Catholic religious leaders throughout the state expressed disappointment at voters' narrow rejection last week of Proposition 85, but also noted coalition efforts to pass the measure resulted in the positive development of collaborative bonds with many pro-life groups.

"We are deeply disappointed that the voters of California chose not to pass Proposition 85, the Parents' Right to Know and Child Protection Act," said Ned Dolejsi, executive director of the bishops' California Catholic Conference.

Similar to last year's parental notification initiative Prop 73 which failed by a margin of 53% to 47%, Prop 85 was defeated by a slightly narrower margin of 52.1% to 47.9%. Its passage would have amended California's Constitution to forbid physicians from performing abortions on underage girls until parents/guardians had received written notice at least 48 hours in advance. More than 30 states have parental notification laws, including the California border state of Arizona.

"Proposition 85," said Dolejsi, "was a common sense initiative that affirmed parental involvement in the medical and moral decisions of their minor daughters. Public opinion polls have consistently shown that people of goodwill generally approve of this restriction, which would have made abortion law consistent with the overwhelming body of state law recognizing the rights and responsibilities of parents in overseeing the welfare of their minor children."

Although Prop 85 did not pass, Dolejsi said coalition campaign efforts "provided us all a valuable opportunity to educate both our parishioners and the general public, many of whom were unaware that children in public school grades 7-12 could be excused for confidential medical services, including abortion, without their parents' knowledge.

"The campaign for Proposition 85 also offered us the chance to develop collaborative bonds with the Knights of Columbus, Catholics for the Common Good and Hispanics for Life who were tireless in their efforts to both promote Proposition 85 and to encourage Catholics to go to the polls," said Dolejsi.

Bill May, chairman and founder of Bay Area-based Catholics for the Common Good, described the Prop 85 campaign as "a wonderful team effort" from people all over California. Though he admitted in a post-election e-mail to CCG members that he shared "intense disappointment" with them about Prop 85's defeat, he urged supporters to consider it "just a temporary setback in our work for justice for the unborn, and for parents' right to provide for the education, health, and welfare of their children without outside interference."

"I have never seen a greater level of cooperation between laity and clergy in a campaign," declared May. Besides endorsements from the CCC and pronouncements urging support from diocesan leaders, including Cardinal Roger Mahony, over 1,000 Catholic parishes and organizations publicly endorsed the parental notification initiative on the Catholics for 85 website (catholicsfor85.org).

"Through Catholics for 85," wrote May in his e-mail, "we expanded the network of Catholic activists and are becoming better equipped to provide more timely information, strategic direction, and more effective support for lay individuals and organizations wishing to make a difference for the protection of life, marriage, parents' rights, religious liberty, and the poorest and most vulnerable among us. This is only the start of a powerful network to mobilize Catholics throughout California and across America!"

Knights of Columbus state pro-life director Marvin Hayes, a parishioner at St. Martha Church in Murrieta, agreed that Catholic Prop 85 supporters improved their networking efforts this year. "We communicated a lot better. As a coalition, we'll be a lot stronger in future efforts," said Hayes.

He said weekly conference calls with respect life leaders a few months before the election helped to educate parishioners statewide about the issue of parental notification. "We thought we had a good chance to pass Prop 85," said Hayes. However, he noted strong opposition headed by Planned Parenthood spending millions in TV ads hurt the Prop 85 campaign.

"Knowing all of this," said Hayes, "we'll be better prepared next time. We need to be more out-front with TV ads."

"The opposition's TV ads had a compelling message that wasn't true," said Sister of Social Service Paula Vandegaer, program director of International Life Services and member of the archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Life Issues. She said the anti-Prop 85 ads' claim that pregnant girls in abusive homes could face harm if forced to secure parental notification was unfounded because of the protections written into the measure allowing minor girls a judicial bypass.

According to Sister Vandegaer, whose crisis pregnancy organization operates 16 centers in California, young pregnant girls are far more concerned about disappointing their parents than potential parental violence. "At our pregnancy counseling centers, we observe and see very young girls coming in afraid to tell their parents because they don't want to disappoint them. We help them talk to their parents and restore the family bond," said Sister Vandegaer.

Prop 85 failed, theorized Sister Vandegaer, because coalition campaign efforts, despite involving thousands of Catholic and Protestant volunteers, "did not reach the 'mushy middle' of people who feel uncomfortable with abortion on demand but don't feel it should be outlawed" in a state which is strongly pro-choice.