There's always good news and bad news. Last month I wrote about the "population implosion" all over the world. For this month, I wanted to write some good news and it arrived just in time in a pro-life document from the United States.

It is an article by a New York Post columnist named Ray Kerrison and the subject is the mother of the septuplets who were born in Iowa very recently. The article is headlined, "Seven babies only doctors couldn't love."

Everyone has heard and read about the septuplets, but perhaps everybody, like myself, had not heard some of the details regarding that wonderful event.

The names of the young husband and wife, who are the parents of the seven babies, are Bobbi (mother) and Kenny (father) McCaughey. They live in Carlisle, Ia. When it was discovered that Bobbi was pregnant with seven babies, the "best medical brains" recommended that she abort some of them. Apparently mothers of multiple babies are given the option to abort some and save the others. Even the fertility specialist, who had been treating her, so advised.

All get chance at life

But Bobbi's answer was a very definite "No" and she was fully supported by her husband Kenny. Bobbi told her Baptist minister, Pastor Bob Brown, of the Baptist Missionary Church in Carlisle, ‘We're going to have them all." The pastor fully agreed with her because, as she says, "In our church, we do not believe in abortion under any circumstances." (I would like to add that I worked close to some Baptist pastors in Africa, and, while we obviously did not agree on everything, I always admired their total sincerity in following their interpretation of the Bible. On the question of murdering babies, they were totally in accord with the teaching of the Catholic Church).

In his encyclical letter The Gospel of Life, Pope John Paul states, "The moral gravity of procured abortion is apparent in all its truth if we recognize that we are dealing with murder."

Still, as somebody remarked, it took a brave young woman to brush aside the counsel not only of her doctors, but also of the fertility specialist who had been treating her. A lady who lives beside the McCaughys in Carlisle was not at all surprised at their decision. She says, "Bobbi and Kenny have an overwhelming belief in God. Most women facing multiple births are given the option to abort some to save others. But it was never an option for Bobbi and Kenny. They said that God gave them the babies and they would carry it through."

The lady in question, Mrs. Lavern Thompson added, "She is only five feet, three inches tall. How she managed to carry seven babies I'll never know." When someone jokingly asked Mrs. Thompson, "How will you like it when all seven babies start howling at the same time in the night?" She replied, "It will be music in my ears."

The article says that the world at large was stunned with a mixture of excitement and disbelief, and then adds that only the medical establishment is sour. Bobbi was accused by some doctors of playing "Russian roulette," by insisting on having the seven babies. Another said, "She gambled." But somebody else declared that Bobbi and Kenny didn't toss a coin to decide whether or not to murder some of their babies. They put themselves in the hands of God and He took care of everything.

The reaction in the town of Carlisle was one of joy and pride. It surely would have been otherwise if two or three of the babies had been sacrificed in favor of the others. Imagine the ones who had survived growing up and realizing that, "It might have been me. Do my parents really love me?"
Witness to entire country

A Catholic priest, well known for his pro-life activity made the following statement: "Mrs. McCaughey gave tremendous witness to the whole country. The witness that God gives life; God takes life. Notice how the whole country is rejoicing over the birth of those seven babies. How could Mrs. McCaughey or the country rejoice if she had chosen to kill three or four of the babies, listening to the doctors nonsense? It is a great example to everybody in how to trust in God. There is no ‘choice' and Mrs. McCaughey understood that. That is why she is such a magnificent example."

So far the babies have defied all medical fears. It was announced a few days ago that the first baby has been taken home and the other six are doing well.

And an admiring world has responded with material goods and offers to help the young couple in any possible way. I suggest that we in Canada offer at least our prayers for Bobbi, Kenny and the seven babies that the Lord may bless them with health and happiness and continued faith in the days that lie ahead.