And miles to go

Stem Cell Research, Vocations, End of Life Issues

Since we do not publish The Prairie Catholic during the summer months, I have three important topics I wish to comment upon in this column.  

First of all, the Stem-Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 was recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and sent along to the Senate. This is a very misguided, political attack on human life, which legally permits the destruction of the human embryo and ultimately will encourage the harvesting of future human embryos for this purpose.

The facts opposing this measure are convincing and clear for anyone to see: there have been no medical cures resulting from the use of embryonic stem cells, but multiple cures from the use of adult stem-cells which are readily available. Why do the culture-of-death practitioners insist on killing human embryos, when they know there is a better and safer alternative? They presume that they can play God with the welfare of others by implying that certain human beings are expendable. Haven’t we historically seen the kind of “horror” and “devastation” such an attitude creates? I urge you to write our two Senators, asking them to defeat this measure:

U.S. Senator Mark Dayton

(DFL)      SR-346 Russell Senate Office Bldg.

Washington, DC 20510

U.S. Senator Coleman (R)

320 Hart Senate Office Bldg.

Washington, DC 20510-2303

Secondly, as we begin our regular activities in the post Labor Day schedule, I wish to remind everyone that our number one priority for the Diocese of New Ulm is still the encouragement of priestly and religious vocations. Truly God has genuinely blessed us with two new priests and a transitional deacon. We have also had another young lady recently join the religious life. Operation Andrew and Miryam dinners have met with great success. But we must not let down our guard. God is calling, but we have to do our part to ensure that the call is heard. Therefore, I ask that every meeting in the Diocese or parish include a prayer for Vocations. At every Eucharist, I ask that a petition be included for Vocations. And I ask as many as are able to join me in abstaining from meat on Fridays for this intention. We are beginning the fifth year of these practices in the Diocese and I have confidence that our perseverance will be rewarded.

Lastly, after all the public attention given to the case of Terri Schiavo, several people have written to me asking what they should do in preparing for the end of their lives. They want to know what are the “ordinary” and thus morally appropriate medical means for a person to use in preserving one’s life. The question is not easily answered because one’s current medical condition must be assessed at any given moment in the dying process in order to provide a proper ethical response.

The main principle involved is that the cause of death must always be the disease or illness that is life-threatening. In other words, no one should intervene by an act or the omission of an act to cause another’s death in order to end that person’s suffering. None of us has the right to ask another to put us to death by removing the natural means for living. A person in a so-called “persistent vegetative state” is still a person whose human dignity must be respected. As Pope John Paul II pointed out in March 2004, water and food are natural, thus ordinary, means of preserving life, even if administered artificially. A human person ought not to be put to death nor ask to be put to death by starvation or dehydration.

At a certain point in the dying process, however, the human body may reject even such basic means of sustenance as food or water. In that moment, there is no moral obligation to force such means on the body.

Last spring, we witnessed this fact in the dying of our late, beloved Pope. He chose not to return to the hospital in those final days in order to prolong his life. He accepted death as a natural part of life. He neither sought additional life sustaining measures nor did he directly or indirectly bring about his own death. He abandoned himself rather to the natural process of dying.

Living wills, while morally acceptable in theory, present the difficulty of not being able to predict the exact situation that will confront a person at the end of his or her own life. That is why I prefer the designation of a health care proxy. Such a person is able to evaluate my medical situation, if I am unable, and as my advocate apply the principles that ought to determine what should be done in a morally sound way. It is understood that this person whom I choose shares my moral beliefs and convictions based on our Catholic faith.

Because medical treatments have become so sophisticated today, it is essential that we have persons available with the proper moral training in the principles of Catholic theology to provide guidance to the patient and his or her family. Catholic health care facilities play an increasingly important role in this regard and we, as a local Church, need to find more ways to provide such services.

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has published a booklet entitled, “In Life and Death We Belong to the Lord: Considering Advance Medical Directives.” I encourage those who are interested to obtain a copy by writing to the Archdiocesan Respect Life Office, 328 West Kellogg Boulevard, Saint Paul, MN 55102-1997.

I trust that what I have written here is helpful to you in making plans for the future.

God love you!

(September, 2005)

Falta Mucho por Recorrer

Al comenzar nuestras actividades regulares después del día del trabajo, deseo recordarles que nuestra prioridad número uno en la Diócesis de New Ulm sigue siendo el de promover vocaciones al sacerdocio y a la vida religiosa. Generosamente nuestro Dios nos ha bendecido con dos sacerdotes nuevos y un diácono. Recientemente también una joven ingresó a la vida religiosa. Las cenas de Operación Andrew y Miryam han sido de gran éxito, pero no debemos descuidarnos. Dios está llamando, pero tenemos que poner de nuestra parte para asegurarnos que ese llamado sea oído. Por lo tanto, pido que en cada reunión en la diócesis y en las parroquias incluyan una oración por vocaciones. Por dicha finalidad pido que los que puedan acompañarme en abstenerse de no comer carne los viernes. Este será el quinto año de estas prácticas en la diócesis y tengo confianza que nuestra perseverancia será recompensada.