By Anne McGuire
A couple years ago, I lived with my friend Jenna*, who often prayed outside a local abortion facility. During her visits, she frequently saw a man who escorted women into the facility. Although Jenna didn't initially speak with him, they eventually found themselves standing next to each other during their respective "shifts." Upon arrival, she would ask him how he was.
By Deirdre A. McQuade
Much to the delight of abortion advocates, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has loosened its guidelines for the powerful abortion drug, RU-486/Mifepristone, marketed as "Mifeprex." It may now officially be used up to 70 days gestational age, rather than 49, and administered by non-physicians where allowed by state law -- including nurse practitioners and physicians' assistants.
Read more: Life Issues Forum - The 70-Day-After Abortion Pill
By Richard M. Doerflinger
Since California legalized assisted suicide last year for people diagnosed as terminally ill, the former Hemlock Society -- now a multi-million-dollar operation called "Compassion & Choices" or C&C -- has stepped up efforts to pass similar laws in other states. At the center of its campaign is the late Brittany Maynard, an attractive 30-year-old cancer patient who moved to Oregon to obtain a lethal drug overdose prescribed by a physician. Her husband is now a paid spokesperson for C&C.
Read more: Life Issues Forum - The True Face of Assisted Suicide
By Kimberly Baker
Life too often moves at a breakneck pace. Technology is always at our fingertips to help us achieve more and do more—and with greater speed. When this continuous, fast-paced lifestyle overwhelms us, we risk losing our human touch with others. In contrast, Pope Francis often speaks of creating a "culture of encounter," which not only transforms the way we live in the world, but also beautifully affirms and facilitates a culture of life:
Read more: Life Issues Forum - Building Up Life through Encounter
By Tommy O'Donnell
In their recent pastoral letter, "Create in Me a Clean Heart: A Pastoral Response to Pornography Use," the U.S. Catholic bishops present authentic love as being rooted in generosity, and they explain how a society that knows how to love authentically is built on chastity and mercy.
By Mary McClusky
Although Easter is a time of great joy for many, it can also be a painful season. Imagine a woman who has had an abortion watching children frolic through the grass at an Easter egg hunt. She may silently ache for the child she'll never carry in her arms. Her focus is on the tomb, not on Jesus' victory over sin and death and the joy of the Resurrection. Those who mourn the loss of their children to abortion may feel they are not worthy of God's love. How can the Church help suffering mothers, as well as fathers, move from silent suffering into healing, peace, and even Easter joy?
Read more: Life Issues Forum - Reconciliation Brings Easter Joy
By Caitlin Thomas
The annual March for Life in January in Washington, D.C. and other events like it across the country, such as the "9 Days for Life" novena, raise awareness and bring pro-life supporters together in solidarity. We join in prayer and penance in reparation for the injustices committed against the lives of our brothers and sisters, and to replace what Pope St. John Paul II called a "culture of death" — what Pope Francis terms the "throwaway culture" — with a culture of life.
Read more: Life Issues Forum - After Marching, Acting as Islands of Mercy