l i Vol. LXVIil No. 7 February 12, 1992 Colorado's Largest Weekly 24 Pages 35 Cents V i I -S JOHN PAUL II A BANNER OF LOVE was prepared for Pope John Paul IPs visit to the United a possible site for a 1993 international youth event that would be attended States inl987. Denver is one of several U.S. cities now under consideration as by the pope and 60,000 youth from around the globe. j.™.b.c/dcr p*.ou, Denver consideied in for International i Youth Forum By Colleen Smith Mason Denver is among five United States cities under consideration as a host site for the 1993 International Youth Forum. The even bigger news is that the International Youth M Forum, instituted by Pope John Paul II, would mean a visit from the Holy Father. The Vatican organizes the youth rally, which likely L would draw 60,000 youth from around the globe, 350 bishops from across the nation, and as many as 1,000 A CELEBRATION of Black History Month brought Sister Oralisa Martin, right, to Denver to speak at members of the media. a workshop sponsored by the Denver Council for Black Catholics Feb. 8 at Loyola Church. With her are Continued on page 6 Brother Gary Sawyer and Margaret Wright, Council Chair. See page 7 for the article. j.n*.b.c./dcr pt,oi« Page 2 — February 12, 1S>92 — Denver Catholic Register Abortion at the Capitol and C.U. Last week I took a long walk through Boulder As reported in the public media, the contents of the including the beautiful campus of the University of ARCHBISHOPS hearing were singularly inept from an ethical point of Colorado. University bookstores are favorite browsing view. Senator Joan Johnson (D-Adams Co.) is reported places for me so I eventually found the one at C.U. COLUMN to have equated the killing of a human being in the Among the textbooks used in philosophy courses, a womb with a male vasectomy! Senator Bonnie Allison book on practical ethics by Peter Singer of the Univer­ ness, capacity to feel, etc.” You may be left as breath­ (R-Edgewater) called the requirements of the bill “a sities of Monash, Oxford and LaTrobe caught ray less as I was after a first reading. Even though his view propaganda package of biased information.” attention. Not only had it been reprinted seventeen is astonishingly reductionist, at least Professor Singer Our public leaders shoiild not be permitted to get times since its 1979 publication, but there were a large stakes out a forthright position on the meaning of the away with such dangerous demagoguery. They de­ number of newly printed copies (1990) available for fetus. It has no more and no less value than a nonhuman mean themselves and the citizens of Colorado. The sale on the shelf. Apparently his text, “Practical Eth­ animal “with comparable morally relevant characteris­ public debate is rendered incomprehensible. The key ics,” is popular with the students. Most of the texts on tics.” questions one should ask our public officials are these: philosophy and ethics for sale at C.U.’s bookstore are It may be hard to believe but the utilitarian as moral 1) A woman has the right to choose to do what? products of the Enlightenment with an anti-religious philosopher may be one step ahead of those in the 2) What is the value attached to pregnancy? and/or anti-Christian bias. Singer’s book is no excep­ medical profession who, as I indicated in last week’s 3) What is the significance of the fetus? Is it simply tion. column, judge pregnancy to be a disease, and the fetus “tissue,” as one woman said on a recent T.V. talk show Like many university ethicists today,ProfessorSinger to be a morbid growth, a parasite in the womb. “Crossroads”? She appealed to the tenets of her Jewish is a utilitarian. For him the only validating moral norm Students who are confused by Singer’s practical faith to justify abortion of what she described as mere is the preferred status of human (or animal) conscious­ ethics at the University of Colorado at Boulder would “tissue.” ness. According to utilitarians, in making moral deci­ not have been much enlightened if they tuned into the Our public officials need to lift the level of pubhc sions one must choose the act which promotes the hearing at the State Capitol before the Senate Health, discourse. Why are they afraid to respond to questions enjoyment or lessens the misery of most people. Environment, Welfare and Institutions Committee last concerning the value and significance of the fetus? On abortion Professor Singer is crystal clear. Friday. After all, it is the fetus that is killed and mutilated in “Whether a being is or is not a member of our species The bill being heard called for a waiting period of abortion procedures. is, in itself, no more relevant to the wrongness of killing seventy-two hours before a legal abortion could be The questions mentioned above can be elaborated on it than whether it is or is not a member of our race. The performed in Colorado. Precious little information in the following way: belief that mere membership of our species, irrespec­ presently seems to be available to a woman seeking an 1) Do the governor and state legislators agree with tive of other characteristics, makes a great difference to abortion. Professional medical personnel, like a regis­ moral philosophers who equate the human fetus with a the wrongness of killing a being is a legacy of religious tered nurse in Wheat Ridge, indicated that “the consent nonhuman animal? doctrines which even those opposed to abortion hesitate form is usually the only information Colorado abortion 2) Do they agree with medical abortionists that the to bring into the debate.” patients have been found to receive prior to surgery. hiunan fetus is a morbid growth, a parasite in the Later he further develops his point, “On any fan- With other types of surgery, patients are given compre­ mother’s womb? comparison of morally relevant characteristics, like hensive packets ahead of time, while abortion is treated 3) Do they disagree with both of the above views? rationality, self-consciousness, awareness, autonomy, like some kind of emergency, to be done immediately Do they consider the fetus to be a human being? If not, pleasure and pain, and so on, the calf, the pig and the and without the benefit of material facts.” Against Dr. why not? If not, then what is the fetus? much derided chicken come out well ahead of the fetus Warren Hem, Director of the Boulder Abortion Clinic, at any stage of pregnancy—while if we make the com­ she argued persuasively that the proposed “legislation J. Francis Stafford parison with a fetus of less than three months, a fish, or may be the only protective advocacy available to yoimg Archbishop of Denver even a prawn would show more signs of consciousness. girls with crisis pregnancies.” My suggestion, then, is that we accord the life of a fetus A letter to the archbishop no greater value than the life of a nonhuman animal at a similar level of rationality, self-consciousness, aware­ OFFICIAL Dear Archbishop Stafford, ARCHBISHOP’S OFHCE The Holy Father has received through the Apostolic 200 Josephine Street Nunciature the Peter’s Pence offering of $54,958.85 The Denver Catholic Register Denver, CO 80206 from your Archdiocese, and he assures you of his (USPS 557-020) gratitude for this gift. Th« Mo«t R*v*r*nd J. Fronds Stafford, D.D., publisher Robert H. Feeney, general manager Appointments His Holiness knows that your people’s faith moti­ Charlene Scott, editor Reverend Marcian O'Meara, appointed Pastor at vated their contributions and their willingness to assist Meg Sandoval Philips, reporter, editor El Pueblo Cotdllco him in the exercise of his office. He is appreciative of David Myers, reporter Good Shepherd Parish, Denver, Colorado; in addi­ this, and he prays that the Lord Jesus will grant you and Mary GoreckI Gosdmlnskl, desktop publishing operator tion to his duties as Secretary for Religious and the Colleen Smith Mason, special features all the Church in Denver an increase of the joy and peace James Baca, staff photographer Permanent Diaconate and Catholic Health Care. that flow from fidelity to the Gospel. 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