Plenty to talk about in Obama’s stem-cell decision

Not surprisingly, President Barack Obama’s decision to lift his predecessor’s limits on federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research has prompted lots of commentary in the Catholic press. Here is a sampler:

Our Sunday Visitor’s John Norton had this to say, while Catholic San Francisco featured this guest commentary by Vicki Evans, coordinator of pro-life activities in the San Francisco Archdiocese. Joe Towalski of The Catholic Spirit in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis had these views, while an unsigned piece in The Catholic Standard & Times, Philadelphia archdiocesan newspaper, said Obama missed a chance for unity. Sam Lucero of The Compass in Green Bay, Wis., called the decision regrettable.

And as the debate moves to Congress, the commentary is likely to continue.

Four peace witnesses fined for action at Vandenberg

Dennis Apel of the Guadalupe Catholic Worker talks with a military police sergeant prior to his arrest during a peace vigil at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California May 19, 2007. (CNS/Los Angeles Catholic Worker)

The four longtime peace witnesses on whom we first reported in December after they were found guilty of trespassing at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California have been fined for their action, but did not receive jail sentences from a U.S. District Court magistrate.

After hearing statements from defense attorney Kate Chatfield, the military judge advocate general and the defendants, Magistrate Rita Coyne Federman said March 12 that the charges did not warrant jail time. Instead, she issued the fines and assigned court costs, which all four pledged not to pay.

Jesuit Father Steve Kelly and Jeff Dietrick of the Los Angeles Catholic Worker were fined $1,000. Franciscan Father Louis Vitale was fined $500. Dennis Apel of the Guadalupe Catholic Worker in Guadalupe, Calif., was fined $2,500. All were part of an Armed Forces Day vigil May 19, 2007 at the base.

It was Apel who first began to talk with base soldiers keeping an eye on the vigilers about their role in carrying out military orders that led to the deaths of innocent civilians, especially in Iraq. When he refused to step back across a line the base had designated as off limits to nonmilitary personnel, he was joined by the others in support. All four were arrested, leading to their Dec. 4 trial in which Federman determined they were guilty.

Apel’s statement to the court prior to sentencing can be read here.