What's New

Pastor’s Corner

In 1776 Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, which was signed by the representatives of all thirteen colonies of the United States. The second paragraph begins with these words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Most reasonable people would agree with this statement, but in 1973 the U.S. Supreme Court thought differently and artificially drew a line on when life begins. Their decision in Roe vs. Wade led to the legalization of abortion in America. It was a divisive decision then and it continues to divide our nation almost forty years later.

The so-called right to abortion is in opposition to the Church’s unwavering teaching on the right to life, a truth it has taught since its inception. The Church’s unwillingness to yield on this issue has led her opponents to label the Church as “out of touch” and “insensitive to the needs of women.” As a result, some people have stopped practicing their faith and no longer participate in Sunday Mass.

This issue probably best reflects the relativism that plagues our society today for if we can relativize life itself we can relativize anything. Science agrees with the Church’s teaching that life begins at the moment of conception; abortion is not a religious issue but a moral issue. The law of God is quite clear: “Thou shalt not kill” (Ex. 20:13; Dt. 5: 17). “From the moment of conception, the life of every human being is to be respected in an absolute way because man is the only creature on earth that God has ‘wished for himself,’ and the spiritual soul of each man is ‘immediately created’ by God; his whole being bears the image of the Creator. Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves ‘the creative action of God’ and it remains forever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can, in any circumstance, claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being.”¹

Ironically, abortion harms women and the Church, by upholding the sanctity of life, actually promotes the dignity of women. “The early American feminists uniformly opposed abortion, because they saw it as an attack on women as women, those uniquely endowed with the ability to bear children.”²  Induced abortion harms women physically, emotionally and spiritually and it can cause complications to future offspring. Furthermore, contrary to pro-choice advocates, abortion is not safer than giving birth. (For a more thorough discussion on this topic read chapter two of Erika Bachiochi’s book cited below.)

As I have stated before, women, themselves, are often victims of abortion and they are the ones who bear the guilt and burden of having an abortion. More and more evidence show that women who have had an abortion suffer emotionally through increased anxiety and depression. It is this emotional state that puts them at greater risk for alcohol and drug abuse leading even to suicide.

The Church offers women and men healing from abortion through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I have offered forgiveness to both women and men who have availed themselves of God’s mercy in the Sacrament of Confession. I have never encountered such sadness; it is if all their joy had been taken from them. In addition to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Church encourages healing through the work of Project Rachel, which helps women and men to accept God’s forgiveness so they can be healed.

If you or anyone you know have participated in anyway in a procured abortion please seek healing through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and such services like Project Rachel so you can once again experience healing and wholeness. All of us must witness to the dignity of life and pray and work for the conversion of hearts that will lead to an end to this great tragedy in our land.

God bless you,

Fr. Cannon

_________________________________

¹ Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Donum Vitae:  Instruction on Respect for Human Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation, 5 (1987), 25-26.

² Erika Bachiochi, Women, Sex, and the Church:  A Case for Catholic Teaching, Pauline Books & Media, Boston, 41.