Pro-Life Hero Passes Away

Retired Congressman Henry Hyde (R-IL) passed away yesterday, 29 November 2007. For those of us who are involved in the struggle to protect the unborn, he will be fondly remembered for his efforts to end abortion. His greatest achievement in this area was what is now known as The Hyde Amendment. This was an annual rider to the Labor/HHS/Education appropriations bills that put limits on medicaid spending for abortions. Except for certain health exceptions abortion on demand could not be paid for by medicaid.

Beyond this he passionately fought to put an end to abortion. He worked hard to put limits on it with the ulti mate goal of putting an end to the practice. 1 of his oft repeated lines about the evils of abortion was: "I feel abortion is the ultimate in child abuse."

Congressman Hyde was not perfect. He had his flaws & made mistakes like all of us. But when it came to living out his faith in the political arena, unlike a lot of so called Catholics who are personally opposed to abortion or even supportive of it while claiming to be good Catholics, he knew that he had to fight for the lives of the unborn.

On 5 November 2007 President Bush awarded him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In his remarks about Congressman Hyde, president Bush included the following: "He used his persuasive powers for noble causes. He stood for a strong and purposeful America -- confident in freedom's advance, and firm in freedom's defense. He stood for limited, accountable government, and the equality of every person before the law. He was a gallant champion of the weak and forgotten, and a fearless defender of life in all its seasons."

In a speech Congressman Hyde said the following to explain his strong Pro-Life stand: "When the time comes as it surely will, when we face that awesome moment, the final judgment, I've often thought, as Fulton Sheen wrote, that it is a terrible moment of loneliness. You have no advocates, you are there alone standing before God and a terror will rip through your soul like nothing you can imagine. But I really think that those in the pro-life movement will not be alone. I think there will be a chorus of voices that have never been heard in this world but are heard beautifully and clearly in the next world and they will plead for everyone who has been in this movement. They will say to God, "Spare him because he loved us," and God will look at you and say not, "Did you succeed?" but "Did you try?""

I can guarentee you that that chorus spoke up as he stood before God. & that his answer was an unequivocal "YES, I did!" To which God responded "Well done, good & faithful servant. Enter into the reward prepared for you from the start of time." & to that the same chorus responded with a loud, long cheer of welcome home to a great hero.

Eternal rest grant unto him, Oh Lord.

& let perpetual light shine upon him!