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St. John’s Church and Abortion Politics

The controversy stirred by the candidacy of pro-abortion/pro-Planned Parenthood Councilmember Kristen Grandinetti continues to grow for the St. John De LaSalle parish. A well placed source within the volunteer base of the respected Catholic parish told the Reporter that yet another parish official is a big-time supporter of pro-abortion Grandinetti.

Jeff Paterson, a music director at St. John de LaSalle was one of Grandinetti’s campaign coordinators in 2009 and he successfully guided her entrance to the City Council. "Jeff helped put her in office and he’s working to send her back. He has her signs on his lawn. How he can do this and remain in good standing as a Catholic is a mystery to a lot of folks at St. John’s," said the source.

We are told that Paterson recently earned an advanced degree in Catholic studies at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora. "I took night courses three years ago at the seminary," said our source. "It’s a wonderful place with an incredible staff. They teach respect for life and encourage Catholics to live their faith. I trust they taught Jeff these same lessons. I don’t understand why Rev. Siok, the St. John’s pastor, has allowed secular politics and the evil of abortion to invade the St. John de LaSalle family."

Two weeks ago the Reporter detailed how City Council candidate and St. John’s parish council president Andrew Touma was running jointly with the pro-abortion Grandinetti. Touma has as yet failed to explain himself. "Andy is hoping it blows over," offered a local political observer. "It may be a crafty move politically but as a Catholic leader in Niagara Falls it’s the height of hypocrisy."

While Touma may be hoping it all goes away before Election Day, the controversy continues to expand with local Catholics now questioning the leadership of Father Slawomir Siok, the church pastor. Father Siok has been considered a no-nonsense priest who consistently joins the pope in condemning abortion as part of what the Holy Father has termed the contemporary "culture of death."

Our Catholic source summed the situation up thusly: "I’m sorry to say, but what we’re seeing at St. John de LaSalle is Catholic parish politics. The Touma and Paterson families are well connected in the parish. They can do things that most of us simply cannot."

 

 

Niagara Falls Reporter - Publisher Frank Parlato Jr. www.niagarafallsreporter.com

SEP 03, 2013