Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

All throughout the Acts of the Apostles, we are presented with the disciples of Jesus being attacked for their profession of the faith. At times they were imprisoned, flogged, and publicly ridiculed. But whenever the persecution ended, the Apostles and disciples walked away, proclaiming that they were thankful to God that they had been found worthy of persecution for being faithful witnesses to Jesus Christ. They said, again and again, that they must do what God wants and not what man demands.

This last Sunday was Good Shepherd Sunday. The Good Shepherd guides and protects the sheep. There were pro-abortion groups that publicly targeted Churches and organizations that supported an end to abortion. Specifically, they mentioned the Catholic Church and even threatened the desecration of the Eucharist. I could not help but feel the connection to the early Apostolic tradition when the teaching of the faith and the profession of Jesus Christ led to persecution. Yet the faithful were proud to be identified with Jesus and His teachings.

The Catholic Church has been consistent in the defense of the life of the unborn. “No greater love has any than to lay down one’s life for a friend.” The person of Jesus gives us a connection to one another “for I no longer call you a slave but a friend.”

We are horrified by the War in Ukraine that we view nightly on our televisions. We witness the destruction of innocent human life, rightfully appalled by the children who are senselessly killed. Since Roe v. Wade, there have been over 63 million abortions in this country alone. It’s hard to imagine the hardness of heart it must take to consistently take human life.

We speak about the treatment of children and create laws about abuse, realizing that they must be protected because of their vulnerability. Yet a decision issued in 1973 has done more damage to the future of our country than any abuse and destroyed more lives than all wars combined. No society can stand for long if codified in its law is support of the destruction of life. I remember a young person at the Right to Life March in Washington, D.C. addressing the crowd, stating that he was a survivor of the Roe v. Wade decision. He is here today because his mother realized he needed her protection.

We do not know exactly what the decision will be when the Supreme Court finally rules on the Mississippi Case, but we do know that we will always be pro-life because of the teachings of our Church. Despite our critics, we will be pro-women, understanding their role in the Divine Plan for creation. We must work always to make sure women understand they have options that allow them to support the life of the child they bear.

We must also pray to change the minds and hearts of our society, so that life is affirmed from conception to natural death. As we are vilified by our critics like the Apostles, let us be proud that God has seen fit for us to stand for life and profess our faith to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 
 

Note: This blog originally appeared as the May 10, 2022 "Love One Another" email sent to Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. If you are interested in signing up for these email messages, please click here.