(This article courtesy of Steven Ertelt and the Pro-Life Infonet email newsletter. For more information or to subscribe go to www.prolifeinfo.org or email infonet@prolifeinfo.org.)
Washington, DC — The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops opened its national meeting Monday with a strong declaration against abortion, calling the nearly 30-year-old Roe v. Wade decision “disastrous for our nation.”
The organization's president, Bishop Wilton D. Gregory of Belleville, Ill.,
made the remarks to open the four-day meeting in Washington, D.C. Later in
the week, the bishops are expected to adopt a statement calling for the
reversal of the landmark Supreme Court decision.
With the 30th anniversary of Roe v. Wade approaching in January, the bishops are planning to issue a strong condemnation about abortion. It is one of several items on the agenda.
“Roe v. Wade has been disastrous for our nation,” Gregory said to the
applause of bishops. “That decision, more than any other in our recent
history, has been responsible for blinding our national conscience to the
truth about our God-given rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness.”
He thanked the bishops for keeping the “truth about human life alive” in the
aftermath of the decision.
Shortly after Gregory's address, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua of Philadelphia,
introduced a statement, “A Matter of the Heart,” which bishops plan to vote
on later this week. The document calls for the reversal of Roe v. Wade.
Bevilacqua, chairman of the bishops' Committee for Pro-Life Activities, said
there is a “disparity between public opinion, which is largely on the side of
protecting life, and public policy, which is often antithetical to life.”
The statement also praises the work of youth in the pro-life movement and
commends individuals for turning away from abortion.
“This pastoral message also reaches out to anyone considering abortion,”
Bevilacqua said, “telling those who are suffering that the church and its
ministries will help them with compassion and without condemnation.”
The nation's Catholic bishops also stressed the importance of passing laws
that show respect for the sanctity of human life. The bishops urged lawmakers to approve a measure to ban partial-birth abortions in a letter of support
earlier this year.
You can read Bishop Gregory's remarks and view “A Matter of the Heart” by clicking on these links.