February 6, 2009
The Bishop's Forum
Catholic Schools Week 2009
by Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger
There is yet another challenge and an opportunity for all school parents and their children. We can learn! We can act! We are not powerless!
This is a teaching moment in the most critical of ways. Our democratic government demands the involvement of its citizens. We cannot absolve ourselves by blaming others. We must be engaged in the democratic process.
The presidential campaign and the election of President Barack Obama and his campaign promise to sign into law an act of Congress or its surrogate, “The Freedom of Choice Act” (FOCA), have heightened a concern for all of us. We are worried about the potential legalization of abortion at all levels. Killing is killing! It cannot be disguised by a woman’s (or man’s) so-called right to choose, compassionate understanding notwithstanding.
God alone is the author of life. Those who dare to assume that role are in grave peril before His presence now and hereafter.
The impacts of such governmental legislation are immeasurable. It has the potential of closing our Catholic Hospital Ministry because it could require our Catholic Hospitals to provide abortion services, i.e. the killing of the unborn on demand. That is but one impact!
First of all, the president of the United States does not kill babies. However, he has the power to ratify the laws passed by the Congress of the United States to permit the killing of the unborn — and enabling the death of the elderly and crippled (the burdensome) by euthanasia or assisted suicide.
The president of the United States may ratify or veto the acts of Congress presented to him. He cannot act alone! He may not legislate. Yet he has a powerful role to “legislate” by executive order in matters relating to his position as Commander-in-Chief or the expenditure of funds for third world countries, among a few areas.
Secondly, parents must teach their children that a democratic society requires the personal and ongoing involvement of all of its citizens, no matter their age.
Children learn the elective process early in the school through the election of student councils. Many adults, however, seem to go brain-dead and deem themselves powerless in the face of their own personal involvement in the elective process of governmental leaders. Children are citizens and they have political power if they are apprised of it. (They seem to intuit how to use it with parents.)
Thirdly, knowing how to impact local, state or federal legislation is fundamental. Are parents teaching it or leaving it to the politicians? Schools are only as strong as their parents in this matter.
Next Week: How Catholic Students may impact legislation.