Archbishop of Chicago Urges Swift Action

Posted by John-Paul (March 11, 2010 at 12:30 pm)

Francis Cardinal George of the Archdiocese of Chicago has sent a letter to his flock to encourage all Catholics and men and women of good will to contact their representatives to stop HB 6205 - Illinois FOCA.  The Cardinal focuses his attention mainly on the fact that the Illinois FOCA will force us all to pay for abortions through our taxes.  This clearly violates the consciences Illinois Catholics and of the majority of Illinois residents.

Here’s an excerpt from his letter:

House Bill 6205 violates the conscientious objection of many citizens. In 1844, Abraham Lincoln broke with his own party, the often anti-Catholic Whigs, and proposed: “Resolved, that the guarantee of the rights of conscience, as found in our Constitution, is most sacred and inviolable, and one that belongs no less to the Catholic, than to the Protestant; and that all attempts to abridge or interfere with these rights, either of Catholic or Protestant, directly or indirectly, have our decided disapprobation, and shall ever have our most effective opposition.” Lincoln’s position is as valid today as it was last year and in 1844. The tax dollars of Catholics and many other conscientious people must not be used to subsidize the taking of innocent human life.

He ends with a plea for action:

Accordingly, I again ask you to make your voice heard in Springfield. Please contact your elected representatives this week and urge them to oppose House Bill 6205. If your representative indicates that they oppose the legislation please thank them.

To read the full text of the Cardinal’s letter click here.

I am grateful for the leadership showed by Cardinal George and I hope that many other religious leaders at the highest and the lowest levels will mobilize their flocks to save lives and protect human dignity.

If you are a leader in your church whether you lead the music, a Bible study or the whole congregation, please remember to contact your representative and then witness to your fellow Christians about the necessity for swift action. Click here for talking points.

**The Cardinal’s letter will be inserted in bulletins in churches in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Look for it and use it to start conversations with your fellow parishioners and move them to action.**

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