Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This week, champions of the pro-life movement offered Mass, personal prayers, and witness to the continuing battle for the soul of the United States. I offer my gratitude to all who have written letters, protested, voted for pro-life candidates, participated in prayer services, made trips to Washington, D.C., and gave voice to the silent unborn seeking to have the opportunity to live. They faced marginalization and alienation from members of the secular community and sometimes even among the ecclesial communities, in the post Roe v. Wade (1973) era.
 
It is amazing to me that a year and a half after the overturning of the Roe v. Wade decision, there are those in our society who are still upset that the killing of a human being has been denied.
 
Many who claimed to be enlightened on the subject of the care of individuals in our society seem to conveniently forget the child in the womb. It is no wonder that as a society, we are confused as hospitals struggle to save the life of a newborn when, just across the street, a clinic can quickly extinguish a life.
 
I am confronted with many who claim a strict adherence to the social teachings of the Church. The Church has a proud tradition in the defense of “human dignity” in the rights of the worker, in the necessity for education, against the evils of poverty, and in the pursuit of peace. Yet there is at times a “blind eye” for many when it comes to the very first right that precedes all others: the right to life. If this right is not secured, then all other rights are in danger. 
 
One of the major reasons why the Church is so vociferous in its defense of human life is that all human beings are created imago Dei  — in the image of God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2258) teaches: “Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being.”
 
I have come to note that the attack on life is a direct attack on God Himself. In the ideologies of our modern world, it is important that individuals no longer see God as the ultimate authority in their lives. For the Nazis, Jews were less than human; for the communists, the state dictated how many children one could have and even forced abortions; now for the radical secularist, God is an obstacle which stands in the way of personal freedom and economic convenience. Pro-lifers are not only defending the child in the womb, but God Himself.
 
There are many issues still confronting proponents of life. The protection of life in every state, frozen embryos suspended in a scientific limbo, manipulation of DNA, euthanasia, and others. The ultimate weapon that pro-lifers have is an abiding trust in God and we will do so through prayer, knowing that God will use us as an instrument of His glory and presence.
 
The Father sent His Son into the world to sacrifice Himself out of love for us. We follow Jesus who is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. No one comes to the Father except through the Son. We joyfully stand with our Lord, taking up His cross and standing up for life. As Christ loves us, so we also LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Sincerely,

Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki

Archbishop of Milwaukee          

Note: This blog originally appeared as the January 23, 2024, "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.