BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FORT MITCHELL -- A Catholic children's home board member has resigned and another is speaking out in the wake of the Diocese of Covington's decision to cancel a benefit.
The dinner for the Diocesan Catholic Children's Home - - was canceled because Gov. Paul Patton was scheduled to attend and he recently vetoed abortion-related legislation, church officials said.
Crescent Springs attorney Michelle Keller, a four-year board member and former board president, quit the board on Friday.
And board vice president Bruce Kozerski, a former Cincinnati Bengals player from Edgewood, said the abused children living at the home "have suffered a horrible setback" because of the cancellation.
Bishop Robert Muench and the home's board of directors officially announced Friday that a May 15 fund-raising dinner will not be held. In a statement, Bishop Muench said Mr. Patton's veto of legislation that requires a woman to wait 24 hours between scheduling and receiving an abortion "is inconsistent with the doctrine of the Catholic Church and the long-held beliefs of its members and organizations."
"We pray that Gov. Patton will come to a clearer understanding of the sanctity of human life we hold in the church and we will make every attempt to change his heart in the coming months," Sister Jean Marie Hoffmann, the home's executive director, said in the statement.
The veto was overridden by the Kentucky General Assembly.
While the diocese's statement said Bishop Muench and the home's board "mutually agreed" to cancel the benefit, there is clearly some dissension by board members.
"I was raised Catholic, my two kids are in Catholic schools, I'm a practicing Catholic and my husband (Dr. James Keller) is on the staff at a Catholic hospital," Ms. Keller said.
"But the best interest of the children have been sacrificed for political reasons. I've spent over 250 hours in my time last year volunteering at the home, and I love the home and the people and the children there.
"But I don't want to be a part of what has been done. It really bothers me," Ms. Keller said.
Mr. Kozerski said the children at the home, most of whom have been removed from abusive situations, "have been made pawns in the turf war of the abortion debate."
"Our members and supporters cover a wide range of political views. We have Republicans, Democrats and Independents all working together for the betterment of the children and families of Northern Kentucky." he said.
Mr. Kozerski said to "draw the conclusion that the governor . . . is an inappropriate speaker for issues of importance to children and families is myopic and a failure to understand our representative form of government."
The Rev. Tom Sacksteder, the diocese spokesman, said Mr. Kozerski and Ms. Keller "have the right to do as they wish."
The home was hoping to raise $50,000 at the benefit, which would have provided a match to a $50,000 donation to establish a Diagnostic Crisis Stabilization Unit at the home, Sister Hoffman said.
