Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta.
About The Georgia bulletin (Atlanta) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (March 19, 1987)
PAGE 4 — The Georgia Bulletin, March 19, 1987 STATEMENT A Necessary, Urgent Statement The Vatican document on procreation has made a strong statement in an area where government has been reluctant to act. One of the underlying themes of the document is that society as a whole has a stake in the reproductive decisions of individuals and families. Particularly the use of surrogate mothers who agree to bear a child for another couple for a fee has been challenged by the Vatican document as a threat to society that should be outlawed. In this country the practice is taking place in the absence of laws governing it. The case in New Jersey of Baby M. now being fought for in a courtroom by the natural mother and the parents who paid for the child, shows how tragically the deep desire for a child can be lived out if that desire alone is considered. Yet, despite this publicity and what should be a thought-provoking example, couples are seek ing surrogates and women are agreeing to be surrogates; and government permits this to oc cur in a legal vacuum. Into this vacuum, the Vatican document moves, saying that there is an urgent need for society to clarify these areas and act. This very strong aspect of the statement immediately generated some gut reaction, eliciting criticism that the Church’s statement is an inappropriate interference in pluralistic society. On the contrary, it is a much-needed throughtful and deep examination of reproduc tive technology. It considers the impact of this fast-growing area of science on the dignity of in dividuals, the unique relationships in marriage and between parents and children in the family, the significance of each life from the moment of conception. Our society, so protective of individual rights, finds it hard to admit that what we desire as in dividuals may have a very high cost to society as a whole. Without being high-handed, this document strongly emphasizes that “what threatens the unity and stability of the family is a source of dissension, disorder and injustice in the whole of social life.” Indiscriminate and wrongful use of reproductive technology is already affecting society as a whole. The document assists a thorough review and appropriate curbing of the impact of this technol ogy by all people of good will. -GRK Liz Schevtchuk Presidential Candidates WASHINGTON (NC) — So far, the roster of Catholics running for president in 1988 as either Republicans or Democrats remains notably short — consisting solely of former Arizona Gov. Bruce Babbitt He announced his Democratic candidacy March 10 in New Hampshire, the traditional early primary state. But come 1988, Babbitt is hardly likely to be the lone Catholic any longer. Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has also been pondering the possibili ty of running and, in Washington, anyway, is generally con sidered a fairly likely candidate. And former Secretary of State Alexander Haig has lately been stumping through a wintry New Hampshire, ap parently as part of efforts to evaluate whether to seek the 1988 Republican bid. According to Catholic social justice sources, both Biden, on the national level, and Babbitt, on the state level, have generally good records on the “Catholic” issues of concern for the poor, workers and the economically disadvantaged, minorities, children, and other such groups. But, while not likely to be described as pro-abortion, both have also been criticized for some of their positions on the abortion issue. (USPS) 574880 C ArMkkvsv ol Atlanta Business Office U S A. $12 00 680 West Peachtree, N W Canada S12.50 Atlanta, Georgia 30306 Foreign $14.00 Phone: 888-7832 Most Rev. Thomas A. Donnellan Publisher Gretchen R. Reiser Editor Rita Mclnerney Associate Editor DEADLINE: All material for publication must be received by MONDAY NOON for Thursday's paper. Postmaster: Send POD Form 3579 to THE GEORGIA BULLETIN 601 East Sixth Street. Waynesboro, Georgia 30830 Send all editorial correspondence to THE GEORGIA BULLETIN 680 West Peachtree Street N.W Atlanta, Georgia 30308 Second Class Postage Paid at Waynesboro, Ga 30830 Published Weekly except the second and last weeks In June, July and August and the last week in December at 601 East Sixth St., Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 Babbitt, in his announcement speech, proposed: — Having states take over education while the federal government takes over total responsibility for Medicaid, the health program for the poor. — Extending Medicaid coverage to all poor children. — Taxing the full amount of Social Security benefits of the upper-income retired. — Halting development of space-based “Star Wars”-type weapons. — Establishing vouchers for day care. — Ending support for the contras. — Negotiating a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty. “Basically, I think he's been a good governor," said Father Edward J. Ryle, executive director of the Arizona Catholic Conference. Babbitt “was very helpful” in getting the basic welfare allotment increased and in obtaining state health care coverage for poor children under age 6, the priest said. He was also helpful in opposing bills designed “to weaken the position of unions and working people,” Father Ryle said. Babbitt, who also has been Arizona attorney general, drew church criticism for vetoing legislation for parental consent for abortions on minor girls, a gubernatorial deci sion apparently made on the grounds