Texas Catholic Voice July 2024

Five years ago, the US bishops launched the initiative Civilize It, in response to the call of Pope Francis for “a better kind of politics.” Since then, we have seen an alarming increase in the polarization of our country, including sadly within the Church. This polarization reached a crescendo on July 13 when former President Trump became the target of an assassination attempt, and one rally attendee lost his life. Regardless of one’s opinions or feelings about former President Donald Trump, we should all be united in gratitude that his life was spared. We cannot accept such depraved acts against human life and their corrosive effects on our political institutions and culture.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the USCCB stated, “This tragic event is really a call to action to all of us to measure our discourse and to move forward in pathways of peace and reconciliation and (for) an honest assessment of whatever political differences there are and however we can work together to find solutions.”

If you have not already done so, please sign the Civilize It pledge and share it with others. Between now and the election in November, we will be promoting this effort on our website, social media, and in the Texas Catholic Voice.

Texas Medical Board rulemaking update

The Texas Medical Board adopted rules which took effect on July 17 regarding exceptions to the ban on abortion. Sec. 165.7 of the Texas Administrative Code provides the definitions of “abortion,” “reasonable medical judgement,” “medical emergency,” and “major bodily function,” citing the sources currently in statute.

Sec. 165.8 states that an abortion shall not be performed in this state unless it complies with the provisions of the Health and Safety Code, which are to save the life of the mother or preserve a major bodily function. It also lists the requirements for documenting the reason an abortion was performed and explicitly states, “Imminence of the threat to life or impairment of a major bodily function is not required.”

Sec. 165.9 addresses how the board will review complaints and handle investigations regarding abortions applying the board’s standard complaint process.

We are satisfied the rules are clear and consistent with the law and hope they will assuage the fears of providers and women experiencing complicated pregnancies.

For those continuing to demand exceptions for fetal anomalies, partly based on recent cases which have been exploited in the media to stoke fear and outrage, euthanasia in the womb is not the solution. In the face of a life-limiting diagnosis, physicians must offer support, compassion, and reassurance that they will care for both mother and baby through delivery and beyond. This should be provided through perinatal palliative care. Considering the level of trust most pregnant women place in their doctors, this accompaniment would go a long way in the effort to make abortion unthinkable.

Execution update

We are gratified Ruben Gutierrez received an indefinite stay of execution from the US Supreme Court. This reprieve came only 20 minutes before his scheduled execution on July 16. He was sentenced to death for the murder of Escolastica Harrison in 1999. While acknowledging he was present at the scene and participated in the robbery, he denies murdering her and has been seeking DNA testing to prove he was not the assailant. The stay is only temporary while the justices decide whether to give the case a full hearing. Ruben has been issued seven death warrants since 2018 and this is the second time he received a last-minute stay. In 2020, the US Supreme Court halted his execution just over an hour before he was scheduled to receive a lethal injection. We pray he will not face another execution date.

Education hearing

The House Committee on Public Education will have a hearing on Aug. 12, 9 a.m. that includes discussion of the following interim charge: “Consider issues and matters to increase educational opportunities in Texas to ensure that students and families have increased options to attend a high-quality school, regardless of circumstance. Evaluate the use of education savings accounts in other states and make recommendations for a Texas program, including suggestions on eligibility and prioritization of applicants.”

Testimony will be invited and open to the public. Watch the live broadcast on the Texas House website.