In
his letter commemorating October as “Respect Life Month” Cardinal Daniel
DiNardo is refreshingly direct in his critique both of the “selfish and
demeaning view of human sexuality” presented by the entertainment media and of the
contraceptive mentality rampant in our culture. He further notes that this distorted
view is now being reinforced by the Dept. of Health and Human Services with
their decision to effectively treat pregnancy as a ‘preventable disease.’ He concludes his strongly worded missive with
a petition: “Let us pray and reflect on how each of us might renew
our commitment and witness to “respecting, promoting and teaching the
transcendent nature of the human person.”
This
week I felt keenly this need to pray and reflect after I met with a 15 year old high school student and a 22
year old young woman who both seemed to lack awareness of this transcendent
value of their unborn children.Despite
the information about fetal development, the dangers of abortion procedures,
and the less painful alternative of adoption, the 15 year old was adamant about
terminating her pregnancy. Having been indoctrinated with what Cardinal DiNardo
referred to as the “false values” about life and with the encouragement of her
family to abort the pregnancy, there is little we can do at this point beyond
pray. If she does indeed choose this destructive path, she will find that the
pleasures she finds in life will be but temporary and will eventually be
replaced by greater pain.
The
22 year old woman had been down this road before. She was now considering
having a second abortion. Her partner did not want the child and she seemed
ambivalent. Yet when I asked her if she had any regrets about her first
abortion, the tears welled up in her eyes. It may have been the first time her
private pain had been acknowledged. When I told her that we have an experienced
counselor, who helps women who are struggling emotionally after an abortion,
she immediately asked for an appointment to meet with him. Joe Forlenza, who
has worked with Cross Road
since we began in 1987, understands well the loss of hope that many women feel after
abortion and the need for emotional healing. That healing is rooted in a
recovery of the truth about the transcendent or eternal value of human life.
Recovering this truth, while initially painful, ultimately leads to a return of
hope for genuine happiness.
This
month we do well to heed the call of Cardinal DiNardo to pray and reflect on our
commitment to life and how, as a nation, we can recover our respect for the
transcendent dignity of the human person. I thank you for your continued
support for our work at Cross Road.
I am grateful if you would keep our mothers in your prayers as well that they
may choose life as the true road to lasting happiness.
