Letters

Adoption - our experience

Bella and Leon Voesenek

Contents - May 2006 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Benedict XVI: love and truth are inseparable Papacy: Benedict completes his first twelve months as Pope - Fr Ephraem Chifley News: The Church Around the World Satellite service: EWTN Australia Events: Carnivale Christi 2006 scheduled for Melbourne and Sydney in May - AD2000 Report Benedict's first twelve months: 'We Are Church' delivers its verdict - Michael Gilchrist Catholicism-lite's Church of convenience - Paul A. Wagner University: Students should challenge dissenting teachers - Dr Michael Casey Vocations: Can religious life be rebuilt in Australia? - Sr Mary Augustine OP Foreign priests - a tale of two Brisbane parishes - Bob Osmak Letters: Adoption - our experience - Bella and Leon Voesenek Letters: Bigotry - Maureen Federico Letters: Religious dissent - Kevin McManus Letters: Lay led liturgies in Rockhampton diocese - Jessie Roger Letters: Actions and attitudes - S. Chaston Letters: Liturgical abuses - Rosanna Sherman Letters: Inclusive language - John Daly Letters: Elites - Peter Gilet Letters: Conscience - Jerome Gonzalez Letters: Modernism - Don Gaffney Letters: Intelligent Design - Michael Griffiths Letters: Creationism? - Fr G.H. Duggan SM Letters: Phillip Adams - Frank Bellet Letters: Warning! Letters: Rosary beads request - Jim Smith Books: The Victory Of Reason, by Rodney Stark - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: On The Way To Jesus Christ, by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) - Jacinta Cummins (reviewer) Books: Young Faces of Holiness: Modern Saints in Photos and Words, by Ann Ball - Jacinta Cummins (reviewer) Books: Stimulating reading from AD Books Reflection: Oneness in Christ: the heart of the priesthood - Fr John W. O'Neill PP

Abortion has been talked about a lot, especially lately with the drug RU486, but very seldom do we hear or read about adoption.

The spelling of the words adoption and abortion is very similar; the difference is only two letters. But that is where the similarity ends. The meaning of the words is so different that it involves the difference between life and death.

Considering that in Australia 100,000 babies are aborted every year, abortion must be readily available. Even in the states where abortion is illegal, e.g., Queensland, 20,000 abortions are carried out every year. What makes it easier again and more attractive is that after the baby has been aborted Medicare pays the bill.

Adoption is not so easy. Quite a few parameters have to be met in order to protect the child. It is also costly and cannot be claimed from Medicare.

There are many married couples out there who cannot have children and would love to adopt. We exhort the women who are pregnant to consider this very seriously. You can make these couples so happy. How do we know? Because we have adopted babies. They are now married and have children of their own. Because of the generosity of the biological mothers we have not only children but also grandchildren. How rich we are.

BELLA & LEON VOESENEK
North Tamborine, Qld

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 19 No 4 (May 2006), p. 14