Editorial

On, Jan. 22 we mark the 31st anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court decision declaring abortion to be legal in this country. We are still suffering from the effects of that ruling.

Since 1973, more than 43 million innocent unborn babies have been aborted. We mourn the loss of these lives, along with the pain experienced by women, men, and families who have experienced abortions.

Working for culture of life. Those involved in the pro-life movement continue to work in many ways to bring about a culture of life in this country: educating people about life issues; supporting pregnancy helplines and counseling centers; and lobbying for pro-life legislation.

Here in Madison, concerned citizens have a special opportunity to make a difference. Planned Parenthood - the world's largest provider of abortions - has opened a new clinic on Madison's east side.

Knights of Columbus councils throughout the diocese - at the urging of Bishop Robert C. Morlino - have erected a billboard near the Planned Parenthood Clinic. The billboard features a picture of actress Jennifer O'Neill, who says, "I regret my abortion." The billboard adds, "If you do, too, there's help." It gives a toll-free number and Web site for the Silent No More Awareness Campaign.

This campaign's goal is to tell the truth about the negative physical, spiritual, and emotional impact of abortion. I spoke with the campaign's co-founder, Georgette Forney, on her visit to Madison last fall. Forney spoke about the devastating impact of abortion not only on women, but on men and entire families. She believes "abortion has caused our society to place less value on life."

Planned Parenthood and abortion. A Ryan Report on Planned Parenthood (published by the American Life League) points to the connection between Planned Parenthood (PP) and abortions. While PP claims to be concerned about women's health, it tells teens (and others) that they must be "responsible." Then PP defines responsible as "using birth control when you have sex to avoid getting pregnant and, if you do get pregnant, having an abortion."

Is it any surprise that people who have absorbed the PP mentality turn to abortion to solve an "unintended pregnancy"? PP has also fought hard against abstinence programs. As the Ryan Report says, "With growing evidence of the (abstinence) programs' effectiveness, could it be that PP fears these programs will eventually put PP out of business? It certainly makes you wonder."

Support pro-life billboard. One way to counteract the Planned Parenthood agenda is to send a donation to the Knights of Columbus to support the pro-life billboard in Madison. Send donations to Ron Faust, Grand Knight Council 3924, 2129 Caesar St., Cross Plains, WI 53528.

It is estimated that the pro-life billboard will be seen over 17 million times per year. Let's help provide an alternative message for life to the abortion clinic visitors, as well as the clinic staff. Let's pray, too, that some minds and hearts can be changed to save lives instead of take them.

Mary C. Uhler, editor

Mailbag

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Takes courageous stand

To the publisher:

Welcome to Madison and what interesting times for us to be Catholic. I support fully the outstanding work of the Catholic Herald and its editorial policies. I hope that the courageous stand taken recently by Bishop Raymond Burke of La Crosse in confronting "Catholic" legislators for their pro-abortion voting records and, now, in decreeing that the priests of the La Crosse Diocese are to withhold Communion from public figures such as the offending legislators, will prompt strong support from the Catholic Herald and from yourself as Bishop of the Madison Diocese.

I was not aware of the fact that our Governor, Jim Doyle, represents himself as a faithful Catholic - I would not have believed that a Catholic governor of Wisconsin could be anti-life. U.S. Senator Rick Santorum has shown courageous leadership in Washington, D.C., and his voting record is outstanding on pro-life issues. For this record he has been accused of being a puppet for the Catholic hierarchy. Catholic politicians have a responsibility for their public record and an accountability for their public activities.

Either our Catholic faith means what it says about preserving life in all forms, or it does not. Catholic politicians and other public figures give great scandal to the church faithful when they support abortion and euthanasia. If Catholic politicians and other Catholics are to be persecuted for their beliefs in this increasingly secular and anti-Christian country, than so be it.

Thank you and God bless you and the staff of the Catholic Herald in Madison.

Richard B. Hamilton, Madison

Motivated by love for flock

To the editor:

In response to all the attacks on the credibility and character of Bishop Raymond Burke of the La Crosse Diocese and now appointed Archbishop of St. Louis, and his reasoning to refuse Holy Communion to those Catholics who are directly involved with laws upholding the slaughter of the innocent babies in the womb - it's the good bishop's love of his flock that drives him to uphold these truthful beliefs.

Bishop Burke wants all his brothers and sisters of the flock he shepherds to attain a higher degree of sanctity in this life so we may enjoy the bliss of heaven in the next. He realizes when we are before the heavenly judge (Jesus) and he asks us what we did to stop the killing of his little children, there is no time for excuses.

So it truly is Bishop Burke's love and compassion which brings him to the forefront of this issue at this time in the history of our beloved church. Our dear Pope John Paul II has issued the document The Gospel of Life and spells it out loud and clear what we must uphold in society in this battle against the sanctity of human life.

The church has taken a stance throughout history to spare humanity of the misery it can inflict on itself. For truthful church teaching to be upheld those Catholics from whatever walk of life who are directly involved with aiding and abetting the abortion industry must refrain from receiving Holy Communion for the greater good of their souls and the church at large.

