"We have a great opportunity in Harrisburg," he said.
Antiabortion activists are to hold their annual rally - March for Life - in Washington on Monday. Cardinal Justin Rigali will lead supporters from this area in the march and was to celebrate Masses for the event on Sunday night and Monday morning, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced.
Local antiabortion marches took place in Philadelphia and West Chester over the weekend, McMonagle said.
Meanwhile, Raising Women's Voices, a coalition of 27 organizations, held a rally Friday to highlight the importance of abortion coverage in the new health insurance exchanges required by the 2010 health-care law. Earlier this month, a bill was introduced in the Pennsylvania Senate that would ban coverage for abortions in the exchanges, which are aimed at people who do not get insurance through work or the government, the group said.
NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation released its annual report this month on abortion-related legislation and laws. It bemoaned the shift toward more "anti-choice" views and said the results of the 2010 elections could pose "serious threats" to women's access to safe abortions.
In a statement, president Nancy Keenan said she hoped newly elected politicians would not see their wins as a mandate for stricter abortion laws when voters actually are focused on the economy.
President Obama said Saturday that he was committed to protecting the constitutional right to an abortion. Obama also said in a statement that he remained committed to policies designed to prevent unintended pregnancies. And he called on Americans to recommit themselves to ensuring that "our daughters have the same rights, the same freedoms, and the same opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams."
