Living Radical Solidarity
An excerpt from Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge statement on Respect Life Month 2023
Since 1973, the year the Supreme Court legalized abortion nationwide in Roe v. Wade, the month of October has been set aside by the U.S. bishops as a time to focus on protecting God’s precious gift of human life. While we thank God that the terrible reign of Roe has ended, we also recognize that abortion still continues in most states and is aggressively promoted at the federal level. A great many prayers, sacrifices, and good works are still desperately needed to transform a culture of death into a culture of life. Our public witness, our marching, and our advocacy must continue, yet laws alone will not end the tragedy of abortion.
While ending legalized abortion remains our preeminent priority, the most immediate way to save babies and mothers from abortion is to thoroughly surround mothers in need with lifegiving support and personal accompaniment. This is radical solidarity. St. John Paul II first defined “radical solidarity” in this way: “In firmly rejecting ‘pro-choice’ it is necessary to become courageously ‘pro woman,’ promoting a choice that is truly in favor of women. …
Being in radical solidarity with women who are pregnant or raising children in difficult circumstances means putting our love for them into action and putting their needs before our own. Pope Francis reminds us that solidarity “refers to something more than a few sporadic acts of generosity. It presumes the creation of a new mindset,” a transformation within our own hearts…
Our initiative, Walking With Moms in Need provides easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions to help transform our parishes into places of welcome, support, and assistance for pregnant and parenting mothers facing difficulties.
And so, this October, I invite all Catholics to think about building a culture of life in terms of radical solidarity. We are the Church. Our prayers, witness, sacrifices, advocacy, and good works are needed now, more than ever. We are the hands and feet of Christ in the world today and we each have a personal responsibility to care for one another.
Read the rest of his statement at: www.usccb.org/resources/rlp-23-RLM-Statement.pdf.
We would love to welcome you to Our Lady of the Wayside’s Respect Life Ministry! For more information, email: RespectLife@olwparish.org
Tags: #abortion, #olw, #olwparish, #ourladyofthewayside, #prolife, #respectlife, #respectlifemonth
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