Bishop Responds to Passage of “Informed Consent” Law

The following is a statement issued by Bishop William F. Medley concerning Kentucky Senate Bill 4.

A fundamental belief by the Catholic Church is that all life is sacred – from conception until natural death.

“Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains forever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being” (Donum Vitae, 5).

As Bishop of the Diocese of Owensboro in western Kentucky, I am pleased to learn Commonwealth of Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin signed Senate Bill 4 into law. Requiring women to have a face-to-face or live video conversation with a health care provider regarding their impending procedure could positively affect the well-being of thousands of women and babies in Kentucky each year.

I am grateful that this bill received overwhelmingly positive bipartisan support in both the Kentucky Senate and Kentucky House of Representatives. This reflects well the values of Kentuckians about the dignity of all human life.

The Church has and will continue to provide compassionate care for women who find themselves with an unplanned pregnancy and who feel hopeless. The Diocese of Owensboro has a very active Catholic Charities office which provides these women with options including the placement of their children into loving, adoptive homes. There are couples in our Diocese on a waiting list to welcome a child into their family.

Governor Bevin’s signature on Senate Bill 4 provides women in Kentucky more opportunity to process their abortion decision and to hear options before the senseless killing of an unborn gift from God.