Amendment 4, which will be decided by voters in less than 100 days.
Catholics for Choice Board Treasurer and Miami Resident Gloria Romero Roses said:
“Most Catholics, like me, think abortion should be legal, but the Catholic hierarchy is funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars into the anti-abortion campaign to fight Amendment 4. That money could be better spent elsewhere.
“I am appalled that my home Archdiocese of Miami just spent $129,037 dollars on this political interference — that money could have been used to support a number of other ministries providing care to immigrants, addressing homelessness, and more. I hope Catholics will seek transparency with the church and dioceses’ use of funds and join me in support of Catholics for Choice and Amendment 4 instead.”
Catholics for Choice President Jamie L. Manson, M.Div. said:
“Nationwide, only 1 in 10 Catholics agree with the bishops’ position on abortion. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, anti-choice ballot efforts have been bankrolled by Catholic Bishops, and each time, they have lost. They will continue to lose. Catholics for Choice is committed to holding the bishops accountable for their religious overreach and political spending.
“The Florida Catholic church and affiliated groups is the second-largest contributor to the anti-abortion side of this initiative, which, 100 days out from the election, tracks with patterns we saw in Kansas, where the bishops funded two-thirds of the anti-abortion side, and Ohio, where Catholic dioceses and other groups funneled more than $2.7 million into the anti-abortion campaign. Catholics in Florida — especially the many who need abortion care — deserve better from their church.
“I have hope because most people don’t want the government to interfere with medical decisions, and Amendment 4 is consistently polling over 60% in Florida. Despite the influx of cash from overreaching, anti-choice religious groups, I believe Amendment 4 will succeed. Let me be clear: we will need the votes of pro-choice Catholics in Florida to win.”
Catholics for Choice Florida Field Organizer Nicole Benton said:
“According to Pew Research Center, 21% of adults in Florida are Catholic, making it one of the largest faith traditions in the state. But the loudest opponents of Florida’s Amendment 4 are Catholic bishops, who misuse Sunday Mass to spread misinformation about abortion and this ballot. They spend millions of parishioners’ hard-earned dollars fighting the democratic process and have no wives, no daughters, no inroads into the lives of women and their reproductive healthcare needs. That’s why Catholics for Choice is committed to supporting the faithful majority of pro-choice Catholics — 63% of which think abortion should be legal in all or most cases — and tell them they are not alone if they want to vote YES on Amendment 4.
“In the next 100 days, we will uplift and equip a dedicated base of pro-choice Catholics to vote ‘yes’ on Amendment 4 and place essential reproductive healthcare beyond the reach of partisan politicians, capricious courts, and meddling bishops. Through targeted outreach efforts such as phone banking, door knocking, and collaboration with our community partners, we are ramping up our efforts to ensure turnout of the 60% threshold needed on November 5 to help carry Amendment 4 over the finish line. And we’re not going to stop until everyone has access to safe, quality, and affordable sexual and reproductive healthcare, including abortion care.”
As of the most recent filing release for the so-called “Florida Voters Against Extremism,” the Catholic hierarchy has spent $442,013.10 to fight Amendment 4, making the Catholic church the second-largest donor to the campaign behind Florida Speaker Paul Renner’s PAC.
- 1/22/24 contribution from FL Conference of Catholic Bishops: $25,000
- 3/31/24 contribution from FL Conference of Catholic Bishops: $45,000
- 4/30/24 contribution from FL Conference of Catholic Bishops: $17,976.10
- 5/31/24 contribution from FL Conference of Catholic Bishops: $15,000
- 6/5/24 contribution from the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee: $25,000
- 6/5/24 contribution from the Diocese of St. Augustine: $55,000
- 6/21/24 contribution from FL Conference of Catholic Bishops: $15,000
- 7/2/24 contribution from the Archdiocese of Miami: $129,037
- 7/12/24 contribution from the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops: $15,000
- 7/17/2024 contribution from the Diocese of Venice in Florida: $100,000
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Catholics for Choice shapes and advances sexual and reproductive ethics that are based on justice, reflect a commitment to a person’s well-being and respect, and affirm the capacity of all people to make moral decisions about their lives.
