"But I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child - a direct killing of the innocent child - murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? How do we persuade a woman not to have an abortion? As always, we must persuade her with love, and we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts. Jesus gave even his life to love us. So the mother who is thinking of abortion, should be helped to love - that is, to give until it hurts her plans, or her free time, to respect the life of her child. The father of that child, whoever he is, must also give until it hurts. By abortion, the mother does not learn to love, but kills even her own child to solve her problems. And by abortion, the father is told that he does not have to take any responsibility at all for the child he has brought into the world. That father is likely to put other women into the same trouble. So abortion just leads to more abortion. Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching the people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. That is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion. " – Mother Teresa

End of Life issues

Post-Abortive Healing

 

In her book: Life-Giving Love: Embracing God’s Beautiful Design for Marriage, Kimberly Hahn makes an effort to share her thoughts on Catholic Church teaching on God’s gift of sex and how contraception can damage God’s plan for how we are to use this great gift from God.  The following (in bold) is a quote from her book:
 
In 1930, the Anglican’s Lambeth Conference in England became the first official Christian body to approve the use of contraception in the most severe cases.  In response, a Jesuit, Fr. David Lord, wrote the following analysis.
 
1.            Birth control destroys the difference between prostitutes and respectable women by eliminating the ideal of motherhood and substituting the ideal of personal pleasure and self-gratification.
 
2.            Birth control leads to infidelity by destroying self-restraint and self-discipline.  For unmarried folk it banishes fear of consequences.
 
3.            Birth control prevents noble faculty by refusal to co-operate with God in creation of children and substitutes for it, pleasure.
 
4.            Birth control affects the future.  Substituting self-gratification for children, (those using it) strike at the very source of human life.

II challenge you to watch this video so that you may learn what "perfection" really is.

Pro-Life Examination of Conscience
by Rev. Frank A. Pavone, M.E.V.

Am I fully convinced that every abortion, at every stage of pregnancy, is the destruction of an innocent human life, which has the same value as my life, my parents ’ lives, my children’s lives? Do I foster and nourish this conviction by reflecting often on the tragic loss of life occurring daily around me? Do I ever allow myself the thought that someone else's abortion is "none of my business?" Do I sometimes think that I have "more important" things to do than to save innocent lives? Do I believe I am responsible for my preborn brothers and sisters and accountable to God for what I do to save them? Do I have the courage to remind myself of the horror of abortion by actually looking at the pictures of aborted babies?

Do I pray daily and explicitly for an end to abortion? Do I pray for the babies, the mothers, the abortionists, the legislators, the media, the clergy, and the whole pro-life movement? Do I fast or make other significant sacrifices for this cause? Or do I believe the fight against abortion can be easy and convenient? Am I too afraid of displeasing others, and do I think I need to be liked to be successful? Am I willing to undergo financial loss, ridicule, or other sacrifices, to save a child's life?

Do I see the link between abortion and other assaults on human life and dignity? Do I acknowledge that progress in any arena for the defense of life facilitates progress in all the other arenas?

Do I have faith that God is the Lord of Life? Do I believe the whole struggle is in His hands, and that He has already conquered evil, falsehood, and death? Do I trust Him? Do I ask His guidance? Do I keep my eyes on Him, or do I allow discouragement by focusing only on the problem and myself?

Am I learning more about abortion and about the pro-life movement? Do I read good pro-life books? Do I subscribe to at least one pro-life publication so that I can be well informed on the issue? Do I escape from taking action by thinking that prayer alone is enough? Am I developing all the talents God gave me so that I can use them to advance the Culture of Life?

Do I speak up in defense of life? Do I make full use of the opportunities I have, such as wearing pins or using bumper stickers or decals? Do I write letters to the paper or to legislators or to doctors? Or do I allow a lack of self-confidence to paralyze my activity? Do I only do what is comfortable, or do I try to discover what activities will be most effective? Do I gladly participate in projects that need to be done, even if I don’t particularly want to? Do I try to come up with new ideas for pro-life work? Do I suggest these ideas to others?

Do I take proper care of myself, physically and spiritually, so that I can be more effective in my pro-life work? Do I rest when I need to?

Do I foster unity in the movement? Do I encourage my fellow pro-lifers? Are all of my efforts guided by charity? Do I allow unhealthy competition between pro-life persons or groups? Do I foster collaboration, without demanding uniformity? Do I follow the advice or direction of those who bear responsibility for pro-life projects or groups? Do I seek the advice and input of others in the movement, especially of those more experienced than I?

Do I try to grow in compassion for women who are tempted to have abortions or who have had them in the past? Do I try to understand their situation and learn more about their needs? Do I help women find alternatives to abortion? Do I inspire hope in women I know who have had abortions? Do I help them find forgiveness and healing? Do I foster charity in thought, word, and deed toward those who disagree with me, or who perform or promote abortion? Am I fully committed to non-violence in this struggle?

