I am no goose expert. Ornithology of the Canadian variety is an easy study, though, here at the Diocesan Administration Center. Geese love the grounds. Since they mate for life, my theory is they are attracted to the Church’s teachings on marriage. As theories go, mine is likely as good as the next. 

 

Recently, one momma nested close to my parking spot. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources reports that “the male will aggressively defend the nest and goslings.” Be assured that both parents are in defensive mode. 

 

After first encountering their stern warnings, I thought, “All human moms and dads need to defend their preborn with as much intensity.” 

 

To the ancient Celtic peoples, geese symbolized the Holy Spirit because both possess the characteristics of surprise and disruption. In Roman history, a flock of geese is credited with saving the city from Gallic invasion. St. Isidore of Seville wrote, “Geese watch at night and give warning with their noise. … Geese warned Rome of attack by the Gauls.” 

 

Thus, I am reminded, through geese: as faith-filled, countercultural people who witness to the sanctity of human life, we need the vigilance and boldness of the Holy Spirit to defend life when it is under attack. 

 

Two weeks ago, the Life and Family Evangelization Office led a diocesan pilgrimage to Springfield for the Illinois March for Life. We joined several thousand people outside the state capitol. The following day, the Diocese of Rockford and the Archdiocese of Chicago joined with the Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI) to advocate directly to our legislators as part of CCI’s Life Advocacy Day. 

 

To complete the metaphor, we employed disruption, vigilance, and boldness to defend our young, as well as all human life. 

 

Kathy Berkes, the diocesan Project Rachel coordinator, and I walked the halls of the Stratton Office Building and the Capitol to meet as many legislators and legislative aids as possible. Our focus was on asking for opposition to two bills.

 

Senate Bill 1909, if passed, would endanger the important services offered by pregnancy care centers to oftentimes low-income or marginalized pregnant women in Illinois. 

 

The bill’s proponents want to force these pro-life centers to refer women to abortions. These centers provide no-cost services like pregnancy testing, ultrasounds and sexually transmitted disease testing. The centers form relationships with couples who have an unplanned pregnancy. They offer financial and material support, family and parenting education, post-abortion counseling, and spiritual support and prayer. The U.S. Supreme Court knocked down similar legislation in California as a violation of the First Amendment. 

 

House Bill 3158 would allow for deceased human remains to be used as fertilizer through human composting. 

 

Humans are made in the image of God. We are both body and soul. In our faith, respectful care of the dead points to our hope in the resurrection of the body and to our belief in the communion of saints. Respect for the remains of the deceased is an essential part of civil society, independent of theological belief. The process of human composting is morally and theologically repugnant. 

 

Nothing short of the love of our Trinitarian God will solve the mess that brings about legislation like this. Yet, Kathy and I did meet good people working at the Capitol. I think of the compassion in the eyes of the aid who staffs three legislators and three committees, and took time to hear Kathy’s story of post-abortive healing and the importance of crisis pregnancy centers. Also in my prayers will be the representative who, on seeing my business card, paused only to finish his lunch before welcoming us and pledging his opposition to both bills. 

 

We must pray for these good people and for the conversion of all hearts. 

 

Come, Holy Spirit, to our state capitol! We need your holy disruption. And bring your geese to inspire us to defend life with vigilance and boldness.