Ghastly Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

"Potential life" according to Justice Blackmun.  This "potential life" looks rather similar after being legally dismembered in the name of "choice."

The Catholic Bishops of the United States of America have declared a day of penance: "In all the Dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 (or January 23, when January 22 falls on a Sunday) shall be observed as a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion." [cf., USCCB Prayer and Worship Resource page]

Why?

On this day in 1973, the United States Supreme Court ruled, 7-2, in the case Roe v. Wade, that the medical procedure of elective direct abortion was protected by the United States Constitution as part of a "Right of Privacy."  Of course, such a right, itself, is not mentioned in the Constitution or its amendments, but the Court, in the words of Justice Blackmun, was confident that it fell under the "...privacy said to be protected by the Bill of Rights or its penumbras."  This, along with the argument that "There has always been strong support for the view that life does not begin until live' birth," gave them the confidence to determine abortion was a Constitutional right.

Here is the text of the opinion of the Court, written by Justice Blackmun: Roe v. Wade, majority opinion

Here is the text of the dissent by Justice Rehnquist, who, along with Justice White, were the two who voted against the ruling: Roe v. Wade, dissenting opinion


In essence, then, this decision, along with that of Doe v. Bolton, meant that the host of state laws protecting human life prior to birth were struck down.  As a result, some 1+ million human lives are, on average, ended each year in the United States, and without legal penalty.

Here are some CDC statistics: CDC Abortion Surveillance

In essence, however, every abortion procedure is a radical act, and results in horrific carnage.  The following site gives a summary of what procedures are done at what stages [please be advised that there are some graphic photos here of dismembered "potential life"]: Life News: Abortion Methods

Legal abortion is a peculiarity that seems to turn its back on both a reasonable understanding of biology and of morality.

Biologically, there can be little doubt at this point that, pace Justice Blackmun, human life does not begin at birth, but there is very clearly a genetically distinct and individual human life prior to that point.  Why does a "right to privacy" protect the violently stopping a human heartbeat without due process of law?

Morally speaking, an unwillingness to consider when life begins, or a callous disregard for whether or not a life has ended, is the triumph of a utilitarian, ends-justify-the-means moral code.  Regardless of the circumstances, how can we condone the intentional and direct destruction of human life, without crime, offense, or due process of law?  What reason can justify the intentional destruction of human life?

The Code of Canon Law, 1983, provides that: "Can. 1398 A person who procures a completed abortion incurs a latae sententiae excommunication."  [cf., Code of Canon Law, 1398 et cetera]

Saint Pope John Paul II wrote an encyclical letter in 1995AD, Evangelium Vitae, on the subject of human life which is worth reading, in full: St. John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae

John Paul notes, in paragraph 20, "To claim the right to abortion, infanticide and euthanasia, and to recognize that right in law, means to attribute to human freedom a perverse and evil significance: that of an absolute power over others and against others. This is the death of true freedom: 'Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin' (Jn 8:34)."

Violence against innocents in the name of choice is perhaps the greatest injustice that we witness in our nation today.  What are we doing to protect life?

A past March for Life in Washington, DC [2009].  Somehow a demonstration of such size (this photo hardly does it justice) never merits much coverage in the press! 
[By Marchforlife2009alldotorg.JPG: Eric Martin and Rick Johnsonderivative work: Ferrylodge (talk) - Marchforlife2009alldotorg.JPG, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10227771]

Finally, we must, daily, pray, sacrifice, and do what we can in our community to not only protect those yet born, but work, in charity, to help those either expecting, or raising little ones.

Live well and work that others might live!