The Pope and Bishop Speak

This is a portion of the homily of Pope Benedict XVI at his Inauguration Mass...

"At this point, my mind goes back to 22 October 1978, when Pope John Paul II began his ministry here in Saint Peter's Square. His words on that occasion constantly echo in my ears: "Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors for Christ!" The Pope was addressing the mighty, the powerful of this world, who feared that Christ might take away something of their power if they were to let Him in, if they were to allow the faith to be free. Yes, He would certainly have taken something away from them: the dominion of corruption, the manipulation of law and the freedom to do as they pleased. But He would not have taken away anything that pertains to human freedom or dignity, or to the building of a just society. The Pope was also speaking to everyone, especially the young. Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to Him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? Are we not perhaps afraid to give up something significant, something unique, something that makes life so beautiful? Do we not then risk ending up diminished and deprived of our freedom? And once again the Pope said: No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation. And so, today, with great strength and great conviction, on the basis of long personal experience of life, I say to you, dear young people: Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and He gives you everything. When we give ourselves to Him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ - and you will find true life. Amen."

This is a portion of the Bishop's Observer column from last week . . .

It's getting harder for people of conscience to live and work here. It seems to be getting ever more difficult for people of conscience to live and to work in this land, which once called itself "the land of the free and the home of the brave." When legislators are not being compromised by the huge costs of campaigns and the deep pockets of special interests, their role in our precarious democratic process is being usurped by appointed judges - and now, it seems, by a governor who is not the least bit bothered by any constitutional provisions which deny him the power to legislate.

That governor is Illinois' own Rod Blagojevich, who has issued an executive rule that says the members of one profession in our fair state have no right to behave according to the demands of their conscience. Specifically, according to Blagojevich's order, when confronted with prescriptions for so-called "morning after contraceptive pills," pharmacists in this state have no choice but to fill the prescriptions.

It's disheartening that at least one area journal praised the governor for his imperious command that pharmacists violate their consciences in order to exercise their profession. We look to our media to keep us mindful of the principles for which we, as a nation, stand over against the temptation to sacrifice those principles for the sake of some exigencies of the moment. The media, especially the print media, never tire of reminding us of our First Amendment rights. Would that they took a broader, more comprehensive and consistent view of our rights as a people and as individuals with consciences.