Dear Friends,
According to some news sources, “Homeland Security has officially notified the bishops there are credible threats to the safety of Catholic churches, clergy, and bishops if the Supreme Court overturns Roe. Violence has been called for beginning the night such a decision is handed down.” Sad and frustrating.
It is important to state that we on the Prolife side are not the ones who instigate violence or mayhem. For the past 49years we have used the democratic process to change what Roe has wrought on the unborn and on women. Over almost half a century acts of violence towards abortion clinics or abortionist have been rare and the Prolife movement has always condemned them swiftly. I f you ever participated in the 40 Days for Life Campaigns you know that participants are asked to sign a pledge of non-violence and to only engage in prayerful and peaceful protests and not to respond or react to harassment or intimidation. Our message is one of peace and love. The child in the womb is not a problem to be solved but a life to be treasured. We recognize that women are often in difficult and challenging circumstances and through our outreach we try to create better circumstances so a mother is able to be a mother.
Through thousands of lawsuits and court battles we made our case for Life. We engaged the political process, cultivated candidates who would represent our values, elected them and supported them to craft legislation that defends the unborn, helps mothers and protects the health of women. These include: insisting abortion clinics are held to the same medical and safety standards as every other medical clinic, informed patient consent, parental notification in the case of minors, and no tax funding for abortions. We also opened Crisis Pregnancy Centers throughout the country to provide immediate medical and counseling services to expectant mothers and fathers and support those Centers through our private contributions. And through our Walking with Moms initiative, we accompany women in the first few years after child birth.
We do not advocate violence or intimation towards those who disagree with us. Rather we try to change hearts and minds to reconsider abortion. And we have had an impact. The rates of abortion are the lowest since Roe was adjudicated. What started out as a movement by ordinary Catholics in the pew has become a movement that includes many other religious groups and even atheists. And that’s because this is not a religious issue, a question of dogma. It is about the right to life for the unborn and the acknowledgement that no one has the right to take an innocent human life. I t’s called murder.
Whatever happens, keep Jesus words in mind, “Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in the Kingdom.”
A Protestant minister named Lou wrote the words of this prayer and a dear friend and gospel singer, Eddie James turned it in to a song called Lou’s Prayer:
I plead your blood over my sins and the sins of my nation. End abortion, send Revival to America We humbly bow and we repent for our pride and perversion We will not rest, in prayer we bend unti l we see a revolution Here we stand, with lifted hands, declaring justice for the unborn We pray for justice, to flow down like water like a mighty stream End abortion, send revival to America.
After almost 50 years of fighting for justice for the unborn, whether Roe stands or falls we will not stop peacefully making our case until all life is protected in law and cared for in life.
Love, Fr. John B.
BACK TO LIST