Respect Life Sunday

 

 

 

Since 1972, a year before the U.S. Supreme Court made the shocking Roe V. Wade ruling that legalized abortion in the U.S., the first Sunday of October has been designated by the Church as Respect Life Sunday, also called Sanctity of Life Sunday. For more than 35 years now, the Catholic Church and others have dedicated the month of October, starting with the first Sunday, to extra time and resources in advancing the culture of life. This can be done through prayer, activism, and education against the falsehoods promoted by the pro-abortion advocates.

 

In the 30+ years since that immoral (and many believe, unconstitutional) decision, the right to life for the unborn has faced particularly vicious attacks. The push for abortion “rights” has gone further and further, and we now live in a time when fighting back against the abortion agenda and the “culture of death” is especially crucial. It has always been vital, but especially in an election year it is important to remember and publicize the truth of the evils of abortion.

 

Contrary to what some believe, the Catholic Church has never taught that it is right to kill an innocent human life, even if several centuries past, particularly due to a lack of medical knowledge, aspects of how and when life began were not completely understood. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is undeniably clear on the Church’s teaching on abortion:

 

 

Furthermore, the arguments of the pro-abortion side are largely subjective and irrelevant, and often downright contradictory. For example, abortion advocates have continually fought for the “right” to late-term abortions. Language such as “tissue” and “cells” replace baby in these arguments. However, in 2004 Scott Peterson was convicted for not only killing his wife, Lacey, but also their unborn son, Conner. Lacey wanted and fully intended to birth and raise the child, and so his death was included in the verdict against Peterson. The humanity of any person does not depend on whether or not they are liked or wanted, so not wanting an unborn child cannot negate the child's humanity either. For much more in depth information on the intrinsic evil of abortion, take a look at Peter Kreeft’s Three Approaches To Abortion: A Thoughtful and Compassionate Guide to Today's Most Controversial Issue or Father Frank Pavone’s Ending Abortion. You can also read Pope John Paul II’s full encyclical on all life issues at stake – even beyond abortion – Gospel of Life, which was written in 1995 but becomes more imperative every day.

 

As the sun sets on the first Sunday of October, do not let Respect Life Sunday end as merely a slogan. As ever, we Catholics must not simply listen to the gospel and homily then head home and forget the message. We must carry the message out into our entire lives, including the public square, living the gospel message every day. Many parishes hold some sort of fundraiser, such as Roses for Life, to heighten awareness on the issue and to raise money to donate to pro-life organizations. This is a good step, but your contribution need not end with your wallet. Pray always – October is the month of the rosary, so it would be a good time to pray a rosary for the unborn. If you are at a loss as to how to respond to pro-abortion comments, educate yourself further with apologetics writings so that you can become an active voice in spreading the truth of the sanctity and dignity of life. Research local pro-life organizations and see how you might become involved with their mission. Research the companies you shop with to determine if they donate money to pro-abortion groups and which companies do not; locate alternative companies that do not support the abortion agenda and give them your patronage.

For more insight into the "culture of death" which is rapidly becoming the dominant culture in today's society, take a moment to read some recent sobering thoughts f