Christians and Catholics alike believe in the inherent dignity of every human being

January 16, 2022

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This week, the Church asks us to pray for the unity of Christians. Our prayers are for our separated brethren, who though Christian, are not in union with the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church that Our Blessed Lord established almost 2,000 years ago. Our prayer is the same prayer Christ Himself offered, “that all may be one.”

This Monday our nation also honors Martin Luther King Jr., a Christian who gave his life to change the laws that denied basic human rights for Black Americans. His faith compelled him to protest injustice in a non-violent way. Although he never truly saw the fruits of his sacrifice, his legacy lives on.

This Friday, hundreds of thousands of Christians, men and women, boys and girls of different faiths and backgrounds will descend upon Washington D.C. for the 49th Annual March For Life to protest the current laws that deny basic human and civil rights. How can one not draw parallels between today’s March for Life and the March on Washington in 1963?

Alveda King, an evangelist preacher and also the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., sees the Pro-life movement as a continuation of the civil rights struggle. According to her website, www.civilrightsfortheunborn.org her vision is “to reach Black Americans and the general population to inform, educate, and activate the general community to combat the harmful impact and scourge of abortion.” She believes that, “Abortion and racism are evil twins, born of the same lie. Where racism now hides its face in public, abortion is accomplishing the goals of which racism only once dreamed. Together, abortionists are destroying humanity at large and the black community in particular.”

As Martin Luther King awakened the consciences of millions of Americans to confront the once tolerated evil of racial discrimination, so too, Christians today should shed light on the evil of abortion. Our motivation comes not solely from our faith, but from natural law. Although Christians and Catholics alike believe in the inherent dignity of every human being, respecting human life in the womb is not exclusively a Catholic or even a religious principle as evidenced by the fact that many people of different faiths or no faith at all are Pro-life. Defending human life is simply a matter of protecting the innocent child in the womb, not pushing a tenet of any particular faith.

One thing is for sure: Christians and people of good cannot blindly ignore evil and injustice. Our faith does compel us that we must respond. What can we do? First, we do everything possible to support mothers and fathers who are considering an abortion by supporting local crisis- pregnancy centers. Secondly, we must educate the youth on the sanctity of life and the importance of abstinence. Thirdly, we can make reparations for the conversion of our leaders who advocate abortion, especially public figures who wield great influence over others. Finally we must pray to Our Lady, our heavenly Mother, that one-day all peoples will have the Right to Life in America.

In Christ,
Fr. Slezak