Bill Brennan, Janesville

Politicians must protect life

To the editor:

Citing his responsibility to be "solicitous for all the faithful" entrusted to his care, Bishop Raymond L. Burke published in the Catholic Times (the official newspaper of the La Crosse Diocese) a rarely used but completely warranted canonical notification. Accompanying this official church decree, Bishop Burke put forth a (10-page) pastoral letter to Catholics of his diocese, clarifying their responsibility to uphold and protect the value of innocent human life.

Simply put, the canonical notification publicly warns Catholic lawmakers that, if they continue to support abortion or euthanasia, they may not receive Holy Communion. The pastoral letter, through a set of guidelines, is meant to aid Catholic citizens in making political judgements with a well-formed conscience.

Comprehensively addressing the need for protection of innocent human life at all stages, Bishop Burke refers to the contraceptive mentality as "the port of entry" for the abortion culture. He astutely calls upon all citizens to reject the acceptance and promotion of this destructive mindset.

With utmost respect and gratitude, Pro-Life Wisconsin lauds these actions of this wise and caring shepherd. Assisting his flock, Bishop Burke is calling upon and guiding them to consistently address the Gospel of Life that they, as professed Catholics, are called to proclaim.

Bishop Burke, following protocol to the letter, published the notification only after scandal continued to be caused by local pro-abortion politicians who (despite private appeals from the bishop to reform) continued to represent themselves as practicing Catholics.

Bishop Burke's diligent pastoral letter and canonical notification will greatly assist Pro-Life Wisconsin in our efforts to hold all Christian politicians and voters alike to their responsibility to uphold natural and moral law in all that they do, regardless of prevailing societal trends. As Bishop Burke pastorally asks us to do, Pro-Life Wisconsin will continue to pray for both our church and civic leaders.

Peggy Hamill, state director, Pro-Life Wisconsin, Brookfield

Uphold all church teachings

To the editor:

An article in the Jan. 15th Catholic Herald [print edition only] requires a response. Dan Rosini of the Catholic News Service reports that Archbishop Raymond L. Burke of La Crosse has ordered priests to refuse administering Holy Communion to three Catholic lawmakers who haven't responded to his request for a meeting. He apparently wants them to conform to a rigid interpretation of church teaching regarding abortion and euthanasia. He worries that their actions "give scandal to all of the faithful."

This would be more palatable if he had addressed his concerns to all Catholic lawmakers who fail to uphold all of the church's teachings. There are a number of Catholic lawmakers who support capital punishment, the proliferation of guns, the destruction of our eco-system and family supporting labor laws, a pro-business tax structure that tears at the fabric of society, and are against affordable drugs for seniors and health care for all. Those Catholic lawmakers have escaped Bishop Burke's wrath because he is focused on a single issue.

Jerome Joyce, Madison

Bishop fulfills teaching role

To the editor:

I must respond to Marie Daecher's letter published in the Jan. 8 Herald in which she criticizes Bishop Morlino's recent article concerning the book The Da Vinci Code.

His Excellency did exactly what a good bishop is supposed to do. As the shepherd of the local church, the chief teacher and guardian of Catholic truth in his diocese, he is responsible before God for the souls committed to his care. They need to be forewarned when someone is out to lead them astray.

Books like The Da Vinci Code are the type of works that for over 30 years have helped to promote intellectual, moral, and disciplinary disorder among Catholics with little knowledge of their faith and the truths of the church.

As unfortunate as it sounds, anti-Catholic books like The Da Vinci Code and Left Behind series are defining Catholic Christianity for scores of gullible readers. There can be no more profitable an exercise than for our bishop to point out untruths and distortions designed to weaken people's respect for church authority and their faith or destroy that faith altogether.

Max Twainer, Madison

Be voice for preborn babies

To the editor:

When we tire, God promises to "raise us up on eagle's wings." So it is with the 31st anniversary of the legalized killing of pre-born human babies.

Some people who call themselves "pro-life" may be experiencing a sense of fatigue asking, "Why keep trying?" Others may be tired and so are saying," been there, done that."

Consider these words: "what are the human babies, in their mothers' wombs?" Thinking? Feeling? Each itsy, bitsy, tiny baby whether in the fallopian tube, or freshly nesting in the lining of his/her mom's uterine lining, or developing and growing week by week, is a fresh, new, unique, person. No different than you or I in the developing of tissues, organs, blood vessels when we were in our mother's inner being. Yet each human baby is a special touch of God's love and creativity. God has a special plan for each person, with personalized gifts.

Yet the majority of these preborn human babies are at "high risk." High risk of never being born, because of "selective reduction," "emergency morning-after pill," being used for research, or for cloning, or by being aborted by chemical (pills, injections) or surgical (abortion), legalized abortion. Having no voice, no power, no visible presence in this world, they need you and me to be a voice, a heart, a presence for them.

Begin with a fresh surge of energy this New Year of 2004! With joy and with enthusiasm, live pro-life with actions so that preborn babies can be born, so that mothers and families will not have to live with regrets, with nightmares, with sorrow, with blame.

You who are tired, believe and "God will raise you up on eagle's wings."

Sr. Rosalia Bauer, Beloit