Catholic Church support of referendum questions around the country garnered mixed results.
But the closely watched assisted suicide question in Maine was defeated with 52 percent of the voters saying 'no' to the question: ``Should a terminally ill adult who is of sound mind be allowed to ask for and receive a doctor's help to die?''
Supporters of the measure were attempting to make Maine the second state to allow physician-assisted suicide and modeled the question after the Oregon law. In the end, 20 medical groups in the state joined the Church in opposing the measure. It is a victory for life and shows the we must keep on track in our efforts to deal with end-of-life issues and pain management.
This summer there were predictions that the assisted suicide measure would pass in Maine, but that was turned around through lots of hard work.
Catholic leaders in Maine spent a lot of effort educating voters on the question which some state legislators here say could end up on a Massachusetts ballot someday. The Massachusetts Catholic Conference is already working hard to educate Catholics here through its "In Support of Life" program so that if the question does end up on our ballot we will be primed to deal with it. This preemptive strike is a sound strategy.
Two states, Michigan and California, defeated ballot questions calling for school vouchers. California would have given $4,000 to any student switching to a private school but Michigan would have only issued vouchers for students in failing schools who wanted to get out.
Cardinal Adam Maida supported the Michigan proposal, but the California bishops remained neutral on their ballot question.
Vouchers is another issue that could appear on the Massachusetts ballot and the organization PACE, Parents Alliance for Catholic Education, is working on building up support for a parental choice program. In Massachusetts, however, we first have to remove an archaic anti-aid provision from the state Constitution. That provision prohibits public aid to non-public school families.
Measures to define marriage, so as to outlaw same-sex civil unions, were approved in Nevada and Nebraska. More than 70 percent of the voters in each state backed the measures to maintain the sanctity of marriage.
Nebraska's bishops strongly backed the Defense of Marriage Amendment while the Nevada bishops remained neutral because their measure was more of a housekeeping question on whether to include the already approved definition of marriage in the state Constitution. Vermont Catholics were unsuccessful in their attempt to stop same-sex unions earlier this year. That may be another issue to watch in the Massachusetts Legislature. Emboldened by success in nearby Vermont proponents of the measure may try to spread the legalization to other states.
A measure that would protect homosexuals from discrimination in Maine failed, despite support from the state's bishops. The Church’s position is one of respect for the human dignity of the individual. No one should be subject to discrimination or violence because of their sexual orientation.
The only major referendum question in the country dealing with abortion was defeated in Colorado Tuesday. Voters rejected a call for a 24-hour waiting period for women seeking abortion.
The Catholic bishops in Oregon were active in their state taking stands on 14 of 24 initiatives facing voters. The Catholic News Service reported that a Church-backed proposal to require background checks for gun purchases was approved but a measure that would have tightened zoning for strip joints and pornography shops lost.
Three of four tax-cutting measures were defeated in Oregon. All were opposed by the bishops, who said they could create ``fiscal chaos'' and hurt the poor.
We are called to be an active and informed Catholic electorate. We can boldly take a stand on issues concerning the protection of human life, the promotion of family life, and the pursuit of social justice. The range of issues the Church has taken a stand on shows our diversity, but all for the common good.