dlThe ARCHOR Vol. 20, No. 14-Fall River, Mass., Thurs., April I, 1976
An Anchor
of the Soul, Sure and Firm-St.
Paul
Two Arguments Against Abortion A "grassroots mandate" to Bishops and pastors emerged clearly from a Pro-Life Study Day held last Saturday for representatives from the archdiocese and three dioceses of Massachusetts. Sponsored by the Massachusetts Catholic Conference and held at Assumption College, Worcester, the study day drew some 200 priests, religious and representatives of diocesan prolife groups. At workshops following a morning during which delegates heard addresses by Humberto Cardinal Medeiros of Boston, Atty. Edward Hanify and Dr. Joseph R. Stanton, the preeminent feeling expressed was one of frustration that parishes in general have not given pro. life programs priority. "What could be more basic than life itself?" queried one delegate, who said she had been rebuffed at several parishes where she requested facilities to make pro-life presentations. Other delegates noted that in one Massachusetts diocese the chancery office had requested "several years ago" that a prolife petition be included weekly among general intercessions of the Mass, "until a human life amendment is ratified." This is seldom done, they said. Hope was expressed that the study day would give impetus to parish efforts and delegates agreed that education" through the parish structure was the key to organizing support for a prolife amendment to the Constitution, a prime goal of the Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities promulgated last November by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. Education Begins Such education began at the morning session of the study day, when Atty. Edward Hanify, a Fall River native now a Belmont resident, offered a general presentation of the Pastoral Plan with reference to the present state of law and public policy with regard to life. Stressing that the first course of action to be taken was an educational and public information campaign, Atty. Hanify described Pro-Life as "a solemn and holy cause, where enlistment is the privilege of a lifetime." He said that people in general路 are expressing the spiritual and moral loneliness of contempo-
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Diocesan Delegation Attends Pro-Life Study Day rary America. They seek information and a deeper understanding of basic issues. Such people," he declared, "seek assurance of the permanence of the conjugal bond and of the rational use of the procreative faculty." "I suggest,"he said, "that the women of the Church have a special place in the pro-life movement, with their unique qualities of perception, compassion and guidance. "The feminist movement," he continued, "should be alerted by the women of America that abortion and contraception are probably the worst species of male chauvinism ever perpetrated on womankind. Women have obtained the freedom to have their bodies invaded by surgical knives or by artificial products in an era stressing natural products, and all this to service the sexual requirements of some male who would probably repel as an insult to his masculinity the suggestion" of a vasectomy." The attorney said the number of abortions worldwide is estimated to have reached the num-
ber of 40 million yearly, and he added that artificial contraception "is the nose of the abortion camel sliding under the tent." . He also warned that legality of abortion might well open the door to legalizing suicide "as 'long as there's no public gore." Emphasizing the importance of parish cooperation, which was to be reiterated later in the day by workshop participants, Atty. Hanify said, "Unless parish activity is viable, the superstructure may fall." In an emotional conclusion, he minded his hearers, "In all our efforts, we should remember the cry of the children." Chureh's Magisterium Clarifying Church doctrine as applied to pro-life, Humberto Cardinal Medeiros declared, "At no time within the .memory of any person here has respect for human life reached such a low point as it has at present. More 'lives are lost by abortion each year in the United States than by all the wars of the past 200 years." The prelate quoted from papal declarations, scripture and
Church fathers in establishing Catholic doctrine with regard to the sanctity of human life. "The abortion decisions of the Supreme Court have violated the moral order," he stated. Pointing out the continuity of the Church's attitude on the sacredness of human life, he continued, "From the curse of Cain to this hour, God has called us to the protection of life." Cardinal Medeiros exhorted his hearers to shun temptations to discouragement in the prolife battle. "Pity and have compassion on the opposition," he concluded. "They are brothers and sisters in need of redemption." Audience Groaned Dr. Joseph R. Stanton, a graduate of Boston College and Yale University Medical School and associate clinical professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, spoke and presented slides on medical and scientific evidence for the humanity of the unborn in the concluding section of the morning program. Drawing groans from the au-
dience with his vivid descriptions and slides of the results of abortion, Dr. Stanton said, "I hope I am making you angry. I hope you will work to counteract the tremendous pro-abortion forces that have managed to get two ideas into the minds of the public: that abortion is only a Catholic issue; and that the product of abortion is unhuman and neuter." Speaking at the study lay luncheon was WIlliam J. Cox, executive director of the National Committee for a Human Life Amendment, the organization formed in 1974 by the U. S. Bishops to educate Catholic citizens to the need for a human life amendment to the Constitution. Cox pointed out that abortion has been considered a crime in the Western world since the time of the fall of the Roman Empire and contradicting the notion of abortion as a Catholic issue, said that "not one major Protestant theologian supports permissive abortion." He stated that Gallup and Harris polls 'showing that Americans favor abortion are usually conducted with a sample of 1500 phone calls, with respondents asked "one or two simplistic questions." In contrast, he said, his organization commissioned a poll of 4100 persons who were interviewed for an average of 45 minutes in their homes. He reported results showed "a great level of initial uncertainty" among respondents when asked, "When does life begin?" After a short explanation, he said, the level of certainty rose dramatically, seeming to indicate that opinions on abortion are greatly influenced by education in the matter. "When people understood the Supreme Court decision, 73% favored Congress taking action to reverse it," deC'lared Cox. Ramifications of the Supreme Court decision are nothing short of disastrous, declared Cox. "This is the first time in history one whole class of people (unborn infants) has been deprived of the protection of law. The afternoon workshops, at which Mrs. Olaire B. McMahon of the Fall River delegation was among facilitators, brought forth a variety of pro-life suggestions and comments from delegates. Sister Thomas More, O. P., suTurn to Page Eight
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Issue~----------
Guidelines
Cathedral Chorus
Modem Nuns
Jesus' Message
Baseball Rules
For Penance
for Anniversary
and Relevancy
In The Gospels
Debate
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Page II
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