Brothers and Sisters, One of the noblest forms of witness that we Catholics give in our contemporary society is to stand up for the dignity of human beings as children of God. We feel a special commitment to the most vulnerable and the most innocent of all: children in the womb. Of course, unborn children depend primarily upon the care of their mothers. But legal protection is also important, something that has been lacking in the United States for over forty-four years. A bill has been introduced in the Illinois legislature—House Bill 40—which has two destructive purposes:

1. to thwart any future decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse or limit Roe vs. Wade; and
2. to allow for the use of public money to fund the taking of innocent human lives through abortion in the state’s Medicaid and health insurance programs.

It is essential that people who believe in the protection of human life in the womb contact their proper state legislators and express their opposition to House Bill 40. You can find your state legislators by visiting www.ilcatholic.org and clicking on ‘Find Your Legislator’ or by calling the Catholic Conference at 312-368-1066 or 217-528-9200 and asking for help. For additional thoughts on HB40, I invite you to read my op-ed which appeared in papers throughout the diocese at http://tinyurl.com/h8ssy32. Thank you. Most Reverend R. Daniel Conlon Bishop of Joliet