A Conversation Towards Ending Abortion

Dear Parish Faithful,

I received this short commentary today. Found it to be practical and written in a good tone:

Fr. Steven

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Dear all,

It is noble and right to oppose abortion. But if we are to be good citizens as well as good Christians, it is our job to do more than just oppose and condemn. We should propose, and be prepared to implement, good, practical solutions that will bring people together to protect life from the point of conception.

Abortion advocates make points that we should be prepared to counter with practical suggestions. For example: if abortion were again outlawed, desperate young women would again be seeking brutal and dangerous back alley abortions. As a righteous society we must be ready to help them carry their babies to term without stigma, with good medical care, and with options for the raising of unwanted children in loving homes.

Above all, we must work to avoid the situation that leads to abortion: unwanted pregnancies. Many "right to life" advocates are the same people who oppose thorough sex education. "Abstinence-only" education aims at an ideal that, sadly, large segments of our society will not reach. I don't believe we should compromise our principles where abortion is concerned, but I don't see how we can prevent unwanted pregnancies if we don't arm young people with full knowledge of how to prevent them. I know: in the eyes of some, this would make us appear complicit in encouraging extra-marital sex. It's a dilemma I wish we could resolve, because as things stand, by blocking full sexual education we are actually complicit in encouraging the unwanted pregnancies!

I offer these thoughts in complete humility, in hopes we may start a conversation that moves us closer to the outcome we all want -- an end to the legalized slaughter of innocents in our society.

In XC,

Ellie Sutter

Webmaster's Note: This letter was in response to Fr Steven's meditation of January 23, 2009, The Abuse of Our Unborn and the New Administration.