Stem Cells

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A wake-up call from Missouri has led the Catholic bishops of Kansas to ring alarm bells all over the state.

The bishops are concerned because a well-funded and deceptive campaign was waged in Missouri last year to pass a pro-human cloning, pro-human embryonic stem-cell research amendment to its state constitution.

Soon after the Missouri amendment passed, pro-cloning and pro-embryonic stem-cell advocates set their sights on Kansas. In response, the bishops of Kansas have launched a multifaceted education effort in regard to these issues.

This week, the bishops sent thousands of copies of a new pastoral letter to parishes throughout the state. In their letter, called “The exorbitant price of embryonic stem-cell research,” the bishops say they offer the pastoral letter to “provide some clarity amidst the confusion.”

The pastoral letter defines a stem cell, details the differences between adult and embryonic stem-cell research, and lays out the serious moral issues surrounding these issues. The bishops voice their strong support for using ethical means to discover stem-cell cures, while opposing any means that destroys developing human life.

This week more than 600 copies of a DVD produced about human cloning and human embryonic stem-cell research will go out to parishes across the state. At least 165 copies have been given to Kansas legislators.

The 15-minute DVD, “The Science of Stem Cells: Finding Cures and Protecting Life,” is an educational project of the Kansas Catholic Conference, with funding by the Kansas Knights of Columbus. It was produced by SaintMax Worldwide, Inc.

“I think that anyone who sits down and watches the video with an open mind will, if they have been confused by the issue in any way, attain clarity, ” said Mike Farmer, director of the Kansas Catholic Conference.

The DVD features national experts explaining facts that too often get obscured by those who want to promote unethical stem-cell research, he said. The videos can be viewed during Mass, after Mass, or before various groups that meet at parishes.

“We used experts in the field from throughout the country,” said Farmer, “and we used consultants such as Richard Doerflinger, from the pro-life secretariat of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Father Tad Pacholczyk [a bio-ethicist and scientist] was involved. I think it responds clearly to the questions that people have and helps clear up the confusion. ”

Jan Lewis, executive director of Catholic Charities, had the advantage of an advance screening at a meeting of the archdiocesan Administrative Team March 6.

“I thought it was a good DVD for the general public,” said Lewis. “The science of the issue is extremely complicated, but the moral implications are simple — you don’t kill someone else to save another’s life. The DVD provides a lot of basic information, and we hope it will lead parishioners to ask more questions and become more vocal. ”

The DVD is an effort by the Kansas bishops to be more proactive and “get in front of the issue,” said Lewis.

“The video is excellent at really getting to the heart of what people need to know about those who would profit from embryonic stem-cell research, and about what we as Catholics can do to protect these vulnerable human beings, ” said Lesle Knop, archdiocesan director of stewardship and development, who also attended the advance screening.

Two important bills relating to human cloning and human embryonic research are working their way through the Kansas Legislature.

The first is HB 2098, which would incorporate cloning and stem-cell definitions from the 2002 national President ’s Council on Bioethics.

“The definitions bill puts everything on a level playing field, so both opponents and proponents [of human cloning and embryonic stem-cell research] will be speaking the same language, ” said Bea Swoopes, associate director of the Kansas Catholic Conference.

The second is HB 2255, which would prohibit the use of public funds for human cloning. The bill would prohibit use of funds to clone or try to create a human clone, to participate in an attempt to create a human clone, and to ship or knowingly receive the product of human cloning for any purpose.

“Most of the opposition to these bills is from the Stowers medical foundation in Missouri, ” said Farmer. “Through their resources, lobbyists have been hired in Topeka, and an organization was established in Lawrence — Kansas Coalition for Lifesaving Cures — very similar to the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, which was the main source of funds for the Amendment 2 campaign in Missouri. ”

“So it’s all connected,” Farmer continued. “There was a lot of [pro-cloning] money put into legislative campaigns during the last election in Kansas. So we know they are very active in Kansas, and their intent is to change Kansas law to allow what is allowed in Missouri by the new amendment. They ’re making a lot of effort to make sure these bills go nowhere.”

Both bills are currently before the House Federal and State Affairs Committee. They were placed there to keep them from dying after “turnaround” day on Feb. 26.

“This is an exempt committee,” said Farmer, so [the bills] can stay alive for the rest of the session. “These bills could come out of the committee and on to the floor of the House at any time for a vote. ”

Both of these bills have already been passed by another committee and do not have to be heard by the Federal and State Affairs Committee, said Farmer.

In order to get the two bills passed into law, the bishops of Kansas have launched a statewide postcard campaign this week.

The bishops are asking that every parishioner of voting age fill out and sign copies of the postcards, which will be delivered to the governor, state senators, and state representatives. The postcards ask that each office holder support the two anti-cloning bills.

“Contrary to public perception, the Catholic Church is very much in favor of finding cures and treatments for suffering people, a continuation of our healing heritage going back centuries, ” said Farmer. “They’re also going to find out that we can heal people without using and destroying other human lives. ”