Denver Catholic

9 DENVER CATHOLIC | APRIL 11-17, 2015 Archdiocese of Denver Mortuary 12801 W. 44th Ave. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 (303) 425-9511 Mt. Olivet Cemetery 12801 W. 44th Ave. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 (303) 424-7785 St. Simeon Cemetery 22001 E. State Hwy. 30 Aurora, CO 80018 (720) 859-9785 • Professional, personalized service • Respectful • Compassionate The Archdiocese of Denver Cemeteries and Mortuary Caring for the faithful in Northern Colorado since 1893 in their most personal time of need. Women) Wed., May 13, 1-4 p.m., Cost: $30 The Center for Contemplative Living, 3650 Yates St., Denver To register, go to www.contemplativeoutreach-co.org or call (303) 698-7729. Walk-ins welcome. Contemplative Outreach of Colorado will feature Father William Meninger, OCSO, in a special class May 13 on the Ascent of Mount Carmel and the Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross. Fr. Meninger will guide us through the classical texts as they apply to our spiritual growth. The class is for those who want to deepen their Christian inner work. Fr. Meninger is a Trappist monk who resides at St. Benedict's Monastery in Snowmass. St. John of the Cross For Beginners HOLY LAND FRANCISCAN PILGRIMAGES www.HolyLandPilgrimages.org • info@HolyLandPilgrimages.org HOLY LAND June 7 - 15, 2015 $3,658 October 9 - 18, 2015 $3,650 HOLY LAND & JORDAN July 15 - 25, 2015 $3,960 November 11 - 21, 2015 $3,790 FATIMA & LOURDES June 23 - July 5, 2015 $3,770 GREECE & TURKEY September 12 - 23, 2015 $3,870 1-800-566-7499 A state bill seeking millions of dollars in funding to continue a government-funded contracep- tive program is drawing strong rebuke for its attempt to sterilize women and send false messages about their fertility. The Colorado Catholic Conference (CCC), the Church's lobbying arm in the state, is encouraging faithful to contact their state representatives and ask them to oppose House Bill 1194 that proposes greater access to inter-uterine devices (IUDs) in women.±±± "The CCC is deeply concerned about the consequences of widespread tempo- rary sterilization of women and girls in Colorado; these forms of contraception do nothing to prevent STDs and there is nothing to suggest that the psychologi- cal and medical risks and costs associated with increased sexual activity will be managed or addressed by this legisla- tion," the conference stated in an email. Legislators are giving the LARC (long-acting reversible contraception) bill another look after it took a brief hiatus following a house committee's initial approval in late February. The bill is expected to draw debate from both sides of the aisle for its proposal to add $5 million in funding to the state health department's program targeted at pro- viding contraception to low-income teenagers and young women. Proponents of the bill cite the need for wider access to LARCs, including IUDs like Mirena and Skyla, in order to reduce unplanned pregnancies. Local nurse Dede Chism, co-founder of Bella Natural Women's Care and parish- ioner of Holy Name Parish, reacted to the push for increased contraception funding as a move that further objectifi es women and their fertility. "Contraception exploits a woman's body," Chism said from the Englewood clinic. "It says, 'All of you is OK but your fertility is not OK.'" These kinds of messages occur when patients are given Band-Aid solutions to fertility issues, such as abnormal uterine bleeding, and are prescribed an IUD as an easy fi x, she said. Bill sponsors tout IUDs as a way to pre- vent unplanned pregnancies and require little maintenance by women. Yet they do not prevent the risk of STDs and can cause serious medical problems like a perforated uterus or ectopic pregnancy. Some dissenters of the bill said rather than an infallible way to prevent pregnancy—like abstinence—LARCs undermine the dignity of women. Chism said women deserve real options that address the source of the fertility issue and should be educated about their bodies. "We can be giving someone a mixed message in giving them a treatment of symptoms that also a¤ ects their fertility. The message that can give is, 'I need to be afraid of my fertility. I need to not have to worry about my fertility. My sexual choices don't matter.'" Bella Natural Women's Care has responded to the need for healthy fertil- ity options. The resulting message should be that every part of a woman is good, beautiful and true, she said. Instead of increasing access to contraception, women should have access to fertility awareness. "Young women, adolescents, and all women deserve to learn how their bodies are working and how their reproductive cycle works," Chism said. "It's not so fright- ening and it's also super empowering." For more information on the bill and how to contact state legislators, visit www.cocatholicconference.org. Lawmakers return to contraception debate BY NISSA LAPOINT 303-715-3138 nissa.lapoint@archden.org www.twitter.com/DenCathNissa UPCOMING "Contraception in Teens: Harming your Daughter Today and Tomorrow" Dr. Stephen Hickner 7:30 p.m. April 15 St. John Paul II Center, 1300 S. Steele St. "Fertility Awareness: Natural Approaches to Reproductive Health" Dede Chism, perinatal nurse 7 p.m. April 29 Bella Natural Women's Care, 180 E. Hampden Ave., Englewood i State law- makers will reconsider a bill that would ex- pand funding to spread the use of IUDs and implants in low-income teenagers and women. FLICKR PHOTO/MARA

• Cover