My Dear Friends,
In these final days before the elections, Priests for Life is again speaking
to the nation via a
full-page ad that will appear
tomorrow (Thursday, November 2) in USA Today. The ad is quite substantive,
providing documented information to readers about key facts regarding the
practice and impact of abortion in our nation.
In the light of these often unknown facts about abortion, the reader is asked
what a candidate's support for abortion says about that candidate's character.
As our TV and radio ads put it, the question should be, "If a candidate
can't respect the life of a little baby, how is he supposed to respect ours?"
The US Bishops have asked the same question in other words. In
Faithful Citizenship, they bluntly say, "Calls to advance human rights are
an illusion if the right to life itself is subject to attack." In
Living the Gospel of Life,
they use the analogy of a house. The foundation may be just "one part" of the
house, but without it, the house cannot be built.
Likewise, the foundation of all rights is the right to life. We can never
make progress in our nation against poverty, drug abuse, homelessness, or any
other matter affecting human dignity, if we allow abortion -- which attacks the
foundation -- to continue.
This example may be useful to you in explaining this concept to others:
Suppose you say to a group gathered in a room, "I will guarantee to everyone in
this room the right to health, housing, education, employment, and many other
rights besides -- but I reserve to myself the right to decide who comes into
this room in the first place!"
That's exactly what a government says when it guarantees a litany of rights,
but exercises a veto power over who is protected before birth.
This and other ideas are being communicated to all our nation's priests in a
series of faxes being sent to every parish during these days. We
are urging the priests to preach clearly about the elections, and about the need
to vote as Catholics. We have also shared with the priests the marvelous
statements of various bishops who are speaking out more every day about the
critical importance of participation in these elections.
Please spread the word in any way you can! Please take part in these days in
emailing or faxing letters to the editors of your local paper, and in
distributing literature in your neighborhood. Even if your pastor does not allow
you to hand out fliers on Church property, remember that when it
comes to public streets and sidewalks, you have a Constitutional
right to hand out literature! This may be your best way to inform and encourage
someone's vote!
Finally, if you can make use of our ad in
Spanish, please do!
God bless you!
Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life
