Abortion ought to remain preeminent
Plus: Pope Francis' perceived ambiguity on Israel-Hamas war
Good morning and happy Saturday. Today is the memorial of St. Martin of Tours. St. Martin was forced into the military at the age of fifteen. When he was twenty-three, he refused a war bonus and told his commander, “I have served you as a soldier; now let me serve Christ. Give the bounty to those who are going to fight. But I am a soldier of Christ and it is not lawful for me to fight.”
Now, as we’ve discussed there are just wars and it is justifiable for Christians to participate in those conflicts and to defend their country and indefensible. It is not clear to me what conflict St. Martin may have been fighting in, but because of his objection, I believe it is safe to assume that it was not a just cause.
This week we are entering the thirty-second week in Ordinary Time. The readings for this Sunday’s Mass are Wisdom 6:12-16, Psalm 63:2-8, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, and Matthew 25:1-13.
Here is a calendar for the week:
Monday, November 13 - Memorial of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini*
Wednesday, November 15 - Memorial of St. Albert the Great, OP (optional)
Thursday, November 16 - Memorial of St. Margaret of Scotland (optional) or St. Gertrude (optional)
Friday, November 17 - Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary
Saturday, November 18 - Memorial of the Dedication of the Churches of Sts. Peter and Paul (optional)
*Obligatory in dioceses in the United States. If you have the published volumes of the Liturgy of the Hours, her proper is in Appendix VI.
In the news:
The United States
For those who need some red: Abortion could be the “preeminant” debate again at the Bishops conference in Baltimore - J.D. Flynn in the Pillar
Right to Life of Michigan sues to stop Proposal 3 from taking effect - The Detroit News
Priest who fled country with teenager will not be prosecuted - Crux
For those who need some blue: How to do Eucharistic Revival is a worthwhile conversation - Catholic World Report
Antisemitism requires a clear, Catholic response - The Editors of America Magazine
The Vatican
Pope Francis: Peace is built with “patient listening” - Vatican News
What to make of Pope Francis’ precieved ambiguity on the Israel-Hamas war - Crux
Meet Raffaele Mincione, the man at the center of the Vatican finance trial - The Pillar
The World
Italian parlaiment opens inquiry into “Vatican Girl” disappearence from 1983 - Crux
Bishops of Kenya praise governement for establishing holiday to plant trees - ACI Africa
As I linked above, J.D. Flynn wrote in the Pillar this week that language regarding abortion in Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship will likely come up again in the meeting of American Bishops in Baltimore.
Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship is a document published by the USCCB that aims to provide a Catholic context to common issues in American politics. It is important to note that it is not a voter guide or a list of issues; rather it is intended to be read as a teaching document.
In the last few election cycles, the bishops have published a new introductory note that provides context around the issues of the election cycle. This makes sense as the issues that were debated in 2008 are very different from those coming up in 2024.
The introduction has used language that calls the issue of abortion the “preeminent political priority” of Catholics in American politics. This is the logical conclusion of the argument that a person has no rights unless he or she has a right to life.
Ultra-progressive publications have criticized the US bishops for including this language in the last few election cycles. Typically these publications will say something along the lines that there are more pro-life issues than just abortion. But again, none of those issues matter unless you are alive.
The Pillar obtained a draft of the letter the bishops will debate next week in Baltimore. It says, “consider what is at stake: protection of the innocent child in the womb is a preeminent concern because of their vulnerability.”
Following Tuesday’s loss for the right to life in Ohio, it is clear to me that abortion is still the “preeminent priority.” I also know that pro-lifers must take a hard look at how they are making their case. Clearly it isn’t working.
So often, us pro-lifers are accused of being simply “pro-birth” and therefore don’t really care about the children; we just want to control womens’ bodies. In recent months, some states were going after crisis pregnancy centers calling them “fake abortion clinics.” Some of this is intentional lying, but I’d wager that a majority of it is a messaging problem.
We must be able to tell our pro-life story clearly and with compassion and empathy.
Admittedly, the deck is stacked against us. Social media and mainstream media are not on our side. It is hard to speak clearly and to be taken seriously when there are such loud megaphones screaming that we hate women or want to take away their rights.
But remember that hundreds of the saints and the apostles themselves endured persecution for their beliefs and for standing up for what is true. They remained stable because they trusted in the Lord.
We, too, should follow in their footsteps. We must have unwavering support for the right to life because without it there are no other rights. And as we’re being yelled at as we pray outside an abortion clinic or on a college campus or when we answer a colleagues friend honestly, remember the words of Jesus: “love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)
Given the slew of pro-life losses since the overturning of Roe v Wade, abortion remains the preeminent political priority. We must pray and vote, and then pray some more.
Finally, I want to share a few moments when prolife issues came up in Wednesday’s GOP debate. Take a look:
Have a good week,
Matthew