Contact: Jerry Horn, Priests for Life, 540-220-0095

WASHINGTON, June 18 /Christian Newswire/ -- Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, responded today to the news that Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State has complained to the IRS about Bishop Thomas Tobin's criticism of Rudy Giuliani.

"It is not Barry Lynn who is the problem," Fr. Pavone explained.  "The problem is that we don't have more voices like Bishop Tobin's.  The bishops are, in fact, with us on this issue.  Their legal advisors, however, draw the line of caution much more strictly than the government does, and that's what needs to change.  I'd like to hear what the same legal advisors would say if political candidates started calling for the abolishment of the Catholic Church and the imprisonment of the clergy.  Would we find our voices then?  If so, then why can't we criticize candidates who think that the dismemberment of children should be permitted?"

In conjunction with attorneys and law schools, Priests for Life conducts seminars across the nation entitled, "The Church and Politics: Are We as Restricted as We Think?"  More information is available at www.PoliticalResponsibility.org.

Priests for Life is the nation's largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit www.priestsforlife.org.