Since the introduction in January of doctor prescribed suicide legislation in Sacramento, parishioners throughout the Diocese became involved in joining the Catholic Legislative Network, e-mailing, making phone calls and even visiting their elected representatives, lending their voices in support of the vulnerable who would be hurt by the bill that began its life as Senate Bill 128.
It stalled thanks to protest in the Assembly Health Committee, but eventually passed both houses of the California legislature in an Extraordinary Session as AB 2x 15 and was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown on October 5.
With only 90 days to collect the 366,000 signatures needed to qualify the referendum for the state ballot, 14 trainings were hastily organized by the Department of Life, Dignity and Justice. Deacons, parish staff and leaders from Knights of Columbus, Social Justice, and Respect Life Ministries learned to make sure that those signing petitions were registered to vote in California, that individual petition sheets were “County Clean,” and that completed petitions would get in the “Mail on Mondays.”
Under the direction of Culture of Life Chairman Mark Padilla, the Knights of Columbus throughout California placed themselves in service of their Bishops. Arrowhead Desert Valley Chapter President Glen Kraig asked every one of his 53 Councils to do all possible to make the signature gathering a success. The Rancho Cucamonga Council led by Grand Knight Nicholas Ewell supported not one but three parishes in gathering signatures.
Among the first to host signature gathering were Catholics of African Descent at the Black Catholic History Month Mass, where Sister Chilee Okoko, D.M.M.M., a physician, spoke of the importance of managing pain and depression for the ill, rather than encouraging them to consume handfuls of lethal medication. Deacon John Barna, Director of Catholic Cemeteries and Deacon Ed Clark, Director of Diaconate Formation, demonstrated good humor as they learned-by-doing, collecting hundreds of signatures at the Diaconate Ordination on Nov. 21.
Catholic parishes across Riverside and San Bernardino counties participated with enthusiasm for three weekends in December, quickly completing 11,000 petitions with 10 signature lines each, leaving the Diocese to scour neighboring counties for 5,000 more petitions. Prayers were said to stop doctor prescribed suicide. Homilists like Deacon Tony Moralez of St. Paul the Apostle in Chino Hills spoke of the need for love and compassion, that killing was never the answer to frailty and suffering. At St. Francis of Assisi in La Quinta a staff member relished the joyful chaos when English-language volunteers were overwhelmed by parishioners exiting the Vietnamese-language Mass, determined to make a difference.
Just as the Year of Mercy launched, heavy envelopes of completed petitions began arriving at the Diocesan Pastoral Center. Many leaders, such as St. Anthony, Upland Social Justice Coordinators Richard and Ruby Simpson, delivered petitions in person, just to make sure every signature gathered would be counted. Sometime early in 2016 we will learn if the Veto Referendum will make it to the ballot.
Marie Widmann, M.A. is the Director of Pro Life Catholic Ministries and is indebted to the spirit of the Catholic Community in the Diocese of San Bernardino.