These charges apparently originated in blogs suggesting that Kathy Saile is pro-choice because she spoke at a dinner sponsored by a pro-choice women's group. Here are some of the relevant facts:

* Kathy was asked by a friend to participate in an informal, small dinner discussion on faith and politics.

* The dinner was one several of dozen similar dinners that evening on a wide range of topics and less than ten people attended this particular dinner.

* Kathy used the occasion to make the case that the Democratic Party's embrace of abortion and its pro-choice litmus is wrong both morally and politically. She further insisted that many people who share progressive convictions are fully committed to the defense of unborn children. While these views were not warmly received by all the participants, most of the discussion focused on how her faith shapes Kathy's work for the poor and vulnerable.

* Far from endorsing the group's pro-choice agenda, Kathy challenged it and made the case that progressives can and should be pro-life and that the Democratic Party should welcome pro-life candidates and positions.

The new Director of Domestic Social Development is not an advocate of abortion, but rather used this particular occasion to make the pro-life case as part of a broader discussion. Please be assured that commitment to the Catholic Church and its teaching are a central consideration in recruiting, interviewing and selecting candidates for key USCCB positions. I hope these facts address your concerns and reassure you about the positions and actions of Kathy Saile and the USCCB. As time goes on Kathy will fully demonstrate she is a faithful and effective advocate of policies which protect the life and dignity of every person.

For your information, attached is a brief CNS article on Kathy Saile's appointment. The CNS article may be found on the CNS website at: www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0705315.htm .

(CCI NOTES: This was submitted by a CCI supporter who had complained to the USCCB and received this letter in response. Some of our readers may feel that the USCCB's reputation for bad appointments was at again at work with the selection of Ms. Saile. If the above statements by the USSCB are true, Ms. Saile's reputation has been called into question unfairly by Lifesitenews.com and sites like ours that carried the original story. We apologize the Ms. Saile if this is the case, and wish her well in her new job.)

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