Remembering the lost, defending the future

The National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children was observed on Sept. 10 at Holy Cross Cemetery North in Fargo. On that day, we were called to pray and reflect on the victims of abortion. It is a day to take inventory of where we have been, where we are now, and where we are going in the ongoing battle to protect innocent lives.

The horror of abortion is a worldwide atrocity. While the number of abortions in the U.S. has been reduced in recent years (under one million annually), globally there were over 73 million children aborted in 2021 according to the World Health Organization. That is staggering; worldwide 30% of all pregnancies end in abortion.

The quietest and most vulnerable victims, of course, are the babies, whose lives are violently ended simply because they were not planned, were not wanted, and were not loved. God had created these children, each for a special purpose in today’s world; children that would grow to become the great doctors, great teachers, great leaders, and great friends that the world so desperately needs. Children who were never given the opportunities to smile and laugh, to win and to lose, to love and to be loved.

The mother is a victim as well. Often times she feels she has been left with no other options. She can find no one willing to stand by her in her time of need; no man willing to stand in the breach. Even in those instances where she thought an abortion was the right thing to do or the best option, she is the one left to bear the burden of guilt, remorse, and emptiness.

On June 29, we celebrated the overturning of the Supreme Court Roe vs. Wade decision. It is good news! Unfortunately, the decision to overrule Roe vs. Wade was not based on a newfound interpretation that life begins at conception or in horror at the over 60 million lives that had been lost in the U.S. over the past 50 years. A battle has been won, but the war is far from over. So what can each of us do in this battle for hearts and souls?
First, we must all engage the spiritual warfare battle with even greater intensity. Prayer is powerful and the Holy Rosary is the ultimate weapon of prayer to break the evil hold that Satan has on our culture. We should couple our daily prayer for life with fasting. Prayer and fasting are the weapons in the battle for life. Without being grounded in prayer, all other actions will be fruitless.

Secondly, we must evangelize our culture; we must bring others to Christ! Some might say, “what does evangelization have to do with changing people’s minds about abortion?” One might say that it’s more difficult to reason with a non-believer about the sanctity of life than it is to lead that same person to an encounter with Jesus Christ. Changing someone’s mind about abortion is nearly impossible as most people are firmly entrenched in their beliefs. What is needed is a change of heart. When we lead others to Christ, hearts are changed from within and intellects are enlightened through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Those who accept the Gospel are more open to the truth.

Finally, the recent changes in the legal landscape in the U.S. have ushered in new and bold initiatives for the care of mothers. Tim Mosser, Director of the Fargo Diocese Respect Life Office, has been spearheading the “Walking with Moms in Need” program. This parish-based program provides essential information to not only expectant mothers but all mothers discerning options available to them. The “Walking with Moms in Need” program is designed to act as a community hub for mothers and expectant mothers to find the resources they need. The Knights of Columbus recently established the Aid and Support After Pregnancy (ASAP) program. This program was established to support pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes throughout the world. Both of these programs aim to support not only pregnant women in their decision to choose life but also open the door to support young mothers and young families after babies are born.

Each of us is called to engage in this battle for the lives of the innocent, to support mothers, and to transform this culture of death into a culture of life. Let us resolve today to pray and fast, bring others to Christ, and find new ways of supporting new mothers in our communities so that our children might live in a world of light and life.