"Life is Defended"

New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops
Vigorously Defend Dignity of Life Once Again
Embryonic Stem Cell Research Bill Killed in NM

ALBUQUERQUE - Friday, February 22, 2008-- IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Life at its utmost vulnerable state has once again been successfully defended. For the second year in a row, the bill to allow embryonic stem cell research in the State of New Mexico has been defeated. The New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops (NMCCB) vigorously defended the consistent ethic of life and opposed the proposed 2008 legislation by Governor Bill Richardson and Senator John Ryan to make embryonic stem cell research legal in New Mexico. The NMCCB (Most Rev. Michael J. Sheehan, Archbishop of Santa Fe; Most Rev. Ricardo Ramirez, Bishop of Las Cruces; Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted, Apostolic Administrator of Gallup; and Mr. Allen Sanchez, NMCCB Executive Director) tirelessly lobbied legislators to defeat Senate Bill 23 during the recent 2008 New Mexico Legislative Session.

Senate Bill 23 would have legalized the funding of embryonic stem cell research at the University of New Mexico. The proposed Bill would have specifically granted the State the authority to take into its possession live human embryos, and the authority to decide when and how to terminate life. On February 14 at 12:00 p.m., Senate Bill 23 died on the House Judiciary Committee’s desk. Embryonic stem cell research no longer looms on the horizon, at least until the next legislative session.

Archbishop Michael Sheehan and Bishop Ricardo Ramírez testified before the Senate Consumers and Public Affairs Committee reiterating the Church stance – embryos are human life. The proponents of the legislation argued that the targeted embryos from in vitro fertilization clinics would never become human life; therefore, it was acceptable to use them for stem cell research.

Senate Bill 23 passed two Senate Committees and passed out of the Senate 20 to 18. In the House of Representatives, the bill passed the House Consumers and Public Affairs Committee. It was only during the final Committee meeting, the House Judiciary Committee, that enough legislators committed to table the motion. The Committee sat on the SB23 for a week allowing the clock to kill it.

At the close of the Session some reporters compared SB 23 to a run away train. The proposed legislation was derailed by the legislators’ strong commitment to the value of human life. This is the second year that the Governor has attempted to run embryonic stem cell research through the legislature. The 2007 bill also died in the House Judiciary Committee.

Through the NMCCB, the Bishops of New Mexico lobby legislators and teach on moral and ethical issues. The Bishops are committed to a consistent ethic of life. Contact: Allen Sanchez 505.319.3334—END

Faithful Citizenship - 2008

We are pleased to announce the launch of an exciting new 2008 Faithful Citizenship Web Site (www.faithfulcitizenship.org) with lots of resources for individuals, parishes, and other groups. We hope you will find it helpful as you share the message of Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship in your parishes, schools, dioceses and other organizations.

You will find a wide range of resources for prayer and worship, educational programs, family discussions, social concerns and pro-life committees, and many other groups and ministries.

The Faithful Citizenship web site will regularly be updated as new materials are added. In particular, the temporary Spanish page will soon be replaced by a complete Faithful Citizenship web site in Spanish. The temporary “young Catholics” page will be replaced by a lively section specifically for youth and young adults that will have interactive activities, podcasts, streaming videos, and other resources and activities. We will keep you informed as these changes are made.

Thank you for all you are doing to help spread the word about Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.