From the editor's desk

Catholic New Times, April 10, 2005

As I write just before Holy Thursday, the sad Terri Schiavo case plays itself out in the United States. This family tragedy, replete with suffering, ambiguity and heightened media fanfare, is also being used in shameless ways by Republicans and their Christian-right supporters.

The prolongation of life in an irreversible comatose state is the subject of our editorial which raises some pressing questions. We are once again happy to seek wisdom from you on this painful issue. Page 4.

On the same page, respected anthropologist Gil Baillie issues a clarion call to get past the antiseptic language used by those on the "pro choice" side. Democrats as ambitious as Hilary Clinton and John Kerry learned to their chagrin in the last U.S. presidential election, that many committed Christians, radical on issues of justice and peace, are also adamant about being consistent when it comes to life. Left-wing political correctness, often a litmus test in Democratic politics, may fail the test of logic and consistency. On pragmatic grounds alone, the Dems are learning a valuable lesson.

In Canada. we might include both the Liberals and New Democrats who might re-examine their position, looking for more common ground on reducing the necessity for abortion. The ultimate pragmatist Bill Clinton had it right: abortion needs to become, "less necessary and more rare." All must re-examine the coarsening of life which has silently advanced since the Roe/Wade decision in 1973.

Our centre-spread attempts to further the dialogue on church governance. Pages 10, 11.

Ft. Jeff Doucette bravely addresses the priest shortage in Canada on page 15 and Lynda Arbour writes about the latest Vatican silencing, this time of Jesuit Roger Haight, on page 16,

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