Am I ready from this day forward to be a better pro-lifer? Am I ready to launch out with new strength, generosity, and determination to bring an end to abortion, without counting the cost to myself? Am I grateful enough for the gift of life to work to give life to others? Do I thank God for the privilege of being part of the pro-life movement.

How do we as individuals promote life in all we do? Here are a few things that I try to do. I hope that you find them helpful.

1. I pray that all life maybe respected. I pray also for those involved in abortions and capital punishment that they may discover God's divine truth and avail themselves to God's endless mercy.

2. I contribute financially to the Pro-Life movement

3. I try to involve large families in social gatherings. Many large families feel ostracized by others when their family gets really large. I therefore make every effort to support them and include them in social events.

4. I educate myself on the issues. Take time to go to www.archstl.org and click on the "Respect Life Apostolate" in order to learn more about the issues and Catholic teaching. I also recommend Priests' For Life Website and Missouri Catholic Conference.

5. I write letters to my elected officials informing them of my belief in the sanctity of all human life. I vote for pro-life candidates.

6. When talking about pro-life issues I am careful to also talk about God's love and forgiveness because I know that there are many women out there who do have had an abortion and now are suffering in silence because of it.

7. I support the Knights of Columbus and their work for the Mentally challenged (Think Tootsie Roll Drive)

8. I travel to Washington D.C. every January to participate in the National March for Life.

9. I do not condense the life issue to simply abortion. I also work and pray hard against capital punishment and euthanasia.

10. I visit people in the nursing homes.

The best a mom or dad can hope for is a boy or a girl.  Only God could hope for you… - G.K. Chersterton

God still loves you!!!

The word of the LORD came to me: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. (Jeremiah 1:4&5)
 

“Children are only and always a blessing.  No Scripture or Church document declares a downside of openness to life.  They contain no words of “wisdom” about the child as a burden or an expense or a barrier to the parents’ careers or education.  Yet many people today, including Christians, do not view children as the unmitigated blessing they are.

Children are not possessions, the next thing to acquire after a car, a house, and a dog.  They are not a bonus earned but a gift freely given.  Children are not the next item on the agenda once a couple is well established and can afford children.  They are not the next venture, once a couple has managed the discipline and care of a dog and feel ready for more of a challenge.
Children are not something a couple deserves just because they are, in fact, better than others having children these days.  They are not something to which people are entitled if they are good people or wealthier people.Children do not have value because we give it to them.  They have value for their own sake because they are created in his image. Children are pure gift.”

 
 
Hahn, Kimberly Life-Giving Love: Embracing God’s Beautiful Design for Marriage (Ann Arbor, MI: Charis Servant Publications, 2001)
 

Interpreting the Scriptures in the Light of the Pro-Life
Part I: Woman Caught in Adultery, Abraham & Isaac, and King David
By Fr. Thomas M. Pastorius

I am in the midst of my third year now of working with Project Rachel, our Archdiocese’s outreach to men and women hurt and wounded by abortion.  I have really been able to witness God’s healing power at work through this important pro-life ministry and seeing the anguish and pain that these women have suffered because they fell for the lie that abortion was the safe, easy, and painless solution to their problem has strengthened my personal resolve and commitment to the pro-life movement.  

In some ways, I feel being involved so deeply these last few years has allowed me to see how truly pro-life God is and how God has interwoven His pro-life message all throughout both the old and the New Testament.  Passages that I have read, studied, and prayed hundreds of time before God now has jumping out at me with new pro-life insights and I feel a deep calling from God to share some of them with you.

My first encounter with the Lord in which I encountered a strong pro-life message was the passage of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:3-11).  As I was praying with this passage and trying to imagine myself in the story, I felt that something was different this time.  Every time I had read this passage before or read a commentary about this story from John’s Gospel, I had always assumed that the woman caught in adultery had been a complete stranger to Jesus, someone that He had never met, but now in my prayer, I felt the Holy Spirit telling me that Jesus had met this woman before.  I began to realize that all the Gospels refer to the fact that Jesus ate with tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners as part of his table ministry.  It is therefore quite possible that this woman had dinner with Jesus just the night before and perhaps even her friendship with Jesus made her all the more the target of the scribes and Pharisees.  I began to feel a deep companionship with the woman for how many times have I sinned despite knowing better and I know that it is sometimes harder to confess one’s sins when we feel that we should have known better.  What a great sense of relief that came over me when with this new insight, as I continued with my meditation to see that Jesus forgave her even though she should have known better.  I believe that this passage of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery is an important pro-life passage for the Church and the world today because many of the women who have or will get an abortion are sitting in our pews every Sunday.  These are women (with the parents, friends, and father’s of their child) who all profess to be pro-life, or at one time did only to find themselves under horrendous pressure and fear choosing abortion.  If we wish to bring healing to their broken lives we must help them trust in God and His Church’s forgiveness without condemnation.  I try to go out of my way to allow parents who have a child out of wedlock to know that they are welcome at Church for we are all sinners.

