A day to remember a moral and judicial abomination
Thirty-five years ago today, the Supreme Court of the United States held in Roe v. Wade that a woman has a constitutional right to kill her unborn child. There is much I could say about Roe, which I believe is, hands down, the worst judicial decision in the history of our constitutional republic. But for today, I will hold my tongue.
Instead, I would like to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the foot soliders in the pro-life movement; many of whom will brave the cold today to stand up for a “Culture of Life” in this country. God Bless you all. Thank you for being a voice for the voiceless; for being people who are willing to defend the most vulnerable members of our society. It is a call that we all should heed. As Pope John Paul the Great once remarked:
The inviolability of the person, which is a reflection of the absolute inviolability of God, finds its primary and fundamental expression in the inviolability of human life. Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights — for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture — is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition of all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination . . . The human being is entitled to such rights in every phase of development, from conception until natural death, whether healthy or sick, whole or handicapped, rich or poor . . . [Moreover, if,] indeed, everyone has the mission and responsibility of acknowledging the personal dignity of every human being and of defending the right to life, some lay faithful are given particular title to this task: such as parents, teachers, healthworkers and the many who hold economic and political power.
And to that, all I can add is: Amen.
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USCCB Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities has a wonderful website up and running: The Second Look Project.
Indeed. Amen to that.
I hope this does not serve to introduce an inappropriately political angle, but I’m especially struck by this passage you quote:
Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights — for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture — is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition of all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination
While some have found occasion near the anniversay of Roe v. Wade to emphasize that being anti-abortion is not the same as being pro-life — and there is clearly a certain wisdom that must be faced there — I think the pope’s words serve to remind us that any movement which claims to be providing a host of other goods, yet endorses the slaughter of the unborn as a necessarily available “choice”, clearly contains a false notion of human good at its very root.
I think the pope’s words serve to remind us that any movement which claims to be providing a host of other goods, yet endorses the slaughter of the unborn as a necessarily available “choice”, clearly contains a false notion of human good at its very root.
Of course.
DarwinCatholic,
I highly regard your comments on this blog, but I don’t think your interpretation of the Pope’s remarks go to the point that he was making . That quote is not talking about endorsement but rather about not defending the right to life with maximum determination. It brings to mind those who while not advocating abortion, either ignore it, express a nominal opposition, or try to put it on the same level as lesser evils and injustices. Just my thoughts.
There will come a day, and I pray we are all alive to see it, when Roe v Wade will take its rightful place in the hall of judicial infamy with the Dred Scott decision.
Tim,
We may be heading in roughly the same direction.
I would certainly see JP2′s comment as undercutting a claim of: “I’m very pro-life, but I feel like I need to put group XYZ in power, which is in favor of abortion, because they will do so much to provide healthcare to all, end proverty, distribute unlimitted rice pudding, etc.”
He seems to be saying that being anti-abortion is not merely one of a constellation of equal “pro-life” issues, but rather is the foundation rock on which all other convictions must be built.