Bishop Thomas John Paprocki greeted those who gathered March 29 for Life Advocacy Day at the Capitol with a post-election legislative take on the snake tempting Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
“The devil is the father of lies and just as the snake [the devil] tempts Eve and Adam to eat the forbidden fruit … the devil lies about abortion and he lies about its impact,” said Bishop Paprocki.
At stake in the Illinois General Assembly is the possibility that, if passed, House Bill 40 would remove any prohibition on the use of taxpayer money for elective abortions. In addition, the bill would allow public funds to be used for grants to organizations to refer, counsel for and perform abortions.
Abortion proponets and backers of the bill maintain that HB40 will not cost the financially strapped state any money. That, Bishop Paprocki said, defies logic and common sense.
“Where’s the money going to come from?” Bishop Paprocki asked rhetorically pointing to the cortorted argument that aborting babies would save money for a family by not having to spend money on a child.
Life advocates from the Belleville and Rockford dioceses traveled to Springfield to join Bishop Paprocki and the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois for the annual lobby day coordinated by diocesan Office for Pro-Life Activities and Special Ministries and the Catholic Conference of Illinois. Zach Wichmann, director of governmental relations urged advocates to deliver a direct and unequivocal message to vote no on SB40.
“Don’t vote to make me a participant in the abortion industry.” Wichmann went on to say that his nosecount shows that the difference between passage and failure of SB40 lies with only four or five still wavering legislators.
Among the nearly 100 participants were civics students from Acquin Catholic Schools in Freeport, Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary whose community is also in the Rockford diocese, and Options Now Pregnancy Resource Center in Godfrey.
Information about HB40 can be found on the web at http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=40&GAID=14&GA=100&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=99242&SessionID=91. House sponsor, Rep. Sara Feigenholz (D-Chicago), has not returned repeated attempts by Catholic Times for comment.