Followers of Jesus Christ are pro-life in the most comprehensive sense of the term. We proclaim the gift of Eternal Life in Him, and call our people to work for a just society that safeguards human life and dignity at every stage and works especially to protect the most vulnerable among us.

To stand idly by when children are being dismembered by abortion is a failure of discipleship. To justify or promote such activity is among the gravest betrayals of the Gospel and of basic human decency.

And when this is done by a public official, it is a betrayal of the very meaning of public service.

We agree with the declaration, ‘Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights -- for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture -- is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination’ (John Paul II, Christifideles Laici, n. 38

We also agree that “The failure to protect and defend life in its most vulnerable stages renders suspect any claims to the 'rightness' of positions in other matters” (US Catholic Bishops, Living the Gospel of Life , n.23).

The People of God must elect public servants who know the difference between serving the public and killing the public; otherwise, they do not belong in public office.

There is simply no excuse for a public official to fail to call for the protection of the lives of the youngest infants.

A group of Democrats in Congress who claim to be Catholic have again issued a statement supporting the legality of abortion and at the same time claim to be defending “the least among us.”

This is offensive both to reason and to faith. It is offensive to us, who strive to live the Gospel, defend life, and love America. It is time for all people of faith to raise their voices against the violence of abortion and the scandalous words and actions of these politicians.