Dick Durbin by Hanson Professional Services Inc. / Flickr
Students for Life of America (SFLA) is calling on the Archdiocese of Chicago to withdraw plans to honor Sen. Dick Durbin with a lifetime achievement award, pointing to his long record of support for abortion policies.
The award is scheduled to be presented by Cardinal Blase Cupich during the Archdiocese’s Keep Hope Alive benefit Nov. 3, which is organized by the Office of Human Dignity and Solidarity.
In a Sept. 26 press release, SFLA President Kristan Hawkins called the decision to award Durbin “a grave misjudgment.”
“It’s both ironic and deeply troubling that Senator Durbin is being honored with a lifetime achievement award while championing policies that literally end lives,” Hawkins said in a statement. “The Archdiocese of Chicago has a moral responsibility to rescind the award and publicly distance itself from Durbin’s radically anti-Catholic and pro-abortion stance.”
The organization said it is preparing to bring students and supporters to take part in a protest organized by Illinois Right to Life on the day of the event. In addition, SFLA is promoting a petition addressed to Cardinal Cupich, auxiliary bishops, and the Office of Human Dignity and Solidarity, demanding that the award be revoked.
“There is no way to reconcile the Catholic faith with active political support for abortion,” Hawkins said. “A ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ from the Archdiocese should recognize those who courageously defend the dignity of every human person, especially the most vulnerable. Honoring Senator Durbin, whose legacy includes support for policies that deny dignity and Life to preborn children, is a grave misjudgment.”
The planned award has also prompted strong reactions within the Church. Several U.S. bishops have publicly objected to Cardinal Cupich’s decision to honor Durbin, citing the senator’s consistent record of opposing protections for unborn children.
