| According to the website of the Alan Guttmacher Institute, 43% of women will
have had at least one abortion by the age of 45. That's a lot of abortion,
and a lot of pain. Those who suffer from the aftereffects of this procedure and
seek guidance and counseling may call Rachel's Vineyard
at 877 HOPE 4 ME (877-467-3463). |
| The Alan Guttmacher Institute, which favors the "freedom to terminate unwanted
pregnancies" (Mission statement), indicates that "about 14,000 women have
abortions each year because they became pregnant after rape or incest." At the
same time, it indicates that in 1996, "1.37 million abortions took place." In
other words, some 99% of all the abortions that occur have nothing to do with
rape or incest, according to "pro-choice" sources. (Source: Website of
the Alan Guttmacher Institute) |
| The Alan Guttmacher Institute, which favors the "freedom to terminate unwanted
pregnancies" (Mission statement), indicates that "on average, women give at
least 3 reasons for choosing abortion: 3/4 say that having a baby would
interfere with work, school or other responsibilities; about 2/3 say they cannot
afford a child; and 1/2 say they do not want to be a single parent or are having
problems with their husband or partner." In other words, the dominant reasons
women ask for this medical procedure have nothing to do with medical needs,
according to "pro-choice" sources. (Source: Website of the Alan Guttmacher
Institute) |
| The Alan Guttmacher Institute, which favors the "freedom to terminate unwanted
pregnancies" (Mission statement), states that 12%, that is, 164,400 of the 1.37
million abortions that occurred in 1996 occurred after 12 weeks of pregnancy. It
further indicates that some 13,700 of these abortions took place at 21 weeks or
more (Source: Website of the Alan Guttmacher Institute). Babies delivered
at this stage of development have been known to survive. |
| The National Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC is a shiny black wall that
stretches 492 feet and lists the names of the 58,022 known Americans killed in
that war. If such a wall listed the names of the children killed by abortion
since 1973, the wall would be about 60 miles long! The casualties of our wars
put together are fewer than the casualties from abortion in a single year. |
| Sandra Cano, the "Mary Doe" of the Doe vs. Bolton 1973 Supreme Court
abortion decision, was a pro-life Christian. On March 23, 1997, she declared
these memorable words: "I am Sandra Cano. I became known as Mary Doe when the
U.S. Supreme Court released Roe v. Wade's companion decision, Doe v.
Bolton, which allowed abortion for virtually any reason. I am against
abortion; I never sought an abortion; I have never had an abortion. Abortion is
murder. For over twenty years, and against my will, my name has been synonymous
with abortion. The Doe v. Bolton case is based on deceit and fraud. I
stand today in this place of healing, the National Memorial for the Unborn, and
pledge to the memory of these innocent children, that as long as I have breath,
I will strive to see abortion ended in America." |
| Norma McCorvey, the "Jane Roe" of the Roe vs. Wade 1973 Supreme Court
decision legalizing abortion, became a pro-life Catholic. On March 23, 1997, she
declared these memorable words: |
| "I am Norma McCorvey. I became known as Jane Roe on January 22, 1973, when the
U.S. Supreme Court released the Roe v. Wade decision, which created a
woman's "right to abortion". I am now a child of God, a new creature in Christ;
I am forgiven and redeemed. Today, I publicly recant my involvement in the
tragedy of abortion. I humbly ask forgiveness of the millions of women and
unborn babies who have experienced the violence of abortion. In this place of
healing, the National Memorial for the Unborn, I stand with those who honor the
worth of every unborn child as created in the image of God. I will strive, in
the name of Jesus, to end this holocaust." |
| Some people say that the assertion, "Life begins at conception" is only a
"religious belief." Yet the following quote is found in a book about how to
perform abortions: "Conception is the only occasion in the whole course of
events when something happens during a brief moment of time that is truly
'momentous'…How different is the fetus ten minutes before parturition and ten
minutes after; that is, different in a way that would affect its value?" (Second
Trimester Abortion: Perspectives After a Decade of Experience, Berger et
al., eds. p. 215). |
| Some who defend abortion claim that one is "truly human" only when able to
reason, to choose, and to be creative. Yet a book about how to perform abortions
contains this quote: "Surely embryos and fetuses do none of these things. In
fact, neither do newborns, and there's the rub. Presumably it would be equally
as acceptable to destroy newborns as fetuses, since both are in the same
prehuman boat" (Second Trimester Abortion: Perspectives After a Decade of
Experience, Berger et al., eds., p. 215). Think about it. |
| More people than ever are coming forward to talk about how they regret having an
abortion. Here are some quotes from actual testimonies, provided by a national
research project: "It affected my relationship with my children because I
emotionally pushed them away - I felt I didn't deserve them"; "I would go to the
cemetery wondering what they did with my baby"; "Initially I also felt a sense
of relief that it was all over. But it was a strange brand of relief that did
everything relief should, except make me feel any better." If you need help,
call 1-800-5-WE-CARE (National Office of Post-abortion Reconciliation and
Healing). |
| Sarah Smith is a young woman from California who survived an abortion after her
twin brother was aborted. She now speaks publicly for the pro-life cause, and
declares, "My mother's 'choice' was my death sentence." Sarah helps us put a
face on the abortion issue. It's not about abstract concepts; it's about real
people being destroyed. |
| "It is above all in raising children that the family fulfils its mission to
proclaim the Gospel of life.... The family celebrates the Gospel of life through
daily prayer, both individual prayer and family prayer. The family prays in
order to glorify and give thanks to God for the gift of life, and implores his
light and strength in order to face times of difficulty and suffering without
losing hope. But the celebration which gives meaning to every other form of
prayer and worship is found in the family's actual daily life together, if it is
a life of love and self-giving" (Pope John Paul II: The Gospel of Life,
n.92-93). |
| Every human person is created in the image and likeness of God. The conviction
that human life is sacred and that each person has inherent dignity that must be
respected in society lies at the heart of Catholic social teaching. Calls to
advance human rights are illusions if the right to life itself is subject to
attack. We believe that every human life is sacred from conception to natural
death; that people are more important than things; and that the measure of every
institution is whether or not it enhances the life and dignity of the human
person. (US Bishops: Faithful Citizenship - Civic Responsibility for a New
Millennium, 1999). |
| For Catholics, public virtue is as important as private virtue in building up
the common good. In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue;
participation in the political process is a moral obligation. Every believer is
called to faithful citizenship, to become an informed, active, and responsible
participant in the political process. As we said a year ago, "We encourage
all citizens, particularly Catholics, to embrace their citizenship not
merely as a duty and privilege, but as an opportunity [more fully] to
participate in building the culture of life. Every voice matters in the public
forum. Every vote counts. Every act of responsible citizenship is an exercise of
significant individual power" (US Bishops: Faithful Citizenship - Civic
Responsibility for a New Millennium, 1999). |