The second passage that the Holy Spirit led me to see in a different light was the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis chapter 22.  I have always found it amazing that Abraham seems to put up no struggle with God’s demand to sacrifice his son Isaac.  The author of Genesis does not even show any reluctance on Abraham’s part, sadness yes, but even in his sadness there is simple acceptance.  As I was praying with this passage the Holy Spirit had me recall some of my Old Testament studies in which we talked about some of the false gods of the Canaanites, many of which like Moloch, demanded child sacrifice and so I began to realize that Abraham was living in a culture surrounded by others who performed child sacrifice and in a culture where children were seen as possessions of the parents and not people.  The story of Abraham and Isaac for me became more than a story about God not wanting human sacrifice.  It became a story about the dignity of the human person and that no person should be sacrificed in order to gain personal happiness.  Abraham was willing to kill Isaac because he believed Isaac was between him and his personal happiness.  God, though, shows Abraham that the promised happiness that God desired to give to Abraham will come through Isaac.  In much the same way we must help people see children as people and not obstacles to happiness.  In a special way we must teach people that our brothers and sisters that are being kept in test tubes and Petri dishes deserve our love and should not be sacrificed in the name of embryonic stem cell research.  True happiness comes only when we are able to love as God loves (unconditionally and without end). 

The third pro-life passage I wish to share with you is the story of David and Bathsheba in the 2 book of Samuel.  As this part of David’s story begins, he is so caught up in his sinfulness especially his lust for Bathsheba that he has no respect for life.  He does not hesitate to send Uriah to his death in order to maintain his reputation and to live a life with no repercussions for his misuse of his sexuality. 

Eventually though the prophet Nathan reveals to David that the Lord knows about his sins.  Then in the troubling passage of 2 Samuel 12:13-14 we hear: “Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan answered David: “For his part, the LORD has removed your sin. You shall not die, but since you have utterly spurned the LORD by this deed, the child born to you will surely die.” Knowing in the light of the Gospels that God never causes evil, we can begin to understand this passage from David’s point of view.  David saw his sin (his choice) as the cause of his child’s death.  No matter how much David’s wished that he could go back and undo his evil choices he could not and therefore he would have to face the consequences of His sin every time he thought of the child he had lost.  Many women and men who have had or participating in abortions must in some way feel like King David must have felt in this passage.  Their choice resulted in the death of their child and mysteriously God is willing to forgive them but God does not restore their child to life again.  They therefore must live with consequences of the choice.  David and Bathsheba though can be seen as role models for men and women who have chosen abortions, for following their reconciliation with God they become great supporters of life.  We see this in the story of David and Shimei in 2 Samuel 16:5-14.  As David and his entourage are fleeing David’s rebellious son Absalom, David finds himself being followed at a distance by a Shimei who keeps hurling insults at David.  David who had no qualms or second thoughts at killing Uriah now prevents his men from killing Shimei.  We see David’s respect for life has grown.  The ultimate sign for me of David’s spiritual growth is that he weeps at the death of his son Absalom in 2 Samuel 18:19 to 2 Samuel 19:1.  Even though Absalom had sought David’s life, had forced David to flee his own castle, and much more, David is saddened because Absalom was never given the chance to repent as David had. 

It is my hope that these three short Scripture reflections will help you grow or reaffirm you in our commitment to life.  We have a long road ahead until our government leaders affirm the value of life like David did at the end of his reign.  There is much work to be done to make the world see that children (especially those in Petri dishes and test tubes) are persons with human dignity like Abraham learned about Isaac, and we have many to tell about God’s healing and forgiving love in our pews and outside our church door.    Lord, we pray that you will open the minds of more people to your message of life contained in Your Holy Scriptures. 

 Interpreting the Scriptures in the Light of the Pro-Life
Part II: Special Needs Children and the Seamless Garment
By Fr. Thomas M. Pastorius

                 Over the last three years as I have grown to become more and more involved in the pro-life movement because of my ministry with Project Rachel, I have really felt God opening the Scriptures up to me in a new way.  I would like to continue what I had started in the first part by sharing with you some more pro-life insights into Scripture. 
  
