Contact: Kenneth M. Fisher, 714-491-2284, 714-260-3821 cell, crcoa@dslextreme.com  

ANAHEIM, July 30 /Christian Newswire/ -- Pro-life Catholics in the Washington, D.C., area should picket the 2010 Knights of Columbus annual convention this August 3-5 over the group's refusal to expel pro-abortion politicians, says Kenneth M. Fisher, founder and chairman of Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc.

"Pro-life Catholics should make sure that every Knight at the convention knows that the leaders of the Order have refused, in writing, to stop harboring pro-abortion politicians in the Knights," says the Southern California-based Fisher. He cited a letter that the Knights' Supreme Counsel and General Advocate, John A. Marrella, wrote to Massachusetts State Deputy William F. Donovan on April 15.

Fisher points out that in the letter, Marrella warned that "subordinate councils" must leave the disciplining of pro-abortion Knights up to the Supreme Council -- yet at the same time, Marrella also wrote, "If the public figure's bishop has not excommunicated him for his public positions on issues relating to matters of faith and morals, it would be highly inappropriate for the Knights of Columbus to do so."

"So the Supreme Council is insisting that nobody in the 1.4 million-strong order can do anything at all about the pro-abortion politicians right in their midst," says Fisher. "That is preposterous. Besides, expelling a member is not 'excommunicating' him -- and you can bet the Knights would rightly kick out racists and criminals."

"In fact," continues Fisher, "the Knights do expel members -- pro-life members, such as my friends John O'Gorman and Danny Levine, who brought attention to the scandal. And after all, the late Cardinal John O'Connor once said the Knights do not have to wait for the bishops to discipline erring Knights."

Fisher urges all D.C.-area Catholics, and all Knights, to speak up and tell the Supreme officers to stop hiding behind the bishops, to admit that excommunication is not a requirement for expelling a member, and to create an Order-wide policy that pro-abortion politicians are no longer welcome and Supreme will boot out all such members brought to its attention.

Fisher asks all D.C.-area Catholics and Knights who are interested in picketing the Aug. 3-5 convention to contact him for information at (714) 491-2284 / Cell: 714-260-3821, crcoa@dslextreme.com.

Those who would like a copy of the above mentioned letter are urged to contact Fisher or to write to:

CRCOA, Inc.
13966 Glenn Dr.
Whittier, CA 90605