Colorado Bishops' Statement Regarding Planned Parenthood

In early November, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains (PPRM) broke ground on a new headquarters and clinic in northeast Denver. Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains purchased this property secretly under the guise of Fuller 38 LLC.

Planned Parenthood told the Denver Post that PPRM planned to complete the entire project in secrecy to avoid protests and delays that other Planned Parenthood buildings have encountered around the country. The new PPRM location is 7155 E. 38th Ave.in Denver. The entire project is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2008 and the general contractor for the project is the Weitz Company LLC.

The public deserves to know the facts about Planned Parenthood. The national organization is among the leading abortion providers, performing across the nation 264,943 abortion procedures in 2005 alone, a 29% increase since 2000. Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains has stated that it served 125,000 patients in five states, including Colorado, last year and of those 8,800 received abortions.

Teens and young people are the primary customers for their services and information, which include the distribution of contraception, emergency contraception and chemical and surgical abortions. Nationally 70 % of Planned Parenthoods customers are under age 25 and 27% are under age 19. Furthermore, Planned Parenthood is a supplier of graphic and explicit sex educational materials. These materials are being used in some Colorado’s public schools.

Planned Parenthood calls itself pro-child, pro-woman, and pro-family. Yet it is an organization based on falsehoods about the human person, the family and community life.

When a minor comes to Planned Parenthood, she is provided information on contraception, sex education and treatment of STDs without parental notification. How can Planned Parenthood justify calling itself pro-family or pro-child when it intrudes itself between a child and parent?

Planned Parenthood vigorously opposes any legislation that would provide advance medical information pertaining to an abortion procedure, and opposes any legislation that would provide a woman, who is seeking an abortion, knowledge of her unborn child’s development or information regarding alternatives to abortion. Considering the psychological and physical effects of abortion on a woman, how can it Planned Parenthood call itself pro-woman and oppose widespread access to advanced information?

We, the Catholic bishops of Colorado, deplore the negative impact of the actions and philosophy of PPRM. We urge the Catholic community and all people of good will to defend themselves and their beliefs against Planned Parenthood by every legal and ethical means at their disposal. We ask all Catholics to pray, within their families and parish communities, that the dignity and sanctity of every human life will be upheld at all stages of development.

Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. - Archbishop of Denver
Most Reverend Arthur N. Tafoya, D.D. - Bishop of Pueblo
Most Reverend Michael J. Sheridan, S.T.D - Bishop of Colorado Springs

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