NEW YORK -- Cardinal John O'Connor Sunday praised protesters who block and chain themselves to abortion clinics, saying that he would like to be arrested with them in a 'rescue,' but that his lawyers advise against it.
The Roman Catholic archbishop addressed the abortion issue in a letter read at masses in the 410 parishes of the New York archdiocese on 'Respect Life Sunday,' praising a recent Supreme Court decision allowing limits on abortion.
'Let us resolve to join together in proclaiming the truth about the unborn and put an end to the business of abortion,' O'Connor said in the letter.
During his homily from the pulpit of St. Patrick's Cathedral, the prelate praised anti-abortion activists. After the weekly mass he celebrates at St. Patrick's, he doffed his vestments and met with reporters in the shadow of the main altar.
He was asked how far he would be willing to go in order to shut down an abortion clinic.
'I wish that I could go out on a rescue,' he replied, referring to recent Operation Rescue demonstrations blocking access to abortion clinics.
'I talked to my lawyers ... and their advice is that it would be inappropriate,' O'Connor said. 'What I have to weigh is if the value of my being arrested, and its visibility, would outweigh the possible jeopardy ... of operations of the archdiocese of New York.'
He expressed concern over the 'tremendous number of police officers who are required to arrest people' at anti-abortion demonstrations.
They 'certainly cannot be considered guilty of anything and don't like what they are doing,' he addded. 'I am their bishop as well as anybody else's bishop so ... there are a lot of things I have to sort out.'
O'Connor said he 'respects those engaged in Operation Rescue,' but emphasized that they 'are only one element in the tremendous pro-life movement.'
'It would be inappropriate for me to say everybody should be involved in Operation Rescue, just as it would be inappropriate for me to say anybody should be involved,' the cardinal said.
'Whether that should be the way I should go, lawyers or no lawyers, there are a tremendous number of things to be done without doing that,' the prelate said. 'Always one must weigh the practicality, the strategy.
'I just respect the intention of those who peacefully, without violence toward anyone, engage in this,' O'Connor said.
