The Immoral Abyss of Abortion
Two major events have occurred recently that have garnered little or no comment or commendation from the leaders of the Catholic Church. This is truly a shame as the Catholic Church used to be the one true moral authority in the world.
The first was the leak of the well-reasoned majority opinion penned by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito that seems to hint that Roe v. Wade may be overturned. Faithful, traditional American Catholics were not looking for some politicized word smithed statement, but simply a reaffirmation that abortion is intrinsically evil. Perhaps something like what already appears right on the USCCB’s website listed below.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law” (No. 2271).
It would not have been difficult for Catholic leaders to remind the faithful that abortion, for any reason, is a grave sin. Instead, what did we get? A weak mealy-mouthed statement from Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities on May 4 about, “…accompanying mothers and couples in need.” The word abortion did not even appear once in this communication. To his credit, Archbishop Lori did say that life begins at the moment of conception and also encouraged prayer and fasting.
In the days that followed, the justices’ very lives were threatened with violence as Marxist activists began demonstrating at their homes, vowed to disrupt Sunday masses on Mother’s Day, and began torching pro-life pregnancy centers. One group called “Ruth Sent Us” named after the deceased abortion advocate Ruth Bader Ginsburg, tweeted their intent to, “burn the Eucharist.” The USCCB was then forced to issue another statement a week later on May 10. Statement two from the USCCB was somewhat better, but is still lacking as it never fully articulated the evil that is abortion or called out the dangerous and blasphemous threats of the activists. The USCCB likes to remind us that racism is a sin, why are they afraid to do the same for abortion?
The destruction of babies in the womb is the civil rights issue of our time, and unfortunately due to watered down catechesis over the last fifty years, many Catholics have never heard the hard truth that abortion is the murder of a helpless and innocent life – not merely a woman’s choice. The second USCCB statement also calls, “For the conversion of the hearts and minds of those who advocate for abortion.” Does the USCCB realize that many hearts and minds have been changed when the hard facts and sometimes the gory photos of actual abortions are shown to those who consider themselves to be advocates? In order to truly bring those who have been manipulated by the media and the radical Marxist left into thinking that abortion is simply healthcare, we must name abortion for what it is – pure unadulterated evil.
Cardinal Zen Imprisoned
Now we turn our attention to Hong Kong where 90-year-old Cardinal Zen was arrested by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for supposedly colluding with foreign forces. As of this writing some 24 hours later, the only reaction from the USCCB and the Vatican has been one of “concern.” The Vatican’s press office posted the following, “The Holy See has learned with concern [emphasis added] the news of Cardinal Zen’s arrest and is following the evolution of the situation with extreme attention.” Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford and chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace stated the following, “I join with the Holy See in expressing concern [emphasis added] for the fate of Cardinal Zen and others who share his current predicament.” Again, no condemnation, no appeal to uphold Cardinal Zen’s human rights, no rebuke of communism – just a typical politically guarded statement.
As you may recall Pope Francis entered into an agreement with the CCP in 2018 most likely brokered by the disgraced former archbishop of Washington D.C., Theodore McCarrick. This deal was brokered after the CCP had cracked down on religion by removing crosses from churches and forbidding children from attending religious services or instruction. The agreement, in which the details were never made public, was renewed in 2020 and basically allowed the CCP to appoint bishops in China who are in league with Beijing. At the time of the original agreement Cardinal Zen was quoted as saying, “It’s an incredible betrayal. The consequences will be tragic and long lasting, not only for the church in China but for the whole church because it damages the credibility.”
In 2020 Cardinal Zen traveled to Rome to seek an audience with Pope Francis to protest the appointment of a new bishop in Hong Kong who was clearly a pro-Xi Jinping proxy. Francis refused to meet with him. Now, after Cardinal Zen has been arrested by his communist collaborators, Francis merely expresses concern.
Oh, how we long for strong leaders who might proclaim the truth in this crazy world filled with fear, chaos and destruction. But Jesus reminds us that the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against the Church (Matthew 16:18). Mere humans are prone to disappoint, but the Savior of the World will never abandon us or his bride, the Church. In this we can find solace. In this can we place our hope.
Pray fervently for the overturn of Roe v. Wade; the safety of the justices, mass attendees and prolife center workers; the activists who seek to intimidate; the persecuted Christians in China; and especially for Cardinal Zen.