To the
members of the Italian Pro-Life Movement
THE STATE WHICH FINANCES ABORTION CONCURS
IN THE EXECUTION
OF A DEATH SENTENCE
On Saturday, 25
January the Holy Father received in audience the members of the Italian
Pro-Life Movement. He gave the following
address:
Dear
Brothers and Sisters of the Pro-Life Movement,
1.
Welcome! I greet you most cordially and
thank you for your visit which, among other things, affords me the opportunity
to take up again a topic worthy of constant attention given its exceptional
importance. I greet your President in
particular, as well as the Hon. Casini, the tireless animator of your Movement,
each one from the National leadership, and the Regional Delegates.
I
would immediately like to say to you that life is one of those basic values for
whose care and promotion society itself exists, and this is expressed in its
structures. No one can appreciate this
value as much as a Christian who believes in a God who reveals himself in this
way: “Now he is not God of the dead, but
of the living; for all live to him” (Lk 20:38; a God who, in order to renew mankind's
countenance and heart, sent to earth his own Son in whom is the very source of
life (cf. Jn 1:4; 16:6, …).
For
these reasons, in an age in which the culture of death seems prevalent, the
Church is committed to enlightening and urging, with pastoral insistence, the
public opinion of each country to support a reversal of trends.
2.
Since its origins, your Movement has dedicated itself generously to collaborate
with other forces of good will, first to oppose the passage and to lessen the
effects of a law which allows the suppression of innocent beings and which is
used more and more as a means of birth control.
Today your Movement offers its own participation and aid to mothers in
difficulty and families in danger while reminding each one of his or her own
responsibilities so that health care facilities and especially family
counselling centres may be places where life is effectively defended and not
prematurely wiped out.
3.
Elimination of the unborn child's life today, sadly, is a very widespread
phenomenon in the world, even in nations with ancient Christian traditions,
such as
In
reality, abortion is a serious defeat for man and civil society. With it the life of a human being is
sacrificed for the sake of much lesser values, often due to motives based on
lack of courage and confidence in life, and at times on the desire for a false
well-being. The state, instead of
intervening - which is its mission - to defend the endangered innocent beings
by preventing their suppression and guaranteeing their existence and growth
with adequate means, authorizes and even concurs in exercising a death
sentence.
This
is one of the most troubling consequences of theoretical and practical
materialism which, by rejecting God, ends up rejecting even man, in his
essential, transcendent dimension; it is a result of consumerist hedonism
which puts immediate interests as the goal of human activity.
The
Church has not failed to intervene clearly and vigorously in denouncing abortion
both as a serious offence against the law of God, the sole Lord of life, and as
a violation of the primary and inalienable right of the human person to
exist. She will continue to intervene in
order to convince man to restore fundamental moral values at the basis of
society without which a truly civil social life cannot be built. Civilization, in fact, is measured first of
all by its respect and promotion of life throughout all the stages of human
existence.
4. My
dear brothers and sisters, on 2 February next you will celebrate the eighth
Pro-Life Day. For that occasion, I wish
to express to you and your collaborators my active encouragement to continue
your work unceasingly, to improve its quality and its ability to penetrate, and
to develop it in the whole range of its expressions.
You
are aware that the struggle is difficult.
Never lose the clarity of your ideas, the impulse of the ideal nor the
necessary propulsive dynamism needed. Do
not be discouraged by the complexity and length of the struggle. Truth and good will triumph, even if not in
the short term.
Make
efforts to seek collaboration among all available energies; there are many and they must be
awakened. Stimulate those sectors hiding
behind agnosticism and non-involvement.
Call on the limitless reserves of volunteers. In this field, since it goes beyond human
forces, do not fail to invoke
the protection of the Blessed Virgin, Mary Most Holy.
And,
as a sign of divine help, receive my Apostolic Blessing.