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Respect Life Month in October invites us to respect life across the board. We should especially respect and defend the rights of helpless unborn babies who cannot defend themselves.
The 2016 Doritos Super Bowl commercial showed an unborn baby in his or her mother’s womb. To me, this was natural and obvious. I was familiar with advances in ultrasound imaging and I think that human life begins at conception as the Church teaches.
Life in the womb can’t be denied
I didn’t expect it, but I wasn’t surprised by comments from some affiliated with the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) who criticized Doritos for “humanizing fetuses.” Cal Thomas of the Tribune Content Agency responded, “Humanizing fetuses? What does that sonogram image show if not a human?” He added, “Pro-choice persons fear the sonogram because it shows an image whose humanness cannot be denied.”
Ironically, as abortion became more common after being legalized in Roe v. Wade, knowledge about life within the womb increased. Advancements in ultrasound imaging reveal three-dimensional images of unborn babies as the Doritos’ commercial did. Expectant mothers are discouraged from smoking, taking drugs, or drinking alcohol. Expectant parents are encouraged to interact with their unborn child through talking and music.
Clear Catholic teaching
In no. 2271 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it says, “Since the first century, the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.”
On September 20, 2013, in a talk to a group of Catholic doctors, Pope Francis condemned the “throwaway culture” abortion promotes. He stated, “Every unborn child, though unjustly condemned to be aborted, has the face of Jesus, who before his birth, and shortly after he was born, experienced the world’s rejection.”
Supporting the unborn’s right to life
Statistics reveal that abortions have decreased slightly in recent years, but there are still too many abortions. We must keep supporting the unborn’s right to life.
We can tell others about pro-life ministries that work with expectant mothers considering abortion and encourage them to choose life for their unborn children. Pro-life ministries provide pre-natal care, assistance in raising children, adoption placement services, and much more.
We can tell women who grieve from having an abortion about Project Rachel, which helps them heal through counseling, prayer, and forgiveness. We can participate in 40 Days for Life and pray for or spiritually adopt unborn babies.
As Catholics we must respect life, not only in the womb, but everywhere, within our families, our communities, and where we work or do business. This means treating every life with dignity and honoring every life as God’s gift.
Fr. Donald Lange is a pastor emeritus in the Diocese of Madison.