              This past June (2012) the feast of the Birth of John the Baptist fell on Sunday and as I preparing my homily for vigil I found my attention drawn to the angel Gabrielle’s declaration “He (John the Baptist) will drink neither wine nor strong drink”1 Luke 1:15.  The passage invoked in me thoughts of families that I knew whose children had severe allergies to dairy, wheat, and/or nuts and the thought struck me: “John the Baptist was a special needs child.”  If we get ourselves past the fact that none of us would give an infant wine, and realize that John’s birth brought with it something that John could not do that others could, we can begin to see raising John was not necessarily going to be an easy task.  Can you imagine John arguing with Elizabeth and Zechariah?  “Why can’t I have a drink,” John would start whining, “everyone else is doing it,” and with Elizabeth and Zechariah responding “because the angel said so.”   What if Zechariah and Elizabeth decided not to have John because they knew he was going to have a special need that was going to make their life more difficult?  Most likely John was in no danger of being aborted because I assume that they lacked the medical technology but I also know from my college history classes that child sacrifice and infanticide was practiced in the Roman Empire.  What if Elizabeth and Zechariah chose to do away with John in of these ways?  If there was no John the Baptist then Jesus would not have been baptized.  If Jesus had not been baptized then Jesus would not have heard the voice of His Father refer to Him as “His beloved Son.”  If Jesus had not been affirmed by the Father then He probably would not have started His public ministry which would eventually lead to His death which ultimately led to the Resurrection.  How different would Jesus’ life been if John had never been born? 
  
              In my first night as a priest in the parish, I was called to the hospital in the middle of the night to be with a family whose one year old was dying of leukemia.  Jenna would go onto live another six months and in that time I would get to speak with her parents.  They always told me that they would do everything all over again because the joy their daughter brought to their life was more precious than the pain they felt with losing her.  Jenna made the lives of her parents, siblings, my own, and that of many others in the parish better despite being a special needs child.  It is no secret that there is a strong current in our society today that have adopted a “quality control” mentality when it comes to children and believe that any child, who while in the womb, is diagnosed with a developmental disease like Down Syndrome and one of the Trisomies, should simply be aborted.  We the Church need to be defenders of these innocent special needs children for each of them is as important to God’s plan and loved by God as John the Baptist was.  We also need to support their parents as Mary supported Elizabeth in their difficult pregnancies.   I also think of Samson as a special needs child.
     
          I would like to share one more passage with you in which I think demonstrates what I have heard called the “consistent life ethic” the Church’s teaching on the sanctity of life.  The idea being that the Church’s teaching on the sanctity of life only makes sense if all life is sacred. 
  
              We read in Matthew’s Gospel: “While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, "My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live." Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured." Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, "Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you." And from that hour the woman was cured. When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, "Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping." And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land. (Gospel Mt 9:18-26)” 
 
               As I prayed over this passage, I was struck that the old woman and the young girl had something in common both, of them were considered people of low or almost no status.  In my prayer, I assumed that the woman with the hemorrhages was a widow and thus that was the reason why she was alone when she approached Jesus.  If she was a widow without anyone then she would have been considered a nobody in her society, but Jesus lets her know she was important to him.  He takes the time out of his busy ministry to spend time with her and talk to her.  How many “nobodies” in our world today just wish that we would spend a little time with them?  I recently celebrated Mass for the first time with the Missionaries of Charity in St. Louis and after Mass they asked me to greet and bless some of the homeless women that they were helping.  The smiles that came to the faces of these women as I asked them if there was a special intention that we could pray for together was priceless.  How many people in nursing homes and who are homebound desire just a little bit of our time?  By spending time with them we show them no matter how old or poor they maybe that they are priceless in God’s eyes and in our own. 

                From the hundreds of reflections I have heard on the story of Jesus reprimanding the disciples for not allowing the children come to Him (Mark 10 & Luke 18)) and the story of Jesus showing the disciple that to be the greatest one must be like a child (Mathew 18), that children at the time of Jesus were considered nobodies.  In addition the child in this story was a girl in a very masculine culture.  What if Jesus had listen to the crowd who was telling her that this child was not worth his time?  While, I have yet been able to raise a child from the dead, I know that by listening and caring for them, I can lift them out of sinfulness and depression by showing them that someone cares and that someone cares because God cares about them. 

                Another thought that struck me as I was praying over this passage about Jesus healing the young girl was how similar this girl could have been to someone in a persistent vegetative state, like Terri Shiavo, and how the Church, the Body of Christ, rose to her defense when others like the crowd had pronounced her to be dead and not worthy of our time or resources. 
 
 As much as being pro-life means being anti-abortion it also means protecting life in all its stages no matter where we find people.  God demonstrates this by the story of the birth of John the Baptist and through the many healing stories of Christ.  We see in Scripture that age (he welcomed children and praised widows), location (healing people in Jericho, Capernaum, and the area of Decapolis), nationality/ethnicity (healing the woman at the well and the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter), gender (both men and women), use-fullness (blind and the paralytic carried by his friends) or morality (woman caught in adultery and the good thief), did not matter to Jesus.  All were special to Him because He saw them all as brothers and sisters and gifts from His Heavenly Father.  May our world come one day to this same insight which will result in a respect for all human life!