MADISON — Vigil […]
Tag: abortion
Issues in 2015 call us to witness to Catholic principles
Advocating for the Catholic Conference requires us to articulate the principles of Catholic social teaching in what a lawyer-friend of mine likes to call the “jury English” of everyday conversation.
Relating the Principle of Solidarity to current policy issues is one example of this.
All in this together
The Principle of Solidarity flows from the truth that human beings created in the image of a Triune God are social by nature. As a result, “we are all in this together.”
Ultrasounds provide window to the womb
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On January 22, 1973 the United States Supreme Court legalized abortion in the Roe v. Wade decision.
Justice Byron White, who dissented, stated, “The court apparently values the convenience of a pregnant mother more than the continued existence and development of the life or potential life she carries.”
Since Roe v. Wade, 58 million abortions have occurred in our country. This is roughly the population of the United States around 1869.
Retreats help heal pain of abortion
Jessica* was a sophomore in college. Naïve about sex, she thought she was in love.
But when Jessica became pregnant, her boyfriend coerced her into having an abortion. Jessica went along with a “choice” that seemed largely out of her control.
Shelly’s* pregnancy was unplanned and unwelcome. After her abortion, her immediate reaction was relief — she just wanted to move on.
What about mourning lives lost by abortion?
News media reported that world leaders — including Muslim and Jewish statesmen — linked arms on January 11 to lead more than a million French citizens through Paris in an unprecedented march to pay tribute to victims of Islamist militant attacks.
Commentators said the last time crowds of this size filled the streets of the capital was at the liberation of Paris from Nazi Germany in 1944.
While we mourn the tragic deaths in Paris — including the journalists and police who were killed there — I also find it ironic that over one billion unborn children have been killed in the world since 1980 and over 57 million unborn children have died in the United States by abortion since 1973.
Do we have a tremendous outcry about these lives lost? Do we mourn the deaths of these unborn babies?
What will you do for preborn babies?
To the editor:
Describe, if you can, how you would feel holding a baby that was scheduled to be deliberately killed?
I’ve been blessed to have held many babies: ill, injured, battered, healthy, and the homeless. But beyond description is holding a baby who was scheduled to be killed via abortion or seeing their photo.
How about a ‘Dairy State March for Life’?
To the editor:
On January 22, 1973, the great scourge of legalized abortion was thrust upon our country with the enactment of Roe v. Wade.
Hundreds of thousands of American Christians from across the country make the annual pilgrimage each January to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court as a reminder that the killing of innocent children is very wrong and grieves our dear Lord.
40 Days for Life concludes life-saving vigil in Madison
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| Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison leads people in prayer at the 40 Days for Life closing vigil on Sunday, Nov. 2. For the eighth straight year, the vigil was held outside the Planned Parenthood clinic in Madison’s east side. Reportedly, two babies were saved during this year’s vigil in Madison with 528 lives saved across the country. (Catholic Herald photo/Joe Ptak) |
MADISON — Bishop Robert C. Morlino was on hand to celebrate efforts to respect life as prayer warriors came out to help conclude this year’s 40 Days for Life vigil.
40 Days for Life is an internationally-coordinated 40-day peaceful pro-life campaign to end abortion.
Locally, the Madison vigil — in its eighth straight year — ran from September 24 to November 2 and consisted of prayer and fasting, peaceful vigil, and community outreach.
For 24 hours a day, volunteers prayed outside the Planned Parenthood clinic on Madison’s east side for an end to abortion.
About 50 people gathered at that site for the closing celebration on Sunday, Nov. 2.
Bishop Morlino thanked the pro-life community in Madison for its “perseverance” in praying and working toward an end to abortion.
The bishop also spoke about how everyone must continue to bring the truth on marriage to life.
Special recognition
After the closing prayer vigil, some of the group went to St. Albert Church in Sun Prairie for food and fellowship.
Respecting life outside our comfort zone
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True respect for life requires us to get out of our comfort zone. Oh, we might say, “I respect life, I vote for ‘pro-life’ politicians who claim they will work to end abortion.” However, in a democracy voting is usually easy and comfortable.
But are we willing to regularly stand outside of an abortion mill on a freezing winter morning or hot summer afternoon praying and witnessing to the humanity of our unborn brothers and sisters? That’s harder and somewhat uncomfortable.
War kills life
Now for those who are willing to get uncomfortable in support of the Catholic Church’s efforts to protect unborn human life, try to move into an even more uncomfortable zone: acknowledge the truth that war does much to disrespect life. War kills life — mostly innocent life.
Showing compassion: It pays off in Wisconsin as numbers of abortions continue to drop
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It’s happened again. The number of abortions in Wisconsin has dropped for the fifth straight year. Nine of the last 10 years have seen a decline in abortions in our state, making Wisconsin one of the most pro-life states in the nation, according to some commentators.
The state Department of Health Services reported that 6,462 abortions were performed last year, down from 6,927 the previous year and about 2,000 less than the 8,500 Wisconsin had in 2009.
Continued abortion decline
“Today is a fantastic news day for Wisconsin women and children,” said Heather Weininger, executive director of Wisconsin Right to Life, when the report was released.
“Our steep abortion decline continues with the release of 2013 abortion numbers which reveal there were 465 fewer abortions in 2013 than in 2012. This represents a 6.7 percent decrease in one year.”
Weininger added, “We are extremely grateful for each and every woman who gives life to her child and each unborn child saved from the violence of abortion. Wisconsin Right to Life will vigorously continue its multi-faceted programs which work to fuel the decline.”