- Return
to Pro Life Corner
Bishop Fiorenza Visits Parents of Houston Octuplets
By Catholic News Service
HOUSTON -- Bishop Joseph A. Fiorenza of Galveston-Houston visited the parents of the Houston octuplets at their home Jan. 1 and thanked the mother for "this outstanding witness to the proper use of reproductive rights."
"Today, when many parents freely choose to abort their babies, this admirable couple freely chose to allow their babies to be born," said the bishop, who is also president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and U.S. Catholic Conference.
Nkem Chukwu, a 29-year-old native of Nigeria, gave birth to the first of the octuplets Dec. 8 and the other seven children Dec. 20 at St. Luke Episcopal Hospital in Houston. The youngest baby girl died Dec. 27.
Chukwu is a member of the nondenominational Bible Believer's Christian Church, but her husband, Iyke Louis Udobi, is a Catholic and works for St. Joseph Hospital in Houston.
Bishop Fiorenza said he wanted to thank the mother for the heroic witness she gave to the world during the final weeks of her pregnancy, when she was confined to bed with her head tilted down to relieve pressure on the children in her womb.
Even though the nearly upside-down position was very uncomfortable, "she gave her babies the gift of a mother's love, completely selfless and self-sacrificing," the bishop said.
He also praised the couple for refusing to consider the medical suggestion of "selective reduction," which would have aborted several of the developing babies to increase the likelihood that the others would survive.
"When others use reproductive freedom to terminate the lives of their babies, this mother was honored to use her reproductive rights to give life to her babies," Bishop Fiorenza said. "Chukwu's example is a beautiful and powerful statement that her babies' right to life had priority over any alleged reproductive rights she could have invoked to end their lives before birth.
The parish of St. Albert of Trapani, where the husband is registered and attends, has rallied to the support of the new parents and their children. Parishioners have collected food and clothing to assist them in providing for their suddenly large family.
Bishop Fiorenza said both parents have a profound and uncomplicated trust in God's providence for the task they face.
"God has been my great provider and he will continue to provide for me and my babies," the mother has said. "He brought the babies, and he will take care of them."
The seven remaining octuplets are expected
to remain in the hospital until sometime in March.
This article was published in the Arlington
Catholic Herald,
200 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 607, Arlington, VA 22203; Vol 24, No 1;
page 10, dated Jan. 7, 1999.
E-mail:
letters@catholicherald.com
Fax: 703/524-2782;
Editorial: 703/841-2590;
Advertising: 703/841-2594;
Circulation: 703/841-2565
A note from the Web Master:
It is noteworthy and honorable that some folks are willing to stand up for a ban on Partial-Birth Abortion. Let us not forget that ordinary everyday Abortion is also murder. We must understand that murder is murder no matter the method. Because one method of abortion seems to be horrible does not justify the other methods. We should be horrified and sickened by any Abortion regardless of the method. The Fifth Commandment spells it out clearly: "Thou shalt not kill." A fetus is a person, a human being with a God given soul. Imagine the pain the Lord must feel when any Abortion occurs. Please contact both of your Senators and Representative, via letter or phone, to let them know how horrified you are that Abortions are legal and to stop Partial-Birth Abortions and all other Abortions as soon as possible. (It has become apparent that they do not respond to email therefore you will have more of an impact by writing or telephoning.)
This page is hosted
by
Get
your own Free Home Page
Todays Date: