Historic St. Joseph Catholic Church on the corner of Government and Spring streets has displayed a banner urging people to vote “No” on Amendment 4.
- While it’s not surprising that a Catholic church would take a stance against an initiative that would make abortion more available, several parishioners see Amendment 4 also protects reproduction rights and women’s health and pushbacks against the Florida Republicans have repeatedly made the laws more restrictive and with no thought of rape, incest or women’s health.
Parishioners have asked the pastor, Fr. Patrick LaPoint, to take down the banner. The Milwaukee native hasn’t budged. We’ve been told a petition drive has started to ask Bishop Wack to intervene.
Dig Deeper: St. Joseph’s Catholic Church was built in 1894 to serve Black and Creole families. Its property was home to Florida’s first Black Catholic High School, an orphanage for homeless boys, and a maternity hospital for Black mothers. In 1979, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In the 1990s, its famous choir sang for Pope John Paul II.
Despite its historical significance, the diocese also sold the property to a local law firm for the firm’s new office. Fortunately, parishioners and community leaders intervened.