Seasonal challenge: Keeping Christ in Christmas

		Notes from the  Vicar General  Msgr. Paul J. Swain

A challenge this time of year is assuring that the spiritual dimensions of the seasons of Advent and Christmas are recognized.

In our culture, the four weeks in Advent are filled with celebrations of a non-religious Christmas. Bright lights and decorated trees arise before Thanksgiving. Parties are joyful get togethers as ends in themselves, without Christ at the center. Christmas is a day to play, not a season to reflect.

Communities struggle to be inclusive without offending. Church choirs are asked to sing at tree lighting ceremonies, but not to sing carols which mention Jesus, Mary, or God. Crèches are permitted if Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer is among the livestock. Santa must not look too much like St. Nicholas.

Affirm our faith despite ambiguity, sensitivity

How do we prepare for the coming of the Lord and recall the Incarnation in the midst of such ambiguity and sensitivity? We can do so by recognizing the multicultural and multi-religious nature of our country. God's gift of freedom must be respected. We can also do so by accepting our responsibility to assure that our celebrations are Christ centered.

There is a shared sense of hope this time of year. There is also a common desire for lasting peace and justice. "Seasons Greetings," while inadequate for people of faith, is an expression that we care about one another, and wish each other well.

Charitable donations rise in December. People are more aware of and more willing to reach out to one another, especially the poor, regardless of differences. All of our sights are raised this time of year. We should rejoice in such caring response, and encourage it to continue throughout the year.

We must not, however, shrink from celebrating the religious nature of the seasons of Advent and Christmas. It is an affirmation and expression of our faith. Without imposing on others, our celebrations can be ones that reflect the beautiful traditions we have inherited and religious significance they reflect.

Advent is a time of preparation, reflection, and watching for the coming of the Lord. The words from Isaiah we read during Advent underscore the hopeful anticipation that comes with recognizing Christ as Lord and Savior. The prophet says, " in the days to come," swords will be beaten into ploughshares; nations will not train for war again. That time is not yet, and will not be until the Lord comes.

Walk in light of the Lord

With hopeful expectation, however, the prophet continues, "let us walk in the light of the Lord." The time for peace and justice is not yet, but we can still walk, in the present, in the light of the Lord. The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago, which was only the beginning of the expression of the Father's love through his son, reassures us.

May we not get so caught up in the preparations for Christmas 2002, or the expressions of non-religious celebrations around us, that we neglect the spiritual preparation for the coming of the Lord that the Church calls us to this time of year.

Abortion statistics:
Reveal information about lives as well as numbers

		Eye on the  Capitol  Kathy Markeland

The latest abortion statistics are out and, to the degree that one can ever say that there is positive news about abortion, some of the numbers are heartening.

The abortion rate is declining. In fact, the abortion rate has decreased 11 percent since 1994, down from 24 per 1,000 women of childbearing age (15-44) to 21 per 1,000.

The data offers raw numbers. But every abortion statistic represents at least two human stories - those of a baby unborn and a woman's desperation.

Breaking down data

The statistics start to tell some of these stories by breaking down the abortion data by age group, race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, education level, marriage status, etc.

We know that a woman seeking an abortion is more likely to be between the ages of 20 and 30. She has never been married and she has had a previous birth. In general, she is more likely to live in a metropolitan area and is economically disadvantaged.

In fact, economically disadvantaged women were the only group whose abortion rate increased substantially between 1994 and 2000. In the year 2000, the abortion rate for women over 20 years old and living under 100 percent of the federal poverty limit (FPL) was 43 per 1,000.

For women of the same age living at over 300 percent of the FPL the rate was 10 per 1,000. Therefore a woman in poverty was four times as likely as a woman of some means to have an abortion.

In addition, the divide between the two groups has grown substantially since 1994. The rate of abortion for women in poverty has increased 26 percent since 1994, while the rate for women over 300 percent of FPL has decreased 33 percent.

There are racial disparities as well. Forty-three percent of pregnancies of African-American women end in abortion compared to only 18 percent of pregnancies of white women.

Reflects injustice

The data provides critical information regarding the best way to target resources to provide alternatives for women most at risk of seeking abortion as a solution.

The numbers help us to focus in on the women most in need, but the numbers also help to remind us that the injustice of abortion is not just an injustice for the unborn child who is denied the right to life. The abortion rates reflect a grave injustice in the lives of women who are marginalized by race and economic status.

The results in the recent federal elections this November infused the pro-life movement with a new sense of hope that a commitment to provide legal protections for the unborn may become more of a reality in this country.

Economic security

While there continues to be hope for this new day, the current reality of a nation facing economic difficulties and the growing gap between the rich and the poor present immediate threats to the lives of women and their unborn children.

The pro-life policy of lawmakers both at the federal and the state levels must reflect an understanding of what the numbers tell us.

Economic security matters. Higher incomes and better benefits obtained through jobs and through public programs help to level life's playing field and provide women with the opportunity to make the most life-affirming choice for themselves and for their child.

Securing life for the unborn requires securing economic and social justice for all the marginalized in our society. That is the ongoing challenge as we face the reality of the data and the promise of this new day.

Kathy Markeland is associate director for the Wisconsin Catholic Conference.