The Bishop in the Life Chain

The exemplary Bishop Finn gives witness.... From this week's Catholic Key

103 people took part in the annual Life Chain witness against abortion which began at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and extended three blocks to St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

Joining their ranks was Bishop Robert W. Finn. "This is something I've participated in for many years," said Bishop Finn, who became bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph in May.

"It's a public witness and it's an interesting experience always," he said. "It's a peaceful, prayerful witness to the sanctity of life and the perils of abortion. (Abortion) not only destroys the life of the victim, but it takes a terrible toll on the life of those who are so desperate they have an abortion. It is something that they carry with them all their life. We pray for healing for them, and we pray that the laws of our country will change to protect those who deserve protection, as you and I do."

And this week's Bishop's Column focuses on Respect Life Month

It is imperative that efforts such as last year's unsuccessful initiative to place a ban on all human cloning - including SCNT - move forward for a vote by Missouri lawmakers and/or citizens. Human cloning for any purpose is morally wrong.

In this diocese, we have had the benefit of presentations by Father Pacholczyk, by John Morris of Rockhurst University, my special advisor on these issues and a frequent presenter in parishes throughout the diocese, and recently by David Prentice, hosted by Rockhurst University. All of these experts arrive at the same conclusion: Embryonic stem-cell research has not only been completely unsuccessful, but it requires the hyper-production of human eggs (ova) and the destruction of a human person to even begin to work. We have had good coverage of these events in The Catholic Key.

It is possible that legislation will soon be introduced in Missouri to seek government funding for these immoral and so far unsuccessful embryonic stem cell processes, or for cloning processes to obtain human embryos. We must be ready to say "No" to any such use of tax-payer money.

Now that's what we call good work.

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