"We could all use a little more courage this election year. If we’re Catholic, we should act like it. We get the elected officials we deserve ... "

Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput
in the October 30, 2002,
Denver Catholic Register

Update on Abortion
Anti-Discrimination Act

In his Oct. 23 column in the Denver Catholic Register, Archbishop Chaput highlighted the positions of some Colorado candidates toward legislation that would protect health care institutions from being forced to do treatments or procedures that violate their freedom of conscience.

Feeley Response
In the race for Colorado's District 7 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, Republican candidate Bob Beauprez indicated he would support such legislation. His opponent, Democrat Mike Feeley, did not respond to the Colorado Catholic Conference's candidate survey.

However, Feeley telephoned the archbishop the morning of Oct. 31 and stated his support for legislation protecting freedom of conscience not just for Catholic and religious health-care providers, but for any providers who declined abortion services on moral grounds. He described himself as consistently pro-choice -- including the choice not to provide abortion services.