WASHINGTON — Look at the leadership of the Democratic Party, and you might conclude the vast majority of Democrats are pro-abortion. After all, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., along with all the failed Democratic contenders in this year's presidential primaries — and most of the party's elected officials — are on record supporting abortion at every stage in a child's development in the womb.

But a growing organization called Democrats for Life of America is spreading the word that many party members are pro-life, increasingly willing to voice their beliefs and eager to “take back” the party.

In what Democrats for Life says is a sign of the progress it's making, representatives of the group met with Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, earlier in March to talk about a variety of issues.

The group hopes to have a presence at the Democratic National Convention in Boston in July. If the Democratic National Committee declines to let a Democrats for Life representative speak at the convention, the group plans to hold a protest demonstration.

Democrats for Life leaders know it will be a tough decision for Democratic voters in November, because the Democratic nominee for president will favor abortion.

Among the topics discussed at the meeting with McAuliffe were allowing a link from the Democratic National Committee Web site to the Democrats for Life site and future meetings to discuss life issues with officials running Kerry's campaign.

While nothing formal was decided at the meeting with McAuliffe, the committee's communications director, Debra DeShong, said, “We agreed to bring all of their concerns and positions to the attention of the nominee.”

Democrats for Life members say the Democratic National Committee, up until the recent meeting, had refused to acknowledge that the group exists. “People are returning our calls now,” said Kristen Day, executive director of Democrats for Life in Washington, D.C. “A lot of people used to whisper, ‘I'm a pro-life Democrat.’ We say you shouldn't have to whisper. State your pro-life views.”

The national organization, which was formed in 1999, said it supports all life and opposes abortion, capital punishment and euthanasia. It tries to mobilize Democrats at the local, state and national levels to elect pro-lifers and support pro-life Democrats while they're in office. Democrats for Life of America even hopes for a pro-life plank in the party platform and supports legislation that fosters respect for human life.

The organization has grown steadily since its formation. It began with just five state chapters and now has chapters either formed or in the works in 27 states.

A recent national poll revealed that 43% of Democrats identify themselves as pro-life. Democrats for Life expects the percentage to increase as more people become educated about abortion and as medical technology provides more evidence that life begins at conception.

‘Irrational Pressure’

Democrats for Life would be growing at an even faster pace if it weren't for several factors, said Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life and an adviser to Democrats for Life.

One is the “irrational pressure” being put on pro-life Democrats by the party's leadership; the other is the secular media's tendency to ignore the fact that there are pro-life Democrats.

Despite this, Father Pavone is encouraged with the group's progress.

“As soon as word gets out at the grass-roots level, people will latch on to this and realize there is a way they can be Democrats and hold on to their pro-life convictions,” he said. “There will come a point where neither the party nor the media can ignore this phenomenon.”

Father Pavone said he senses a subtle shift beginning to take place among the media toward covering pro-life events.

Democrats for Life's efforts are especially meaningful for Catholic members. Educating fellow Catholics who are Democrats ranks high among priorities.

Patricia Amato of Rochester, N.Y., is an organizer of Democrats for Life's New York state chapter.

“I've been involved in pro-life activities for 34 years,” Amato said. “Anything we can do in education is helpful. We as good citizens have to talk to our churches and raise the topic in religious-education programs.”

Joan Barry, a lifelong Catholic and registered nurse who's running for Congress in the 3rd Congressional District in Missouri, is directly confronting the party. “There are a lot of pro-life Democrats and we need to be recognized,” Barry said.

A Voice at the Podium?

Democrats for Life's executive director Day, who became a Catholic three years ago, said her pro-life stance had a lot to do with her decision to convert.

When she began working on Capitol Hill more than a decade ago as a college intern she had no opinion about abortion. When she began working for Michigan Congressman Jim Barcia, a pro-life Democrat, she learned about the right-to-life cause and started supporting it.

“People are becoming educated about this issue and they're seeing that we're not talking about cells; it's a person,” Day said. “That's why the tide is turning in the country. Medical technology is helping us.”

Catholic Democrats who are pro-abortion have misplaced their loyalties, Father Pavone said.

“Loyalty is always to God first and to party second,” he said. “Democrats need to ask themselves if they belong to the party because of what it stands for or because it's the tradition of their family. In order to be faithful to one's Catholic faith, one must work very hard for change in the party.”

“The root problem is that abortion is an act of violence,” Father Pavone added. “Rejecting it is not a function of being a Democrat or a Republican. It's a function of being a decent person.”

Amato believes the hard-line stance of Democratic leaders is “draining the energy of the party,” she said. “They're being stubborn and closing their minds to this issue.”

Bob Violino writes from Massapequa Park, New York.