Bishop urges prayer for health care reform efforts

R espect Life Sunday was Oct. 4. Symbolic cradles and small crosses stand in support of the unborn, made vulnerable by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade.

Joliet Diocese Bishop J. Peter Sartain encourages the faithful to pray for their protection in health care reform efforts pending in Congress.

Pray I do. I will never disrespect the pro-life movement even as I question how politicians use it for political gain.

Is it just me, or is there a selective message? The unborn get priority, and that's fine, but the pro-life message begins with the cradle and seems to end there.

Although President Obama told Congress that "no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions," the mere mention of the A word fires up health care reform opponents who view the plan as a slippery slope to abortion-on-demand, ultimately paid by taxpayers.

But should all health care reform fall even if abortions are remotely available through private premiums, not taxes?

Many say yes, but isn't respect for life meant to include everyone from womb to tomb?

As Sartain said on the Joliet Diocese Web site, "Reverence for life cannot be limited to a few ... any health care plan must respect and defend the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death."

What if, as a reminder of what respect for life is all about, parishioners could bring their insurance denials and rejections to the altar? For every denial of a legitimate medical claim, rejection based on pre-existing conditions, every time a patient is turned away from a hospital because his or her insurance is not accepted or for every possible life-saving treatment that goes unfunded because it's considered "experimental," an act of violence is done to the sanctity of life.

These seemingly innocuous pieces of paper that wreak so much havoc in people's lives would be offered as a sacrifice. Collected and bundled, they would be delivered to Congress when it's time to vote on health care reform. The paper would probably exceed the height of the Capitol.

My advocacy of universal health care is hardly radical; it's also supported by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

And if wrath over abortions remains the primary focus, let's not be too selective in choosing targets for our fury. Private insurers, too, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, and others, provide coverage of abortions.

E-mail Glen Gummess at ggummess@yahoo.com.