t eanc 0 VOL. 35, NO. 38
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Friday, September 27,1991
F ALL RIVER, MASS.
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
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Pro-life leaders respond to Weld .legislation With CNS reports Church and other pro-life leaders in Massachusetts voiced strong opposition Sept. 19 to a pro-abortion legislative package filed by Gov. William F. Weld. Cardinal Bernard F. Law of Boston. speaking on behalf of the Massachusetts bishops, called the proposal "devastating" and said the governor "seeks to make Massachusetts the commonwealth of death for the innocent." The statement issued by the cardinal was signed by Bishop Daniel A. Cronin and by Bishops Timothy J. Harrington ofWorcester and Joseph F. Maguire of Springfield. Diocesan Pro-Life Apostolate Director Father Stephen A. Fernandes, who met earlier last week with diocesan pro-life committee members, said the governor's initiative "accentuates the need for heightened participation in this year's Respect Life Walk," to be held in Boston Oct. 6. A strong showing at the walk will be a sign to Weld, said Father Fernandes, "that he is governor of us all and cannot cater to the prochoice interest groups that elected · .. h1m. Issued on the eve of Respect Life Month, Weld's proposed legislation was a slap in the face for pro-life Massachusetts citizens, as it threatened to abolish the annual October observance and to dramatically liberalize state abortion laws. The most controversial aspect of the bill would lower from 18 to 16 the age at which a teenager could obtain a'n abortion without parental permission. Abortions would be permitted for girls under 16 with consent ofjust one parent. Under current law, permission of
both parents is required for girls under 18 to have an abortion. The proposed legislation also \yould: - allow public employees' health insurance to cover the cost of abortions;
blocking access to abortion clinics. "I have never seen anything as extreme as this," said Barbara Thorp, director of the Boston archdiocese's pro-life office, at a Sept. 19 press conference at the cardinal's residence.
posed changes could not be read as allowing abortion in the ninth month. Weld and Lt. Gov. Paul Cellucci unveiled their legislative package earlier that day at a Beacon Hill news conference, where
Massach~setts bishops' statetnent The four bishops of Massachusetts issued the following statement Sept. 19 in response to Gov. William F. Weld's proposal to liberalize state abortion laws: Governor Weld has made public today the legislation he is filing to abolish restrictions against abortion on demand that currently exist in Massachusetts hiw. As bishops of the four Roman. Cathqlic dioceses in Massachusetts~ '. we wish to state pUbliCly our total and vigorousoppositi<m to this devastatinghdtiative that seeks to make Massachusetts the Commonwealthof Death for the Innocent. We insist that respect for women and their children, a respect which the Church shows in her pastoral programs for women, must not be jettisoned . in favor of an unjust disregard for others and a yielding to a culture of death. Once again, women' and children are being exploited by the forces of power and dominance. - repeal the Doyle-Flynn amendment that bars use of Medicaid funds for abortions; - allow use of victim assistance funds for abortion and abortion counseling; impose stiffer penalties for
If the Governor and his In the name ofthe millions of administration ha\re their way: innocent unborn, in the name • abortion in Massachusetts . of freedom and tolerance, we would be totally unrestricted insistently ask the Governor to up to the moment of birth; retract these proposals. We sin• a 16-year-old girl would be cerely ask every legislator to considered adult enough to reject them. We openly plead choose to have an abortion with with aU our fellow citizens, no reference to her parents; Catholic or not, to join us in building a society in which the • abortion, no matter how freedom of every person is . I'"edically risky, co.uld be performed at any £,linic that has a respected, in which care for the: license; . '11~9c~ntunborn is practiced . I • it would become possible an~i1'1 "bichall of us can live< for abortion to be covered in all ,. togetber united by a common town, city and state adnlinistra.. comtnitment to defend the right tive services and insurance plans, . toUfeo! every human being, services that are paid for by the that right which is God's greatest gift, the gift of life.' taxes of the citizenry. The Church reaffirms its commitment to women and their + Bernard Cardinal Law, children. We do not think that A rchbis"op ojBoston the best thing a society can do + Most Reverend Daniel A. Cronin for a woman in a crisis pregBishop oj Fall River nancy is to kill the unborn child + Most Reverend . within her womb. The' GoverTimothy J. Harrington, nor's initiative constitutes a Bishop oj Worcester cynical disregard for women in difficult pregnancies and the ,+ MostReverendJoseph F. Maguire, > lJ')~?!,Ql~pii.ngf;eld children they bear.
Cardinal Law said the proposals CQuld be interpreted to allow abortion in the ninth month of pregnancy. "The burden of proof is elsewhere" in terms of finding a different interpretation, he said. Weld's office has said the pro-
the governor said he aims to ensure access to abortion in Massachusettsshould Roev. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, be overturned. "In my mind, freedom of choice goes to the heart of the principles
embodied in our Constitution freedom from government interference in the private lives of citizens," Weld said. "In the wake of the [Supreme Court's] Webster decision the responsibility to defend these principles rests with the state government." As pro-choice groups hailed the Republican governor's rejection of his party's stand on abortion, Massachusetts Citizens for Life president Theresa Hanleycommented that "it used to be popular for some politicians to kiss babies to win votes; today we're seeing that some politicians are willing to kill babies to win votes." The Massachusetts bishops said the Weld proposal "constitutes a cynical disregard for women in difficult pregnancies and the children they bear." Weld said he supported changing parental notification and consent laws because "in light of the number of single-parent families in this day and age it really makes no sense" to require permission of both parents for a teenager to obtain an abortion. But Ms. Hanley said there is strong opposition to lowering the . age of consent. "Weld is out of touch with mainstream America when he' opposes laws that protect a teenager from being rushed through an abortion clinic without the knowledge, consent, advice, support or love of her parents." The Weld legislation also'would eliminate a 24-hour waitiniperiod before obtaining an abortion. Father Fernandes said lowering the age of consent would pTove a critical divisive force within families. Turn to Page Three
Social justice topic at NCCW convention
THE DIOCESAN delegation to the NCCW convention held in Dallas last week.
With CNS reports Twenty-two voting delegates of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, accompanied by DCCW moderator Father James F. Lyons, attended the 45th convention of the National Council of Catholic Women in Dallas Sept. 15 to 18. The Fall River diocese will be well-represented on the national level, with three DCCW members having won national seats: Dorothy Curry of New Bedford was elected to tne- NCCW nominating committee; Mrs. James Quirk of South Yarmouth' was installed as director of the Boston province, which is composed of diocesan councils from Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont;and Mrs. Anthony J. Geary was elected to .the board of directors of the NCCW Associates to complete a term left
vacant by the death of Mrs. James A. O'Brien, J r. Theologian Megan McKenna gave the keynote address at the conventioq, themed "Let Justice Surge Like Water." If the Catholic church ever plumbs the riches of its 100-year heritage of social teaching, she told-delegates, the church "will be a force to be reckoned with worldwide." "Unfortunately, if we don't know our heritage and our teachings, then we can't have that much force and effect on the world," said Ms. McKenna, professor of theology at Incarnate Word College in San Antonio. She said many in the'church are unfamiliar with the church's social justice teachings as articulated by Turn to Page' II