
CV NEWS FEED // Many residents of a southeast Kansas city have been left “shocked and saddened” after learning there is legally nothing they can do to stop a Planned Parenthood clinic from opening in their area.
According to an email from the Kansas Conference of Catholic Bishops, over 350 residents of areas around Pittsburg, Kansas from different religious denominations recently met to discuss the abortion clinic, which is set to open this fall.
Chuck Weber, executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference, said that “legally speaking, there is not much that can be done” in terms of stopping the clinic from opening. He also provided attendees at the meeting with background information, detailing how the defeat of Kansas’ “Value Them Both” pro-life amendment in 2022 allowed Pittsburg to open its own Planned Parenthood.
“He also spoke of legislative progress in directing funds to pregnancy resources centers, adoption-friendly tax incentives, and a new law that makes it a crime to coerce someone to have an abortion,” the bishops’ email said.
Other pro-life advocates from the Diocese of Wichita’s Respect Life Office spoke at the meeting, calling for attendees to begin praying and spiritually prepare for the opening. Another pro-life advocate provided information about Project Rachel, an abortion recovery process, while representatives from a local pregnancy resource center shared the alternatives available to pregnant mothers.
Fr. Mike Simone of a local Catholic parish said that there is only one response to the clinic’s opening.
“I believe the only words that we as Christians can use to respond to this tragedy: we will respond in love with truth,” he said, according to the email.
