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from June 5, 2005

Parishes Invited to Tackle Death Penalty

Parishes Prepare to Attend Centennial Mass Aug. 14

Catholic Lawmakers Help Push Pro-Life Legislation

Oklahoma Governor Signs
Into Law A Bill Many Are
Calling Historic for State

By Ray Dyer
The Sooner Catholic

OKLAHOMA CITY — Since belief in the sanctity of human life is the foundation of Catholic social justice teaching, and the measure of an institution is how well it treats the least among us, May 20, 2005 could be considered a very important date for the
faith in Oklahoma. On that day Gov. Brad Henry signed into law HB 1686, a piece of legislation some are calling the most important pro-life action embraced here in more than a quarter century.

House Bill 1686 actually established three new laws designed to better protect the unborn:

n An informed consent law, which requ-ires that women be givenall pertinent information about fetal development, the potential consequences of abortion and the gestational age of the unborn child, at least 24 hours before receiving an abortion.

n A parental notification provision, requiring that parents be informed before an abortion can be performed on a minor.

n A “Laci Peterson” law that allows prosecutors to charge criminals with the death or injury of an unborn child. A federal law provided for such, but only if a crime occurred on federal of Indian property. The new Oklahoma law now covers the remainder of the state.

“Finally, Oklahoma has the true pro-life legislation that our citizens have been calling on for so many years,” said Rep. Kevin Calvey, a Catholic and a republican member of the House of Representatives. “We want to thank Gov. Henry, as well as our fellow legislators for working so hard to come together and bring our law into compliance with our constituent’s desires.”

One lawmaker Calvey might have had in mind is Rep. Rebecca Hamilton, also Catholic and a democratic member of the House. She was the author of House Bill 1686.

“HB 1686 is a lifesaving miracle,” Hamilton said. “Like a lot of miracles, it happened because of work, grit and prayer.”

Senator Daisy Lawler, the Senate author of HB 1686, and a Southern Baptist, deserves much credit, said Hamilton.

“She and I formed a pact three years ago to work to pass legislation like HB 1686,” Hamilton said. “We worked together closely on this bill, usually talking several times a day, every day, even on weekends.

Every so often, she would look at me and say, “This is a God thing,” which was a Baptist way of saying that it was providential. I would agree, and we’d get back to work again. Early on, I said a prayer and consecrated the bill to Our Mother. Or, I tried to do that. I didn’t exactly know what to say, so I just asked her to take charge of HB 1686. I gave every worry I had about the bill to her. I asked her to use me however she wanted, I didn’t care in what way.”

Father Edward J. Weisenberger, Vicar General and pastor at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, called House Bill 1686 “the most important pro-life legislation in Oklahoma in more than 25 years.” He echoed the sentiment of Shirley Cox, director of Social Action for Catholic Charities. Throughout the just completed legislative session, Cox kept Catholics and other pro-life supporters in tune with the progress of proposed pro-life legislation as well as legislation deemed in opposition to Catholic social teaching.

Cox emailed “Action Alerts” to update supporters on the status of the proposed legislation. Those people would then contact their representatives and let them know how they felt about a particular issue.

Apparently the formula worked.

“HB 1686 represents not only the determination of Oklahoma legislators to ensure protection for all human life, but it also represents the will of the people,” said Cox. “Many constituents contacted their legislators, numerous times, to echo their continued support of the bill as it made its way along the legislative path. For Catholic Oklahomans the passage of  HB1686 signifies the power that pro-life constituents possess in encouraging and promoting the Church’s important teaching on the dignity and sanctity of human life.” 

Archbishop: Politics Without God Unhealthy

WASHINGTON, D.C., (Zenit.org).- A “public square” that excludes people of faith is unhealthy, says the archbishop of Denver.

Rather, everyone should have a voice in the life of a nation’s public life, insisted Archbishop Charles Caput when he addressed the recent National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington.

“That’s the way it should be. That’s what the founders of our country intended,” he said.

“Catholics and other Christians have always taken an active role in public life. What we believe about God shapes how we think about men and women. It also shapes what we do about promoting human dignity,” said the archbishop.

Talking about the tension in today’s public square between religion and politics, the archbishop commented that “what’s unnatural and unhealthy is the kind of public square where religious faith is seen as unwelcome and dangerous.”

“Since the 1960s, many American Catholics have been acting like we’re lucky just to be tolerated in the public square,” he said. “In other words, we’d better not be too Catholic or somebody will be offended. That’s a mistake.

“That’s not pluralism. It’s not democracy. Democracy and pluralism depend on people of conviction fighting for what they believe through public debate — peacefully, legally, charitably and justly; but also vigorously and without excuses.

“This applies to elected officials. It applies to voters. It applies to you and me. Belief in God has profoundly shaped what Americans believe about human dignity; the law; the common good; and justice. To cut God out of the public square is to cut the head and heart from our public life.”