One Archbishop, Five Ice Buckets & One Good Cause

MILWAUKEE -- Over the course of the past few months, thousands across the country have participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge in support of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association.  Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease or ALS, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease.  People from across the country have participated in this fund raiser driven by the basic human desire to help those afflicted.
 
Archbishop Jerome Listecki took the ice bucket challenge this past weekend at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary in support of all those with this devastating disease, including Fr. Ben Reese of Peoria, Illinois who has served in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and who suffers from ALS. 
 
The archbishop will make his donation to the John Paul II Medical Research Institute, to support their research which does not include use of embryonic stem cells as is the case with some research undertaken by ALSA.
 
The Catholic Church opposes embryonic stem cell research. For this reason, Catholics who are willing to support ALS research may support other organizations, including the John Paul II Medical Research Institute.
 
For more information, please read the two attached articles provided by Fr. Javier Bustos, the Archbishop's Delegate for Catholic Health Care:

NCBC - The Ice Bucket Challenge

Pontifical Academy for Life - Stem Cell Usage