Moe Wosepka, Executive Director, Montana Catholic Conference Helena Mont

Chairperson Rice, and members of the committee:   My name is Moe Wosepka I currently serve as Director of the Montana Catholic Conference which is the Public policy voice for the two Catholic diocese in Montana. 

The person who was to be with me this morning to speak in a much more eloquent manner on such a difficult issue could not be here, so my testimony will be brief, and too the point. 

The Bishops in Montana as leaders of over 100,000 Catholics are unwavering in their support for human life from conception to natural death.  As a seamless garment the support for life includes any manipulation of the human embryo for scientific research purposes.  Our former Pope John Paul II spoke often on the issue of cloning and perhaps he says it best with this statement: 

“I am speaking of a tragic spiral of death which includes murder, suicide, abortion, euthanasia…. To this list we must add irresponsible practices of genetic engineering, such as the cloning and use of human embryos for research, which are justified by an illegitimate appeal to freedom, to cultural progress, to the advancement of mankind. When the weakest and most vulnerable members of society are subjected to such atrocities, the very idea of the human family, built on the value of the person, on trust, respect and mutual support, is dangerously eroded. A civilization based on love and peace must oppose these experiments, which are unworthy of man.”

Madam Chairperson, and members of the committee, The Montana Catholic Conference on behalf of the Catholic Diocese of Helena, and the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings support HB215, and encourage you to pass this legislation.

Thank you

Get PDF file of this testimonial here.