My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

The New York State Catholic Conference Public Policy Forum is an annual event during which all of the dioceses of the State, led by their bishops, send representatives to our State Capitol in Albany to express their views regarding current legislative issues of concern to Catholics in the State. This year’s event was very successful. Over 1,200 Catholics attended, all wearing big red buttons saying, “Catholic Voter.”

How important it is that our Catholic moral teaching influences the way we vote and our advocacy of public policies. Unfortunately, too often in the past, party loyalties and other considerations have swayed our Catholic voters to vote for personalities or parties, rather than on issues. Voters must become more sophisticated in their voting habits, so that they might achieve the greatest good with their votes.

This year’s rally was particularly encouraging since a large number of young potential voters joined us. It is hoped that they will begin to learn what it means to be a Catholic voter and to vote one’s conscience. Of course, conscience must be well-formed in order that we may follow it to bring us to the truth. The teaching of the Church is always aimed at the formation of conscience, never making choices for voters without reference to their own faithful following of their well-formed conscience.

Several issues were of key importance to our Catholic voting conscience this year. First was embryonic stem-cell research. Unfortunately, this issue is much misunderstood by the voting public, since it seems that the Church is portrayed as being against progress in scientific research that might prove useful in curtailing chronic and fatal diseases. Nothing is further from the truth. The Church has always been in the forefront of providing medical assistance and also medical research, certainly in our modern history. The Church is not against stem-cell research, but it definitely is against embryonic stem- cell research since it involves the killing of an embryo in its earliest stages of development.

Coupled with this is the necessity of cloning human embryos in order to obtain sufficient embryos for research purposes. Promoters of this type of research have asserted that there are many so-called discarded embryos, which will not be used by those who have deposited them in fertility clinics and that these donated embryos can be used for research. How can it be possible that we donate a human embryo for scientific research without understanding the moral and ethical implications? Our objections to this type of research are not theological but rather philosophical, since anyone, even a non-believer, can deduce from reason the fact that a human embryo, once conceived, will become nothing other than a human person. The destruction of life at this stage will lead us on a slippery slope to the destruction of life at any stage of development when it might seem convenient for the life of another or even inconvenient for the life that is taken.

Other forms of stem-cell research have proven much more effective, namely, those that use umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid, and adult stem cells. The unproven embryonic stem-cell research is hardly the way we should use public funds to support unproven research, while proven methods go unfunded. Governor Eliot Spitzer’s proposal to float a one hundred million dollar bond issue, which will reach one billion dollars over 10 years, is hardly good use of the state’s credit even if it would seem to spur economic development in upstate areas. There are other legislative proposals that would provide similar funding without recourse to the bond issue. Our point, clearly, is that public funds should not be used for unethical research, especially at a time of deep cuts in funding for hospitals, nursing homes and medical institutions.

Last year, Catholic voters and others who support private education waged a battle which was somewhat successful in obtaining some relief for parents who send their children to non-public schools. The tax credit passed last year by the Legislature gave un-earmarked tax credits to those who had children ages four to 17. Unfortunately, it was not earmarked for education. It can be used for any purpose. Nor do parents have to prove that they have used the money for education purposes to obtain the tax credit. It was a clever sleight of hand proposed by the State Assembly to appease their opponents, namely, the New York State Teachers Union.

This year, Governor Spitzer has proposed a $1,000 exemption of state income tax which would amount to $60 to $80 per family filing state income taxes. Though the sum is paltry, it states a principle that State monies can be used to subsidize non-public education. Unfortunately, the billions of dollars now being earmarked to improve the failing system of public education could be well-spent in providing alternative choices in education for those condemned to use failing educational systems. Perhaps in the future we need to take some Constitutional testing to see if States can contract for educational services with non-public schools even if they have religious affiliations. Our visits to legislators in Albany produced mixed results in this area as it is so politically contentious. It is important, however, that we should support any vehicle that produces results providing assistance to our parents who choose non-public education.

Another major issue which we face in this State for which legislation is soon to be introduced is the so-called Same-Sex Marriage Provisions. As we know, there is no such thing as same-sex marriage since marriage by any definition is the union of man and woman as stated even in the New York State Constitution. Those who would wish to redefine marriage to appease homosexual activists are denigrating the institution of marriage not only because of its religious origins, but because of its presumed protection by the State. Since it is in the interest of the State to add to its population, the correct understanding of the institution of marriage is not only a mutual consolation of spouses, but also for the procreation of children.

It seems that, again, with clever maneuvering, some legislators might introduce legislation which would allow for civil unions, a euphemism for same-sex marriages, which will provide those who enter them with the sought-for protections. It is clear, however, that any of the sought-for privileges or protections that same-sex couples wish, by recourse to the institution of marriage in civil unions, can be provided by other legislative means. We might say recourse to same-sex marriage is similar to trying to kill a fly with a hammer. It is a totally unnecessary use of force that will most probably not hit its mark. The need for hospital visitation and inheritance of wealth can all be dealt with legislatively, not by creating an institution parallel to marriage itself.

Finally, another major concern of our legislative day was the proposed Medicaid cuts. This issue is highly politicized; however, it is clear that use of State monies to provide matching federal funds for Medicaid needs to be revisited. Several years ago, a State commission issued many recommendations for reform of the Medicaid system of the State of New York. Unfortunately, none of these recommendations were followed. The commission recommended changes that would result in savings to the program. The present across-the-board cuts proposed by Governor Spitzer would create severe hardships on the nursing home and hospital providers of Medicaid services not to mention the individual physician providers. There is no doubt that the reform of Medicaid provision of services should be investigated. However, again, across-the-board cuts will not achieve the eventual savings and reform necessary.

As you see, a well-formed Catholic conscience has something to say about many issues that affect the life and well-being of the citizens of the State of New York. The judgments made by the Bishops of the New York State Catholic Conference are well thought out and reflect the consistent social teaching as enunciated by the Church over a long period of time.

Together let us “put out into the deep,” where consciences are formed and courage is found to vote not on party loyalty or attraction to individual candidates, but rather on a well-formed conscience that ultimately brings about the common good. During this Lenten season, take the time to form your political conscience. It is truly an arduous task which can serve as a Lenten penance.