Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,
The month of January is dedicated to devotion to the Most Holy Name of Jesus: let us reverently pray His Holy Name and make reparation to our good Lord for the many times that His Name is spoken with irreverence, ingratitude and hatred!
On January 22, our nation will commemorate the 52nd anniversary of the fateful Roe v. Wade United States Supreme Court decision that permitted the practice of abortion in our country. While we rejoice that this gravely wrong Supreme Court decision was overturned on June 24, 2022, we must continue to pray fervently for conversion of hearts toward love for the gift human life, especially here in Minnesota. The act of abortion is contrary to will and law of God. Our good Lord gives human life to individual persons, beginning at conception, and only He has the authority to determine the timing of death for a human person.
Here in Minnesota, a lawsuit was introduced this past November, 2024, presenting a compelling case that our State has cooperated with abortion providers to coerce women to undergo unwanted abortions. I encourage you to look up this case in our local Federal Court system and be informed. The stories of women coerced to have an abortion, and there being no one to help them resist an unwanted abortion are shocking and heart-rending. Above all, let us pray for the success of this legal action, so that abortion is no longer a part of our state and nation.
The practice of abortion in our country and world puts our society and culture against God and His plan for the human family. In light of this reality, we are called to lend our voice to our unborn brothers and sisters and to all in our world whose lives and God-given dignity are rejected.
Out of the abundance of Mercy, our good Lord’s seeks to heal the wounds of abortion, especially those who have been most affected by abortion. Jesus desires that we all work with Him to help hearts receive His love and mercy after abortion. He desires to forgive – which will stop the cycle of misery and death that surrounds abortion.
I include this week a collection of quotes from various Catholic sources about the goodness of human life:
On the Fundamental Right to Life - Pope Benedict XVI:
God's love does not differentiate between the newly conceived infant still in his or her mother's womb and the child or young person, or the adult and the elderly person. God does not distinguish between them because he sees an impression of his own image and likeness (Gn 1:26) in each one.1
[L]ife is the first good received from God and is fundamental to all others; to guarantee the right to life for all and in an equal manner for all is the duty upon which the future of humanity depends.2
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: [T]he failure to protect and defend life in its most vulnerable stages renders suspect any claims to the 'rightness' of positions in other mat-ters affecting the poorest and least powerful of the human community. If we understand the human person as the "temple of the Holy Spirit" – the living house of God – then these latter issues fall logically into place as the crossbeams and walls of that house. All direct attacks on innocent human life, such as abortion and euthanasia, strike at the house's foundation. These directly and immediately violate the human person's most fundamental right – the right to life. Neglect of these issues is the equivalent of building our house on sand. Such attacks cannot help but lull the social conscience in ways ultimately destructive of other human rights.3
Abortion - Pope Benedict XVI: Children truly are the family's greatest treasure and most precious good. Consequently, everyone must be helped to become aware of the intrinsic evil of the crime of abortion. In attacking human life in its very first stages, it is also an aggression against society itself. Politicians and legislators, therefore, as servants of the common good, are duty bound to defend the fundamental right to life, the fruit of God's love.4
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: Among important issues involving the dignity of human life with which the Church is concerned, abortion necessarily plays a central role. Abortion, the direct killing of an innocent human being, is always gravely immoral (The Gospel of Life, no. 57); its victims are the most vulnerable and defenseless members of the human family. It is imperative that those who are called to serve the least among us give urgent attention and priority to this issue of justice.5
Embryonic Stem Cell Research - U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: We must help those who are suffering, but we may not use a good end to justify an evil means. Moreover, treatments that do not require destroying any human life are at least as promising – they are already
healing some conditions, and are far closer to healing other conditions
than any approach using embryonic stem cells. The choice is
not between science and ethics, but between science that is ethically
responsible and science that is not.6
Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide - Pope Benedict XVI:
The freedom to kill is not true freedom, but a tyranny that reduces
the human being to slavery.7
More and more lonely elderly people exist in big cities, even in situations
of serious illness and close to death. In such situations, the
pressure of euthanasia is felt, especially when a utilitarian vision of
the person creeps in. In this regard, I take this opportunity to reaffirm
once again the firm and constant ethical condemnation of every
form of direct euthanasia, in accordance with the Church's centuries-
old teaching.8
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:
Euthanasia and assisted suicide can appear a reasonable and even
compassionate solution to the suffering of individuals and families
struggling with illness or the dying process. Yet these are not real
solutions – they do not solve human problems, but only take the
lives of those most in need of unconditional love.
Notes
1 Pope Benedict XVI, Address to the Participants at the 12th General
Assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life and Congress on "The Human
Embryo in the Pre-Implantation Phase" (February 27, 2006), http://
documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060227_embrione-umano_en.html.
2 Pope Benedict XVI, Address to the Participants in the General Assembly
of the Pontifical Academy for Life (February 24, 2007), http://
documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20070224_academy-life_en.html.
3 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, "Living the Gospel of
Life: A Challenge to American Catholics" (1998), /prolife/gospel.shtml.
4 Pope Benedict XVI, Address at a Meeting on Family and Life Issues in
Latin America (December 3, 2005), http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/
benedict_xvi/speeches/2005/december/documents/hf_ben_xvi_spe_
20051203_family-america-latina_en.html.
5 States Conference of Catholic Bishops, "Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities:
A Campaign in Support of Life" (2001), /prolife/
pastoralplan.shtml#intro.
6 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, "Stem Cell Research and
Human Cloning: Questions and Answers" (2004), /prolife/issues/bioethic/
stemcell/answers08052004.shtml.
7 Pope Benedict XVI, Homily at Mass of Possession of the Chair of the
Bishop of Rome (May 7, 2005), http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/
benedict_xvi/homilies/2005/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20050507_sangiovanni-
laterano_en.html.
8 Pope Benedict XVI, Address to the Pontifical Academy for Life Congress
on the theme: "Close by the Incurable Sick Person and the Dying: Scientific
and Ethical Aspects" (February 25, 2008), http://www.vatican.va/
holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2008/february/documents/hf_benxvi_
spe_20080225_acd-life_en.html.
(quotes taken from www.usccb.org – compiled April, 2008)
Through the intercession of Mary, the Mother of God, St. Joseph,
St. Michael, and St. Paul, may our good Lord Jesus grant His mercy
and healing to our country and the whole world!
In Christ through Mary,
Fr. Kasel
コメント