Parishes from the Springfield diocese and dioceses around the United States have been asked to participate in a massive postcard campaign for life. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Committee for a Human Life Amendment are co-sponsoring the "Fight FOCA" campaign.
Postcards from parishioners will be sent to members of Congress and the campaign will take place in most parishes on the weekend of Jan. 24-25, said Sister Jane Boos, SSND, director of the diocesan Office for Social Concerns.
A manual describing the campaign states: "The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) is a radical piece of legislation that creates a ‘fundamental right' to abortion throughout the nine months of pregnancy. No governmental body at any level - federal, state or local - would be able to ‘deny or interfere with' this right, or to ‘discriminate' against its exercise ‘in the regulation or provision of benefits, services or information.' For the first time, abortion would become an entitlement the government must fund and promote.
"FOCA goes far beyond the Supreme Court Roe v. Wade abortion decision of 1973. A broad range of laws currently allowed under Roe would be eliminated: informed consent laws; parental involvement laws; laws promoting maternal health; abortion clinic regulations; government programs and facilities that support childbirth and other health care without subsidizing abortion; conscience protection laws; laws prohibiting a particular abortion procedure (e.g., partial birth abortion); laws requiring that abortions only be performed by a licensed physician; and so on.
"No other piece of legislation would have such a destructive impact on society's ability to limit or regulate abortion," the manual states. "... Despite its misleading name, it would deprive the American people of the freedom they now have to set at least some limits on the abortion industry."
The manual also states although "pro-abortion groups have been trying to pass FOCA since 1989, we now have a Congress more disposed than any in recent years to pass the bill - and a president who has said he will sign it into law."
In a recent letter to Pro-Life and Catholic Conference directors, Cardinal Justin Rigali (chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities for the Catholic Bishops) stated that during their November General Meeting, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops "welcomed the historic election of President Obama" and offered their "commitment to work with him and members of the new Congress for the common good of all."
"Cardinal (Francis) George (president of the U.S. Bishop's Conference) also urged the new administration and Congress not to divide the nation with aggressively pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders," said Cardinal Rigali in his letter. He said the Committee on Pro-Life Activities authorized the massive postcard campaign to "urge Congress to retain laws against federal funding and promotion of abortion and oppose any bill that includes provisions contained in the ‘Freedom or Choice Act' or any similar measure." The timing of the campaign is crucial, he added.
Sister Jane said much information has been sent to parish pro-life chairs, if the parish has one, or the pastors. Parishioners will each receive three postcards - one for their representative and two for their senators.
In light of recent events regarding the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Obama, one of the post cards may or may not be mailed that week, Sister Jane said. "If we only have one senator seated, the parish (or people) can keep the second senator postcard until we know to whom to send it," she said.
Parishioners will receive instructions about filling out the postcards at all weekend Masses either on Jan. 24-25 or some time shortly thereafter, Sister Jane said. Parishioners may also be asked to contribute one dollar each for postage.