Local News
Letters To the Editor
Published: December 9, 2010
To the Editor:
We were saddened to read the letter in your edition of Nov. 25, criticizing “a Catholic school’s participation in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.” We are the grandparents of one of the children pictured and in no sense could you say that she and her small group of companions represented her school, were “participating” in the race, or, as suggested later, were “involved in fund-raising efforts for the group.” Rather, they were there to see a few of their mothers as they passed by on the last day of the 60-mile race. We are not advocates for Planned Parenthood and were not aware that the Susan G. Komen fund provided any support to it, but after doing our own research it would not have affected our decision to support our daughter in taking part. She raised over $3,000 this year. It was her second race: the first was five years ago after her aunt had breast cancer and this year after a cousin was also was diagnosed with it. As our 6 year-old granddaughter put it: “Mommy is walking so that (my sister) and I do not have sick (breasts) when we grow up.”
The SGK fund appears to donate by far the largest part of its funding to cancer. Its grants to Planned Parenthood are clearly intended to support its breast screening clinics. The SGK Atlanta affiliate, responsible for this race, donates 75 percent of its funds to local hospitals (including Saint Joseph’s) and others providing breast cancer education, screening and treatment, but nothing, so far as we could see, to any local branch of Planned Parenthood.
We do not know of any other local event where our daughter and the thousands of others who walked in North Georgia this year could have raised so much ($6.2 million) for breast cancer research. We accept that there is a group of Catholics who do feel strongly about the relationship between SGK and Planned Parenthood, but it appears that only one U.S. diocese (Little Rock) has formally discouraged parishes and schools from supporting SGK. Can we not agree that any SGK grants that might be argued to indirectly support abortion are far outweighed by the grants that support breast health, screening and treatment?
Patrick and Mary Lacey
Smyrna
To the Editor:
Everyone would agree that there is a need to support beneficial medical research and programs designed to end the suffering of those with breast cancer and other serious health conditions. However, as Catholics, we need to be aware that some medical charities support positions and practices that are contrary to our belief in the dignity and value of every human life, from its very earliest stages.
As explained in a recent letter to the editor, affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure (the Komen fund) have donated to Planned Parenthood, the largest provider and promoter of abortion in the United States. In addition, the Komen fund supports embryonic-destructive stem cell research, and denies any possible link to abortion and breast cancer.
Most people who donate to a medical charity are focused on helping to save lives and prevent suffering, and may be unaware of the organization’s position on these issues. The sad fact is the Komen fund is not the only group that presents us with ethical difficulties. Other well-known groups, such as American Cancer Society, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and the March of Dimes, either currently support abortion or embryonic-destructive stem cell research, or have done so in the past.
In order to avoid supporting an organization that engages in, or supports practices that violate church teaching, our office (the Respect Life ministry) recommends making a careful evaluation before deciding to contribute. For example, a search of the Komen website will reveal the donations to Planned Parenthood, the denial of any link between abortion and breast cancer, as well as support for embryonic-destructive stem cell research.
The Respect Life ministry can help you research a particular medical charity. We can also help you look for alternative organizations to support. In addition, we can provide you with well-documented background information on these important topics.
While we all share in the desire to save lives and prevent diseases, it is my prayer that we can find ways to do so without compromising our principle that all human life is sacred and is a gift from God.
Mary Boyert
Director, Archdiocese of Atlanta Respect Life Ministry
RespectLife@archatl.com (404) 888-7821
