Promotion of Abortion By Act Or By Omission

Is the promotion of abortion acceptable in any form? Is it acceptable, whether done actively or passively–directly or indirectly–by act or by omission? A Pew survey earlier this year showed that 55% of weekly Mass attendees are okay with our president receiving Holy Communion. This, in spite of his persistent, intransigent stance in favor of abortion. Although that’s not the only issue that puts him publicly at odds with Church teaching, it’s the most significant. It’s most significant because, as the pope said in his recent on-air interview,

Abortion is homicide. Abortion…without being ambiguous: whoever has an abortion kills. Take any book on embryology for medical students in medical school. The third week after conception, from the third week, often before the mamma is aware of it, all the organs are already there, even the DNA…. Isn’t that a person? It is a human life, period. And this human life must be respected. This principle is so clear, and to those who cannot understand, I would ask two questions: is it right to kill a human life to solve a problem? Scientifically, it is a human life.

Surely, I’m not the only person pondering this question–how can Catholics who attend Mass at least weekly believe that the president or anyone else publicly, stubbornly, and continually promoting this should be receiving the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord at Mass?

Promotion of Abortion Assented to by Over Half the Catholics

To answer that question, I reached out to Fr Stephen Imbarrato, a pro-life activist commonly referred to as the “Protest Priest.” He is well known throughout the US, having made regular appearances at Catholic conferences, on EWTN TV, and other Catholic media. As well, he’s one of the leaders of the Red Rose Rescue movement. Father shared an incisive observation about the Catholic vote in this country. Every winning president since Regan has received over 50% of the Catholic vote. If Joe Biden won the election, it means that over 50% of the Catholics voted for him. Over half of those who self-identify as Catholics voted for the candidate whose party platform includes the abortion plank. Neither the party’s stance nor the candidate’s stance on abortion and other matters related to faith and morals were concealed from the public before the election.

Promotion of Abortion through Omission of Preaching

Considering the decision an individual makes to have an abortion, Fr. Stephen told me the biggest reason people have an abortion is because it’s legal. Thus, if it’s legal, as it has been for nearly 50 years, many then believe it must be okay. But, how can Catholics who are active enough in their faith to attend Mass weekly buy into that reasoning? Might poor catechesis and not addressing this at the ambo contribute to the current situation? There’s no doubt that they play a part. As Father explains it, clergy hesitate to preach on abortion because of the backlash they receive after Mass or in the mail, not to mention possible contractions in the collections.

This makes sense when you consider statistics claiming about one in four US women will have had an abortion by the age of 45. When you add to that the number of men or women who have participated directly or indirectly in an abortion or decision to have one, the number of people involved has to go up substantially. As I reflect on my discussion with Father Stephen, it’s obvious that, on any Sunday, a potentially significant number of the people in the pews have some aspect of abortion in their past.

Our Woundedness Creates Barriers

Abortion causes deep woundedness in everyone involved in it. People set up defense mechanisms to tamp down their places of woundedness and interior pain–and avoid going there if at all possible. Without God’s healing, transformational love, these scars remain until someone comes along and pulls off a scab. Then the pain starts over again. Father Stephen explains that clergy can’t preach effectively about the reality of abortion unless they can address the woundedness first. Using my scab metaphor, doing otherwise just rips off a scab.

This means we need to hear and believe in, God’s desire to heal us, and to be open to Christ’s amazing mercy. Only when we let the light of Christ into those dark places can we understand in our hearts the Truth. Only then can we see objectively the reality we’re facing.

The Church Can Do More to Counter Promotion of Abortion

When it comes to preaching, Fr. Stephen suggests that it helps to be able to share one’s woundedness and vulnerability first, which he does as he shares his life story prior to his priesthood. That being said, culpability for not preaching about abortion extends beyond the local clergy. Father Stephen points out that the Church as a whole, with a few exceptions, has been too silent over the years regarding abortion. He cites Pope St. John Paul II’s seemingly ignored wisdom in his encyclical, Evangelium Vitae:

…today, in many people’s consciences, the perception of its [abortion’s] gravity has become progressively obscured. The acceptance of abortion in the popular mind, in behaviour and even in law itself, is a telling sign of an extremely dangerous crisis of the moral sense, which is becoming more and more incapable of distinguishing between good and evil, even when the fundamental right to life is at stake. Given such a grave situation, we need now more than ever to have the courage to look the truth in the eye and to call things by their proper name, without yielding to convenient compromises or to the temptation of self-deception… (Evangelium Vitae, 58)

I would tend to agree that, collectively, the Church can do more to counter the promotion of abortion. Just think about the flap the USCCB had a few years ago over even calling abortion the preeminent issue here in the US. Not only should that have been a no-brainer, much more should have been said and done over the last 25 years since the publication of Evangelium Vitae. At least from where I sit, what we hear and read now seems to be an ambiguous incoherence from our leadership as they discuss Eucharistic coherence, politicians’ promotion of abortion, and other matters.

God Wants to Heal Each One of Us

God doesn’t want you or me to live in woundedness, to be held captive by our pain, by the devil, or past errors. That captivity is not from God. He wants you to live in the fullness of his merciful love, to be filled to overflowing with that love, and to share it with everyone who crosses your path. The errors of your past do not define you; our Father’s merciful love does. Pope St. John Paul II, reminds us that, 

We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures, we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of His Son Jesus. 

If you, or someone you know, hasn’t come to grips with past poor decisions, help exists. Talking with a priest or with a spiritual director can help. Project Rachel can provide assistance and resources. At some parishes, you may be able to find help from an Unbound ministry or charismatic prayer group. God’s healing love awaits you or your loved ones–no need to postpone letting Him help you.

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Be Active through Your Pro-Life Involvement

At times, it may seem that there’s little hope in all of this. Don’t limit God. He’s infinite. With God all things are possible (cf. Mt 19:26), but He needs your cooperation. Get actively involved in your local pregnancy resource center and the Red Rose Rescue.  Support these organizations and Fr. Stephen’s ministry, protestchildkilling.com.

Join other faithful in praying in front of abortion centers. Pray for an end to the murder of innocents and for the conversion of everyone in abortion centers, in politics and government, and in the corporations that support the killing of babies. Call and write respectful letters (not e-mails–they’re too easily ignored) to government officials and to your bishop. In all of this, have confidence in God–He will strengthen and uphold you in your efforts (cf. Is 41:10)