"Solidarity with women" is the effort of Priests for Life to respond to the
call that the Holy Father makes when he writes in Crossing the Threshold of
Hope, "Therefore, in firmly rejecting 'pro choice' it is necessary to become
courageously 'pro woman,' promoting a choice that is truly in favor of women…The
only honest stance…is that of radical solidarity with the woman" (p.206-207).
Likewise, in Evangelium Vitae 99, the Holy Father calls for a "new
feminism" whose purpose is "to acknowledge and affirm the true genius of
women in every aspect of the life of society, and overcome all discrimination,
violence and exploitation."
Through its "Solidarity with Women" effort, Priests for Life has faithfully
reflected this call of the Holy Father, and this inherent demand of being
pro-life. In thousands of parishes around the nation over the past decade, the
priests of our organization have preached, and have trained countless other
priests to preach the following theme: To be pro-life is to be pro-woman. We
do not say, "Love the baby and forget about the mother." Rather, we say, "Why
can't we love them both?" We can and we must. To harm one is to harm the other;
to love and serve one is to love and serve the other.
"Pro-woman" is not simply a project, strategy, or package for the pro-life
message. Rather, it is that message. Whenever someone speaks up for the
equal dignity of the unborn child, that person is advancing the status of women.
Whenever someone reveals the horror of abortion, that person is counteracting
the exploitation of women, so many of whom are deceived into thinking that
abortion is no horror at all. Whenever the pro-life message is advanced, women
are ennobled.
"Solidarity with Women" involves multiple projects. For instance, our TV,
radio, and print ads reveal how women are deceived, exploited, and killed by the
abortion industry. Our Defending Life program continues to be the
platform for countless women to speak to hundreds of millions of people
worldwide about their pain and healing after abortion. Our website carries the
largest collection of post-abortion testimonies on the internet (www.priestsforlife.org/postabortion).
For years, we have called upon pastors to place as a permanent item on their
parish bulletin cover the phone numbers for local alternatives to abortion.
One of our latest efforts is to co-sponsor the "Silent No More Awareness
Campaign" (www.SilentNoMoreAwareness.org). Throughout the country, women who
have found healing after their abortion are speaking out, revealing abortion for
the harmful, empty promise that it is. In June of this year, we brought such
women before a special gathering of members of the US House of Representatives
in Washington. We will continue to give them opportunities to speak out from
coast to coast.
This is a task for everyone, women and men alike. The basis of our solidarity
with women, as well as with unborn children, is our common humanity, not our
gender. Indeed, let us all speak and act in solidarity with women!
