Santa Rosa Bishop Robert Vasa says he will serve as a "cheerleader" at an anti-abortion rally Sunday in Old Courthouse Square, urging attendees to continue to fight to defend the sanctity of life.
"In many ways we are engaged in a battle for the American soul," said Vasa, who became spiritual leader of the 165,000-member Santa Rosa Catholic diocese in July.
He will be the keynote speaker at a Rally for Life from 2 to 3:30 p.m., sponsored by Sonoma County Pro Life, a local chapter of the National Right to Life Committee.
The rally is held annually on the Sunday closest to Jan. 22, the date of the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 granting women the right to an abortion.
Vasa, in his first public appearance as bishop, is challenging that principle in a liberal, strongly feminist region in which two members of Congress, one a Catholic, support abortion rights.
Vasa, who previously served as bishop of the Baker Diocese in politically conservative eastern Oregon, said his blunt words may cause some people, including Catholics, to bristle.
His answer would be: "Show me a circumstance where it is permitted by God to take a life," Vasa said in an interview Friday.
Abortion opponents should not be discouraged, he said, even if they cannot elect "pro-life candidates" or get the court ruling overturned.
"It's about advocating for life," Vasa said. "As long as we are raising that voice (for the rights of "the pre-born child") we are a success."
Life in the womb that is "growing and metabolizing," even if it lacks consciousness, is "fully human," he said. "There are no gradations to it."
Former Bishop Mark Hurley, who retired in 1986 and died in 2001, spoke at a similar rally in 1984 on the 11th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision.
Hurley prompted applause from a crowd of more than 100 by describing abortion foes as "those of us who would defend the rights of the unborn" but are pictured by the media as "kooks and crazies."
Lawrence Lehr, president of Sonoma County Pro Life, acknowledged the group's cause is "an uphill fight" in a liberal area with no state or federal representatives in the anti-abortion camp.
"Certainly here we are in the minority," Lehr said.
But there are other ways to address the issue, he said, pointing to four crisis pregnancy centers in the county that help women with unwanted pregnancies find alternatives to abortion, he said.
"It's really about compassion and consistency on how we treat the most vulnerable and needy in our community," Lehr said.
Cindy Vrooman of Sonoma, a former nun and critic of Catholic policy, said she was not surprised by Vasa's participation in the rally.
"Every sitting bishop has to have pro-life credentials," Vrooman said.
The Catholic Church should take an equally strong stand against war and for jobs, she said. Vasa "needs to have a presence at peace marches," Vrooman said.
In a statement in the diocese's October bulletin, Vasa said "taking a pro-choice stance, either as a government leader or a Catholic, is indefensible."
North Coast Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, has said he separates his role as a lawmaker from his Catholicism.
"A woman in conjunction with her family, her doctor, her religious confidante and, most important, her God, best makes decisions pertaining to her reproductive care," Thompson said Friday. "The government shouldn't interfere with this very personal decision."
State Sen. Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa, noted Roe v. Wade "is the law of the land."
"While I respect the bishop's position, the United States Constitution guarantees a separation between church and state," said Evans, chairwoman of the Legislative Women's Caucus. "I also believe it is a fundamental right for women to choose what happens to their bodies."
News Researcher Janet Balicki contributed to this report.
You can reach Staff Writer Guy Kovner at 521-5457 or guy.kovner@pressdemocrat.com.
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