Editorial

New law: Helps give babies chance at life

What good news to read that a newborn baby abandoned at a Neenah medical clinic on Oct. 4 is alive - probably due to a relatively new Wisconsin law.

The baby boy was left inside a heated entry at the health care clinic. He might have been given the chance to live because of a state law passed on April 3, 2001. This law guarantees anonymity and frees a parent from prosecution if a newborn is left at a health care facility.

Safe Place for Newborns. The organization Safe Place for Newborns had urged the state Legislature to pass the law. "We're thrilled to see a life spared," commented Terry Walsh, executive director of Safe Place for Newborns.

Wisconsin's law says that a parent can leave his/her unharmed newborn up to three days old with any hospital employee, police, or EMT without fear of prosecution. The baby will be given needed medical attention and then will be placed in foster care for adoption.

Although happy that the baby was left at the hospital, Walsh encouraged parents to provide a hand-to-hand exchange of the baby. "Wisconsin winter is almost here and we can't risk a baby's life," said Walsh.

Supporters of this new law have put up posters in the Fox Valley area which say, "Are You Hiding Your Baby?" Included with the posters is information on the state law. Walsh would like this information to reach "the farthest corners of Wisconsin to make sure no baby is abandoned."

As we observe Respect Life Month, I encourage concerned citizens to contact Safe Place for Newborns for advice on educating people on the law. Call 608-225-5544 or check the Web site at www.safeplacefornewborns.com. There is also a toll-free crisis hotline at 877-440-BABY.

Decline in abortions. This law and other pro-life efforts are indeed saving lives. A report released Oct. 8 noted there has been an 11 percent decline in the nation's abortions: from 24 abortions per 1,000 women in 1994 to 21 per 1,000 in 2000. The figures for the year 2000 are actually a 21 percent decline from the abortion rate in 1987.

"An 11 percent decline . . . is heartening, especially as we approach the 30-year anniversary of legalized abortion on demand in the United States," said Cathy Cleaver, director of planning and information for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities.

Cleaver noted that many women turn to abortion because of "financial reasons." She said this points to the need to "redouble our efforts to provide resources and support to those women most in need."

Parental consent laws. Parental consent and notification laws (on the books in Wisconsin) have also had an impact on teen abortions. In states where these laws exist, there has been a decline in the number of both teen pregnancies and abortions, reports Laura Echevarria, spokeswoman for the National Right to Life Committee.

Laws and programs that give pregnant women alternatives to abortion are working. Let's continue efforts to provide support to give all babies a chance at life.

Mary C. Uhler, editor

Mailbag

To the editor:

	Mailbag policy We reserve the right to edit or reject letters. Limit letters to 200 words or less. All letters must be signed. Send letters to: Mailbag The Catholic Herald P.O. Box 44985 Madison, WI 53744-4985 Fax: 608-821-3071 E-mail: info@madisoncatholicherald.org

You say that government can force health care facilities and workers to perform abortions. You also say that health care facilities must have the right not to perform abortions.

First of all, our rights come from God, not the government. Health care facilities and workers already have the right not to perform abortions. The question is, "Will government protect or oppose people's rights?"

People cannot be forced to do anything they do not want to do. No matter what the law states, people can refuse to do what is against the laws of God. Is the government going to use guns and tanks to attack health care facilities and workers who refuse to perform brutally murder people? If it comes to that, whose side will you be on? Will you fight on the side of the innocent children? Or, will you side with the government?

Your record is not good. In the past you have stated the teachers should be forced to offer the pledge of allegiance in school. You had no regard for the teacher's political views or conscience. You did not consider the issue of the federal government vs. states rights. You did not discuss the rightness or wrongness of the ideology called nationalism. Neither did you consider honoring one's state or city government.

The federal government forbids and opposes the honoring and worshipping God in school. And you think that the federal government should be honored in school while God is not honored. The federal government has done almost everything possible to promote the brutal murder millions of innocent people, and then has done everything possible to protect their murderers. And you think the federal government should be honored in school.

When you are forced to choose between obedience to God or obedience to the government, which will you choose?

Christopher J. Jacobsen, Stoughton

Voting for pro-life candidates

To the editor:

We say prayers at Mass which say that all life comes from our Lord. How can anyone vote for a person who is endorsed by Planned Parenthood, the largest provider of abortions, and still say prayers that all life comes from God? Jim Doyle, the candidate for governor, has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood, the largest provider of abortions. When will people vote pro-life? For at that time, all candidates would have to be pro-life or they wouldn't get into office.

Pro-life candidates are Scott McCallum (governor), Margaret Farrow (lieutenant governor), and Vince Biskupic (attorney general). In Rock County the pro-life candidates are: Paul Ryan (1st District U.S. Congress), Ron Greer (2nd District U.S. Congress), Greg Black (15th District State Senate), Debi Towns (43rd State Assembly), Wayne Wood (44th Assembly District). This information is available on the Wisconsin Right to Life PAC site at www.wrtl.org. All people should have this information when voting.

I hope and pray that people will realize that life is a gift. The tragedy on Sept. 11 made people realize how precious life is. Each person is different and never will live again. Each fingerprint is different. Each personality is different. Each deserves to have a chance at life and not have another person decide that their life is not important or worth living.

Pat Hawthorne, Janesville

Need for 'new evangelization'

To the editor:

Pope John Paul II often refers to a "new evangelization." In doing so, he includes the need of evangelization efforts to discern the cultural realities of our time in history.

Page 18 of the Sept. 26 issue of The Catholic Herald had a brief article on the discernment effort by the bishops of England and Wales. The director of their national vocation office speaks of "a growing sense over recent years of the need to do vocations work in a broader and more holistic context."

The life of the Church as Catholic awaits the benefits of this "growing sense" under the guidance of the Spirit of Jesus.

Fr. Robert Buholzer, Stoughton