Delighted with new parish
Delighted. That is my feeling on the new St. Joan of Arc Parish (in Bettendorf). As a member of Our Lady of Lourdes and now St. Joan of Arc Parish, my communion of saints has more than doubled!
Instead of one delightful priest, I now have the honor of knowing two delightful priests. Instead of just two excellent deacons, I now have the honor of knowing four excellent deacons. And the saints in the pews have more than doubled. It is just more of a joy to meet new people and I thank God for this great opportunity. Amen. Amen!
William M. Grothus
Bettendorf
Our votes have consequences
There was a recent article in The Catholic Messenger entitled “The Growing Weaponization of the Abortion Pill.” One passage towards the end stood out to me: “the study suggests that women generally aren’t seeking abortion because it’s a choice. They’re pursuing it because they feel like they have no other choice.”
What reasons contribute to the feeling of having no other choice? Are they understandable? Some may be these: lack of health insurance and access for prenatal and ongoing pediatric care; fear of inability to provide food and housing; fear of losing a needed job or having to drop out of school because of the expense of childcare; fear of being swept up for detention or deportation; fear of shaming by the community. Current policies in our country exacerbate these fears. Currently our government is slashing Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps) and ACA health insurance for millions, while also providing no attempt to develop subsidized, affordable childcare to allow a woman to work or finish schooling, though there are many such programs in Europe.
Other policy choices have closed small, often rural, hospitals further eroding healthcare. This lack of support can feel overwhelming and frightening to women facing a lifetime responsibility.
These current policies are the result of electing people who endorse them yet still criticize women who choose not to continue their pregnancies. Our votes have consequences. We must consider those consequences every time we step into the voting booth. What will allow all women to “feel empowered to choose life for their babies” as the final paragraph of the article envisions?
Mary Lu Callahan
Iowa City
