Parish’s ‘Symposium for Life’ covers wide spectrum in day long conference
Importance of prayer, educating on life issues, stressed
MERCER ISLAND
By Elenor K. Schoen
A daylong conference at St. Monica Parish attracted more than a hundred people to participate in “Resolution for Life: A Symposium on Life Issues.”
Sponsored by the parish Respect Life Committee and the Father John Walsh Council of the Knights of Columbus, the March 25 conference was “to see what others are doing, and how we can work together, acting as Christ’s representatives wherever we are,” according to event planner and Knights member, Mark Stergios.
Dan Stevenson, St. Monica religious education director, emphasized that in living a truly Catholic moral life, a person must become “concretized in Christ.”
Stevenson said marriage was created by God for the well-being of spouses and the care and education of their offspring. “The health of our culture is bound up in marriage,” he said. Natural methods of family planning make us “good stewards of our sexuality.”
Camille De Blasé, Michael Pauley, and Lisa-Ann Oliver, of Healing the Culture, addressed the pitfalls in pro-life work, including interpersonal conflicts that arise, which defeat the best efforts and ideals of those working for the cause. They pointed to a need for trust among co-workers, based in a “faith in, and surrender to, God’s loving will.”
Dr. Sharon Quick presented an overview on the split between religion and science. As to whether science or religion “holds the truth” on scientific research being debated presently, she concluded that “good science depends on ethical principles to determine scientific truths” by providing boundaries. Dr. Quick is a member of the American Academy of Medical Ethics.
Representatives from parish pro-life committees discussed several key points in being successful. Included were the need for working with the pastor, the importance of prayer, and each group’s creative approach in educating people on life issues. Sharing their thoughts were: Pattie Sciola, Holy Family Church, Kirkland; Debby Ummel and Desmae Hare, St. Louise Church, Bellevue; Virginia Pfalzer, St. Brendan Church, Bothell; and Brian Bashinski, Mary Queen of Peace Church, Issaquah.
Ron Belgau, nationally known Catholic speaker and author, discussed the issue of abortion from a man’s perspective. He said that chastity is the essential foundation of the culture of life. But in conceiving a child, there is an inherent responsibility to care for that new life by both parents. He stated that men, especially, undermine these principles because of a desire for “easy sex.” Belgau said that one out of every four college females has experienced some form of “date rape.”
A panel discussed the challenges of being Catholic and pro-life in the business world. The panel included: John Brondello, president of Time Equipment Company, Gellert Dornay, president of Java Trading Company, Dr. Shane Macauley, MD, Radiologic Consultants of Washington and member of the Catholic Medical Association, and Dr. Gina Landicho-Wicks, Mary’s Family Medicine and CMA member.
Eileen Geller, director of Consoling Grace Ministry, discussed her work to “serve Christ in the person of the sick, dying, and bereaved.” She assists parishes and others in providing effective means of comforting those who mourn, or those caring for the seriously ill and dying. This pro-life work is only now receiving much-needed attention, she added.
Also speaking were Dan Kennedy, Human Life of Washington, Marie Bach and Dr. Paddie O’Halloran, M.D., on the Pharmacists’ Conscience Clause issue, Mary Emmanuel on emergency contraceptives, and Diego Wendt, an Air Force pilot, who developed a bike and walk fundraiser (“Ride4US”) to equip pregnancy aid clinics with ultrasound machines.
Copyright © 2006 by The Catholic Northwest Progress.