West Palm Beach - The flap over a Baptist minister's prayer for the unborn to the Legislature last week was for one priest indicative of a wider trend.

"It is a sign of a wider phenomenon that we encounter all over the country, not only at election time but any time that clergy become specific about the demands of religion in reference to protecting the unborn," said Father Frank Pavone, national director of the New York-based Priests for Life.

The Rev. Darrell Orman reportedly offered a prayer in the House March 9 which asked God to instill in lawmakers "the desire to protect the unborn, those babies being carried by women all over the state of Florida." The minister also invoked the name of Jesus. The prayer immediately drew objections from at least one pro-choice state representative.

"Our role is precisely to strengthen the role of clergy in proclaiming the Gospel of life," Father Pavone said. "We are using this as a stepping stone for a wider message: Our nation has to stop trying to separate belief in God from respect for life."

"This separation is so dangerous, when people say we will pray to God, but not about the violence to the unborn - as if God wants to hear those prayers while we close our eyes to injustice."

Tom Tracy

The Florida Catholic

March 16, 2000