A Fruitful Day in Sacramento

By Fr. James Rude, S.J.

April 24, 2007

 This year's Catholic Lobby Day was a great success. But for me it was a different experience than last year's. Last year was my first year and it was thrilling and exciting and awesome; I was a smidge wonder-struck by it all. There we were, wandering the halls of our state capitol, talking to legislators or their aides, expounding our Catholic views. This year it was more of a job, somewhat less exciting, but in no way dull. I simply was more aware of the work we had to do to, the homework that it took to present our Church's arguments well, always with the hope that they would accept our arguments about up-coming bills. We discussed four bills in particular.

AB 1060, the Food Stamp Program, which would streamline red-tape procedures and open many thousands of Californians to the federally funded food stamps that they are already eligible to receive. Did you know that fewer than half of the residents of our state, who are eligible to receive food stamps, actually get them? Besides more food for our hungry, there would be an economic boost for our farmers and grocers and others involved in food processing and distribution. With our present procedures, we are passing up some $2 billion a year in federal food stamp benefits.

Then there is AB 1539, Sentencing, which would make it easier to release state prisoners who are diagnosed with a disease that would result in their deaths within six months. It would be cheaper for the state, but more important it would be a humane thing to do, to permit these men and women live their last few months with their families.

SB 160 is beautifully, albeit serendipitously, named the California Dream Act. Dream actually stands for Development, Relief and Education for Alien/Minors and it would permit some people to achieve a dream they have. It would permit minors without documentation but who have been living here in our state for some years successfully and productively to apply for federal and state funding for their college education. It would not be denying that money to residents since there is money available that is not presently claimed. This would be a gracious act for young people who have already shown that they want to be a positive, contributing part of our community.

The one problem bill is AB 374, the so-called California Compassionate Choice Act, which should be called the California Assisted Suicide Act. This would permit those with a terminal disease to off themselves, something that is totally contrary to our Catholic sense of life from womb to tomb.

If you look at these four bills, all of them have to do with human dignity, and this is the basic stance of our Church. Our God did not create at random and our Lord did not redeem at random. Every human being on the face of the earth has stamped on his/her face the image of God. Every human being on the face of the earth has been redeemed by the love that Jesus showed us throughout His life, passion, death and—a special note during this season of the year—RESURRECTION. Therefore, as His followers, we should always be struggling to maintain the human dignity that results. I mentioned at the top that I am aware of the work that we have to do to make Lobby Day a success. More basic is the work that we have to do to make Catholics understand that politics (that is, working for the well-being of all the members of our communities) is not an aside for us, it is a duty that stems from our following a Christ who Himself lived for others. No fair driving on roads that others paved for us, relying on emergency crews that others pay for us, eating food that others grow for us. This is OUR community: we benefit from it and we enrich it with our talents, our works and our concern.