Obsessed Over Abortion?

By Jillian Cooke
Fr. Kolbe Missionary of the Immaculata 

I know. Some will consider this post a little late in the game. However, it takes prayer and patience to sift through the gunk, and so many other qualified writers and theologians respond immediately. On the other hand, today being the memorial of the Roe V Wade decision, I thought it apt to once again consider the Holy Father's words, so badly misconstrued to suggest that he was tolerant of abortion. 

What he said:

“We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods. This is not possible. I have not spoken much about these things, and I was reprimanded for that. But when we speak about these issues, we have to talk about them in a context. The teaching of the church, for that matter, is clear and I am a son of the church, but it is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time.

The dogmatic and moral teachings of the church are not all equivalent. The church’s pastoral ministry cannot be obsessed with the transmission of a disjointed multitude of doctrines to be imposed insistently."*

Our Holy Father is challenging us to live that culture of life that is not merely the demand that others conform to doctrine, but sees the whole person and seeks their transformation. He is challenging us to remember that all the issues and problems in the world are not isolated, but rather varying manifestations of a world that groans for its final redemption. They are varying effects of a fallen humanity and individual sin, in short, they are "symptoms" of one, horrible disease. We all know that to really kick a disease - yes, you alleviate the symptoms - but you don't stop there, you kill or eradicate the cause of the disease. 

In the same interview, Pope Francis said:

“I see clearly that the thing the church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful; it needs nearness, proximity. I see the church as a field hospital after battle. It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugars! You have to heal his wounds. Then we can talk about everything else. Heal the wounds, heal the wounds.... And you have to start from the ground up." 

Heal Wounds! This is the very cry of the West Coast Walk for Life: Abortion hurts women. SIN HURTS, and therefore sinners suffers. Do we really think that people will be able to let go of their self-defeating habits (sinful behavior, immoral lifestyle, what have you) without knowing there is a God who loves them and is waiting for them? We must protect the unborn with legal protection. ABSOLUTELY, but we must also remove the cause of abortion in society (as so many amazing pro-life movements have). 

The idea that focusing on issues and doctrine will convert hearts is unfounded in Scripture. In the book of James we are reminded to clothe the freezing and feed the hungry and then to teach them. So it goes for a psychological and emotional hunger.

There's nothing new here - only a strikingly potent reminder that Pope Francis' motto may be our own: Miserando atque Eligendo [By Having Mercy and by Choosing Him]. One day, abortion will be no more. Today, I offer, pray, work, repent, and love. 

In the words of St. Maximilian Kolbe: Only Love Creates. 

* America Magazine "A Big Heart Open to God" http://www.americamagazine.org/print/156341