A meeting in Louisiana between a Catholic state senator and a parish priest resulted in the lawmaker changing his position in time to cast a crucial vote against “therapeutic” cloning, the creation of cloned human beings to be used and destroyed in medical research. The lawmaker's openness to guidance stands in stark contrast to a number of prominent Catholic politicians who advocate policies on human cloning, abortion and stem-cell research that deviate from the Church's fundamental teaching on the duty to protect innocent human life, and yet still claim to be in full communion with the Church.
On May 17, the Louisiana Senate considered a bill that would have banned some types of cloning, but not therapeutic cloning. When an amendment to the bill was offered that would have also banned therapeutic cloning, Craig Romero, a Republican representing the 22nd state senatorial district, voted against it.
Father Bryce Sibley, who is pastor of St. Joseph Parish, a church located in Romero's district, learned of Romero's vote and took immediate action. He harnessed the political power of the Catholic laity, admonishing parishioners from the pulpit to inform Romero that they did not agree with his vote.
His parishioners took up the challenge, and after Romero's office had received numerous calls of complaint, Romero decided to contact Father Sibley to discuss the matter. Father Sibley told Culture & Cosmos that Romero “was confused on what therapeutic cloning really did. He told me that a bunch of doctors were brought in who said allowing such cloning would save children's lives and that he only wanted to help sick children.” Father Sibley said he explained to Romero that such research, even if it were successful, would amount to killing one life to save another. “The senator said 'No one explained it to me. Now I understand.'” The meeting ended with Romero's assurance that when the senate took up the question again he would oppose all forms of human cloning.
On May 25, when the senate considered another bill that banned all types of cloning, Romero voted for it. More importantly, when an amendment was offered that would have allowed for therapeutic cloning, Romero, true to his word, voted against it. The amendment failed by a margin of only two votes, making Romero's opposition essential. The legislation now awaits the signature of Gov. Kathleen Blanco, a Democrat who is also a Catholic, who has sent mixed signals regarding her position on the topic.
Father Sibley said his actions were a function of the teaching office entrusted to him by virtue of his ordination and his office as pastor. Addressing concerns about mixing Church and state, Father Sibley said, “Even though a priest is not to get directly involved in politics he has to be able to inform his people. We don't oppose therapeutic cloning primarily because the Church says so. It's natural law. I can explain it to anyone regardless of whether or not they believe in the Catholic Church.”
The most important lesson Father Sibley said he gained from the episode was how easily it was to advance the culture of life: “I was amazed to think that here I was, one little priest with a country parish in the middle of rural Louisiana, and we were able to turn around this vote. Think if we had more people in the Church being proactive on life issues.”
(This update courtesy of the Culture of Life Foundation.)
