Philadelphia council rescinds
‘pro-choice city’ designation
Cardinal Justin Rigali thanked the Philadelphia City Council June 14
for voting to rescind a “troubling resolution” that had
declared Philadelphia a “pro-choice city.”
“The members who supported today’s resolution are to be
commended for reflecting carefully upon this issue and showing the courage
to revisit it,” he said in a statement shortly after the vote
to rescind. “I appreciate that the council has considered seriously
the sensitivities of all Philadelphians and has rightly voted to take
these sensitivities into account.”
The vote to rescind was 13-4; nine council members had supported the
original nonbinding resolution June 7, while eight members had opposed
it.
Two of the three Catholic council members who had supported the designation
reversed their votes.