U.S. Bishops Denounce Abortion Doctor Slaying

Such killing is the opposite of everything we stand for, and everything we want our culture to stand for.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Zenit) - Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-life Activities, denounced the killing of abortion provider Doctor George Tiller.

Tiller, 67, was the owner and operator of Women's Health Care Services in Wichita, Kansas, one of three clinics in the country that provide late-term abortion after 21 weeks of pregnancy. He was shot Sunday outside his church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

"Our bishops' conference and all its members have repeatedly and publicly denounced all forms of violence in our society, including abortion as well as the misguided resort to violence by anyone opposed to abortion," Cardinal Rigali said.

"Such killing is the opposite of everything we stand for, and everything we want our culture to stand for: respect for the life of each and every human being from its beginning to its natural end. We pray for Dr. Tiller and his family."

A funeral service will be held Saturday morning for Tiller at College Hill United Methodist Church in Wichita.