Father, the Pro-Life Movement is Better than This

This post is concerning a popular priest’s stunt concerning an aborted fetus a few days ago.  If you do not know what I’m talking about, that’s a good thing.

I must make clear that his actions does not and should not represent what the Pro-Life movement nor what Catholic identity is all about.  Many of my friends of the younger Catholic generation and I are angry at his stunt, and higher authorities are reprimanding his actions as they should.

Although I didn’t vote for Trump (nor Hillary for that matter), I am optimistic, as I’m sure many are, about the possibility of real change in policy and laws concerning abortion.  However, let’s be clear, as important it is for the law to change, it’s even more important that hearts do, too.

I believe we are on the tipping point of the pro-life movement.  So let’s remember what our positive message should be.

I believe that pregnant women and their partners deserve to know all of their options of truth, love, and support concerning carrying through with the pregnancy, keeping the baby or offering the life for adoption before they make the choice of abortion.  Unfortunately too many women and their partners  in these situations believe abortion is their only choice and are unaware of the life-affirming love and support available to them.  They deserve better.

For two years I worked at a pregnancy resource center, Centro Tepeyac, that was that shining light that gave dignity of choice, support, and love to these women and couples.  Our main job was to give compassion, truth, and counsel to women and their boyfriends considering abortion.  I’d simply ask guys to tell me the pros of keeping the baby and then “pros” of going through with the abortion.  Nine times out of ten their list of keeping the baby outweighed the other.  I’d also spell out their third option of offering the baby for adoption.  Lastly, I would tell them that I would be there for them no matter their decision.  If they kept the baby, I could offer him diapers, clothes, and connect them to the right insurance agencies, walking every step with them.  If they chose adoption, we could point them to our waiting list of people waiting to adopt.  We have even been there at the hospital helping them connect their newborn baby with his or her new adopted parents.  And even if they were to choose abortion, I said I would be there for him after because unfortunately, many guys go through depression when this happens.  I’ve had one guy call me back crying on the phone, “Matt, I feel like I lost my fatherhood,” and I, with God’s grace, helped console him.

Our Center has seen a number of women who have been raped, who then became aware of their option to adopt, offered the baby to parents waiting to love them, and mother, child, and adoptive parents were all happy in the end.

What if women and couples got to have dignified conversations, love, and information like this allowing them to really see all their options and support there is for each?

That is what the Pro-Life movement should be about.  I’m for life-affirming messages like what Centro Tepeyac and amazing Save the Storks is doing.  Not the stunt of this well-intentioned but totally inappropriate actions of this priest.

Let’s move together and build upon the positive message that women, men, and the unborn in these situations do deserve better.  May our hearts change together.

Amén.