Brownback Launches Catholic Coalition

From the Des Moines Register:

U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback today announced he's formed a coalition of Roman Catholics to build support for his presidential campaign and spread what he contends is the most authentic social-conservative message in the GOP race.

Brownback, of Kansas, unveiled the Iowa Catholics for Brownback Leadership Team at a midday news conference, flanked by conservative Catholics and members of his campaign. The 144-member group was created to organize conservatives as Brownback’s campaign braces for the Iowa GOP straw poll Aug. 11.

In an interview, Brownback said the campaign had singled out Catholics for the announcement to tap so-called values voters who are generally religious, opposed to abortion and against non-traditional forms of marriage.

Sen. Brownback at Catholic Men's Conference in SC

Asks: “Is [Rape] Made Any Better by Killing an Innocent Child?”

From Lifesite:

In a talk to the National Catholic Men’s Conference this past weekend, Senator Sam Brownback criticized the commonly held notion that abortion should always be allowed in cases of rape, reports the Associated Press.

“Rape is terrible. Rape is awful,” Brownback said to the approximately 500 conference attendees, but then asked, “Is it made any better by killing an innocent child? Does it solve the problem for the mother that’s been raped?”

“We need to protect innocent life. Period.”

The June 9th conference was hosted by St. Joseph’s Covenant Keepers. The president of the conference, Steve Wood, in introducing Senator Brownback criticized politicians who call themselves Catholic, but who in their public life repudiate fundamental Catholic teachings, specifically on abortion.

“I don’t know about you,” said Wood, “but this stuff by many Catholic politicians who say, ‘I’m personally opposed, but.’ But what? You should have the integrity to be consistent in both personal and public life.”