Abortion

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CCC 2270 “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person -- among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.”

CCC 2271 “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.”

CCC 2272 “Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. [Canon 1398] The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.”

Mother Teresa, at the National Prayer Breakfast 1994, said, “The greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?”

The murder of innocent children is an evil that, once loosed, turns against its parents as euthanasia. Every argument for extinguishing a human life in the womb is equally applicable to a man or woman of any age: “unwanted,” “a hindrance to another’s health or happiness,” or “unable to live a meaningful life.” It is already common for doctors or nurses in hospitals to silently kill patients they consider too disabled or too old. Jesus said, Mt 26:52 “All who take the sword will perish by the sword.” When we encourage killing for convenience, our words reach those who find us inconvenient.

Words are powerful weapons in this war to protect children. The other side always speaks of “choice,” or “a woman’s right to choose.” We must, every time and without exception, ask them, “Choice to do what?” We must force them to explain again and again that they are advocating the right to abort a living child in the womb. If they they firmly refuse and just keep repeating the word “choice,” we can ask them gently why they are advocating something they are embarrassed even to name.

We can also begin speaking of a woman’s right to choose her children’s schools. If they oppose school vouchers we can remind them that they said they were pro choice. Obviously, anyone opposed to a woman’s right to choose her children’s schools cannot say he is in favor of a woman’s right to choose. When secular health care professionals who believe they are being helpful by withholding medical treatment in hospitals we can speak of a woman’s right to choose life for her family. When Hillary starts proposing government health care solutions that restrict us to plan doctors we can speak of a woman’s right to choose her own doctor. The liberals have a huge investment in the “woman’s right to choose” slogan. Millions of people react to it automatically, without thinking. Right to choose good. No right to choose bad. Since free will is particularly a Catholic and conservative issue, we should be able to take it away from them.