Respect Life Throughout All of Life!

10-01-2023Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

The Church’s entire social doctrine is guided by the fundamental principle that every human life has innate dignity and incomparable value: “For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:13-14a) As disciples of Christ, we are called to make a sacrificial gift of ourselves for the sake of our neighbor, for “to love someone is to desire that person's good and to take effective steps to secure it.” (Pope Benedict XVI, Caritas in veritate (Charity in Truth), no. 7.)

Fulfilling Christ’s command to love one another takes shape in our practice of solidarity. Solidarity is the means by which we put our love for others into action, making the good of others our own. Solidarity “is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people… On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good…to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all.” (Pope John Paul II, Sollicitudo rei socialis (On Social Concern), no. 38.)

In reaction to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, some areas of the country now protect the child in the womb, while others are doing all they can to increase access to abortion. At this critical moment, we have been entrusted with new opportunities and new responsibilities to build a civilization of authentic love. Our culture claims to offer women so-called “choice,” but ultimately abandons mothers to make tragic and painful decisions alone. We must lead the way in showing the alternative: “In firmly rejecting ‘pro-choice’ it is necessary to become courageously ‘pro woman,’ promoting a choice that is truly in favor of women. … The only honest stance, in these cases, is that of radical solidarity with the woman. It is not right to leave her alone.” (Pope John Paul II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, p. 207.)

Pope St. John Paul II warned all of us that we lived in a “culture of death.” That was true when he said...it’s even more true now. But we must be a people of hope and never give up. Inspired by Christ’s own example of love, may we commit ourselves to embracing life at all stages, from conception all the way to natural death. Our Lord will give us the wisdom and the strength to stand for life.

All the best…in Christ,

Father Wilson