that the proposal was unconstitutional, Father Ryle added. But, he noted. Babbitt later signed legislation demanding parental notification of abortions on teen-agers. Babbitt has criticized the Reagan administration but likewise indicated disagreement with some Democratic positions on trade and other issues. Biden, in his 14 years in the Senate, has won generally favorable ratings from Congress-watchers, including Net work, the Catholic social justice lobby, and the Ad Hoc Committee in Defense of Life, a right-to-life group, though other abortion opponents have given him less favorable ratings. “He’s generally pretty good” on the “Catholic” issues, one source said. “He’s not usually on the target list of peo ple we have to work hard on” regarding social justice. In early 1986, Network gave him a 16-2 record on 18 votes of particular concern. Since 1972, Biden “has been ‘available’ for the incredible total — count 'em — of 74 abortion votes to date,” the Ad Hoc Committee in Defense of Life noted in late 1986. “Biden’s score: 52 anti-abort, only eight pro-abort, 12 ‘ab sent’ — and-or not voting — and two ‘uncertain’....How is Joe going to explain that record” to abortion-backing Democrats? the committee asked. “Biden either runs on his record, or he can forget about running.” The Week In Review NAMES AND PLACES - Cardinal Jaime Sin of Manila has told Manila archdiocesan priests not to back candidates campaigning for congressional elections in May. In a docu ment, “Catechism on the Involvement of Priests in Political Activity,” the cardinal also said priests should on ly speak on political issues under certain conditions. Accord ing to observers in Manila, the document appears to be drawn largely from a letter of Pope John Paul II to Philip pine bishops several months after the 1986 revolt against former President Ferdinand Marcos Philippine church leaders — especially Cardinal Sin — were instrumental in the revolt. Cardinal Sin’s document was released March 13 in Manila. On May 11, Filipinos are to elect a two-house legislature similar to that of the United States, Manila, arch diocesan priests — about half the country’s clergy — also were told partisan politics is “the special responsibility of lay people” and that “no party platform or candidate can represent the Gospel in its entirety.” “Campaigning for a particular party or candidate may give the impression that that particular party or candidate is the only choice accord ing to the Gospel,' ’ the document said. A priest should seek to unify people, while partisan political activity is by nature divisive, it said. ***** AROUND THE NATION — Young people between the eighth grade and age 23 may attend the youth rally with Pope John Paul II in the New Orleans Superdome Sept. 12, organizers announced. The committee planning the rally announced that only young people in that age group, along with one adult chaperone for each 14 young people, will be permitted to take part in the rally. Sister Pat Cormack, a Sister of Mercy of the Holy Cross and co-chairwoman of the youth rally, said the 12 participating dioceses in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and west Florida will receive a por tion of the tickets based on the percentage of young people taking part in school and religious education programs in their dioceses. Some tickets will be set aside for distribution at the national level. U.S. LABOR SECRETARY William E. Brock's an nouncement that migrant farmworkers must be provided toilets and clean drinking water is long overdue, said a U.S. Catholic Conference official. The official. Scalabrinian Father Silvano Tomasi, director of pastoral care of migrants and refugees for the U.S. bishops' Committee on Migration, added that much more remains to be done for "that subsector of society that provides us with our food.” “Migrant housing conditions are still very bad. The delivery of health services is problematic,” Father Tomasi said in an interview. The children of migrants “still don’t have the educational opportunities that will enable them to one day opt out of the migrant stream." he added. Brock's announcement March 9 came after years of legal debate. Farmworker advocates have pushed for a federal field sanitation standard for 14 years. As a result of the decision, the U.S. Department of Labor will require that farm owners start providing field sanitation facilities within six weeks. ***** INTERNATIONALLY — Catholic Relief Services will send an initial sum of $20,000 and 17,600 pounds of food to aid residents of the remote area of Ecuador devastated by a series of 10 earthquakes in early March. The announcement was made by Beth Griffin, CRS spokeswoman, March 13. She reported that the $20,000 will pay for: cash grants to earthquake victims for local market purchase of basic goods; air transportation of food CRS has access to within Ecuador and purchase of locally produced items for tem porary housing and supplemental foods. Ms. Griffin said CRS has sent assessment teams to the Ecuadoran towns of Lago Agrio, Coca, Baeza, Santa Rosa and Cayambe, which are located within the area that was hardest hit. The team that assessed the situation in Lago Agrio and Coca reported that 45,000 area residents have been affected by extensive crop damage due to flooding and oil spills, she said. Archbishop's Notebook SATURDAY, MARCH 21 - Leave for New York. SUNDAY, MARCH 22 — Principal Celebrant at 75th Anniversary Mass at Holy Family Church, Bronx, N.Y. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25 — Confirmation at Saint Teresa, Douglasville.
