Building a Bridge over Troubled Waters
By Rev. John J. Raphael, SSJ
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Protecting life is a fundamental responsibility of every human being. Protecting life also means nurturing and sustaining the lives of all after conception and birth. Building a Culture of Life means that our responsibility does not end at birth, but it must include the defense of life from its very origin. Would to God that on all sides of the political aisles, and in legislatures at every level of government there were advocates for the unborn-Independents, Democrats, Republicans, Greens, Libertarians and anyone else, all recognizing that where the unborn are now, we all once were! What a boon that would be to a pro-life movement that was not confined to or identified with a single political party, but was as American as apple pie! What a blessing to the communities whose little ones would no longer be slaughtered, sacrificed to the gods of convenience and debased ideology.

I truly believe we can all come together in mutual respect, even while other differences remain, to change the way our country thinks on this issue. Dr. King appealed to the goodness that he believed lay in the hearts of each human person, made in the image and likeness of God. He believed that even his staunchest opponent and his most violent enemy was capable of change. That same spirit is needed today.

It is needed for these two communities to come together to work for a common goal. It is needed for our new president and the new Congress to see the truth of legalized abortion for heinous crime against humanity that it is and to reject it wholeheartedly. It is needed to understand that campaign rhetoric and governance are often radically different, thus there is hope that with hard work, commitment, and sacrifice-not empty platitudes and pietistic wishes-disparate groups with disparate backgrounds and perspectives on many other important issues can come together as one in churches, in schools, in legislative assemblies, at abortion clinics, in conferences, and wherever else pro-life people of every stripe can gather to make these United States a land of life and opportunity for all.

There is great and powerful symbolism in this recent election, but there is even greater need to make that symbolism meaningful for everyone, most especially, the unborn!

Works Cited

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Feb. 2007. Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities. "Highlights in Minority Health and Health Disparities." 3 Jan. 2009.

Change.gov. The Office of the President Elect. 3 Jan. 2009.

George, Francis. Statement of the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. 12 Nov. 2008. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. 6 Jan. 2008.

Guttmacher Institute. Jul. 2008. In Brief. "Facts on Induced Abortions in the United States." 3 Jan. 2009.

Holley, Martin. Bishop Holley Calls on Black Community To Overcome Abortion. 15 Oct. 2008. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. 6 Jan. 2009.

Ricard, John. A Letter From Bishop John Ricard to Senator Joseph Biden. 4 Nov. 2008. Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. 6 Jan 2009.

Fr. Raphael is the principal of St. Augustine High School (Josephite) in New Orleans, LA.

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