Last Wednesday, Jan. 22, marked the 41st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal throughout the U.S. More than 55 million children’s lives have been lost to abortion. Catholic moral teaching on abortion says that direct abortion is always intrinsically evil. Natural law simply says to do good and avoid evil. Everyone knows about it. It does not matter what religion you practice. It is not a matter of your beliefs. In the woman’s womb is a child. Everyone can see it. People become totally blind. No one has the right to deny the right to life.
In Genesis 1:26 we read that God created human beings in His image, after His likeness. Human dignity springs from this. The Fifth Commandment says you shall not kill. Life is a gift from God, and because of this is sacred; it belongs to God. Life starts at conception and lasts until natural death. Everyone has a right to life; this is the first right of every human being. Life belongs to God, so people should guard life in a holy way. Abortion is a crime.
From 1 John 1:8, we have to acknowledge that we are sinners. This is true about all of us. God is merciful; He forgives sin. Sin is breaking our relationship with God. We see this in Genesis. Sin has an individual dimension and a communal, or social, dimension. Jesus Christ died for us so we can have salvation. We should follow the natural law and avoid evil. We should follow the commandments.
All Christians should be involved in public life; in society and political life to promote human values on earth and after death. We are salvation people. The Conference of U.S. Bishops states that Catholics should promote child birth and adoption as an alternative. Citizens should choose people in elections who promote life. Promoting life is very important. We as Catholics act in this way. The dignity of the human person has the first place.
Fr. Rafal Duda
Parochial Vicar