Recently, Catholics around the country came together to express their support of reproductive rights through the In Good Faith campaign. Catholics of all walks of life have shared their support for the initiative put forth by Catholics For Choice, an organization that is “on the forefront of national and international debates on the intersection of faith, women’s health and reproductive justice”.
Almost immediately following the launch of this campaign, Bishop Kevin J. Farrell of the Diocese of Dallas (soon to be the new head of the Dicastery for the Laity, Families, and Life) came out with a letter to the editor of Dallas Morning News.
“Regarding the full-page ad on Page 15A of Monday's edition of The Dallas Morning News, I want your readers to know that Catholics for Choice is not a true Catholic organization. Nor does it adhere to Catholic teaching. Instead, Catholics for Choice is a lobby group based in Washington, D.C., funded by the pro-abortion lobby. Catholic teaching states that every human being has an inherent dignity from conception to natural death. Therefore, all human life must be protected. Catholics and bona fide Catholic organizations know this. All human life is sacred.”
I was pleased to see the vast support that Catholics for Choice has gotten in response, but I also was disappointed (but not surprised) at the response of Bishop Farrell. Instead of just showing my support for CFC, I would like also to extend an open letter to not only Bishop Farrell, but also to Christians, specifically Catholics, who oppose reproductive rights.
The beauty of Catholicism is that we are the original radicals- the first ones to question societal and cultural ideas and expectations. And I am here to tell you that I am a practicing cradle Catholic and concurrently, a pro-choice activist.
Bishop Farrell, compassionate and comprehensive care IS Catholic care.
Many women of faith get abortions. Many women of faith support abortion access. Every woman of faith knows a woman who have gotten an abortion. They are not evil women, nor immoral women. They are women who understand that we have a duty as Catholics to be as compassionate and empathetic as possible to the situation of women and people around the world. To me, abortion is a reality and the right choice for many women (and, statistically, the majority of women who obtain abortions identify as Christian, according to a recent study).
Getting an abortion is, of course, a decision that is highly personal. The choice is between the woman, her doctor and her faith.
The doctrine on abortion and reproductive services from the Church is less than two hundred years old. It is not the word of God nor Jesus, but instead of men who are, yes, righteous and pious Catholics. But, they are failing to see this issue with compassion towards women facing this choice.
For those who do not know, Bishop Farrell is known to be an extraordinarily progressive and thoughtful leader in the Catholic church. He has openly welcomed immigrants, conversations about gun control and rejected closed-mindedness of the church. He has continually made strides towards a more loving and accepting Catholic Church. But, I do believe his one failing is not seeing the issue of reproductive health in shades of grey.
I very much so understand your opposition to abortion, Bishop Farrell. I respect your devotion to the Catholic Church, particularly in the state we share, Texas. But, I also call you to be prayerful and thoughtful of the compassion Catholics need to have for women seeking abortions. I understand that, in theory, abortion sounds like it is something that is immoral. But I very respectfully would also like to assert that the wellbeing of women, both Catholic and otherwise, trumps the mystical thinking that fetuses are somehow “ensouled.”
The impact of children upon a woman who is not physically, emotionally, or financially prepared is both unfair to the child and the mother. Catholics have a duty to stay out of the business of women, and instead, focus on supporting the at-risk children we do have on this Earth. God’s children are here, and they need our help! We have so many ways in which we can serve them, instead of focusing on an arbitrary doctrine, that is not the word of God.
Just as Jon O’Brien of Catholics for Choice explains, “We are pro-choice because of our faith, not despite it.” I do not feel ashamed to be a pro-choice Catholic. I do not believe the two ideologies clash but instead, inform each other. I have grown in my faith as I’ve understood the plight of women with unplanned pregnancies. It has made me especially aware of women, particularly young girls, who have been raped and impregnated.
Of course, I do believe that women who have consensual sex and get pregnant are valid in choosing abortion. But, I especially ask every Catholic who still regard abortions as a result of rape as universally immoral, to pray empathetically and contemplatively for these women.
It is entirely unjust to sentence these women to motherhood. Jesus wanted what was best for women — surely, he would not have wanted a young woman to be forced into motherhood.
Perhaps the best argument for Catholic choice, though, is looking at what happens when we take choice away from women. The cat is out of the bag with abortions: women are going to get abortions whether they’re legal and safe or not. Before Roe v. Wade, hundreds of thousands of unsafe and illegal abortions were performed. As many as five thousand women died annually from attempts to self-abort. We have a duty as Catholics to understand the absurdity in lobbying for abortion restriction in the name of “saving lives.” If you really would like to save lives, know that many lives are endangered as a result of abortion restrictions that cause illegal and unsafe procedures.
In this way, being pro-choice doesn’t necessarily have to be “pro-abortion.” Understanding that we must lift the women making this hard decision up instead of shaming them for ultimately making their choices. Recognizing that abortion is something that will take place whether it is legal or not is vital and the horrendous implications of illegal abortion should more frequently be considered in any pro-life argument.
Bishop Farrell, I am grateful for the men and women who are called to serve the church as priest and nuns. Clergy has advised me on many an issue.
Just as faith leaders have asked me to do, I call you, as a fellow Catholic, to consider this issue and the women it concerns compassionately and prayerfully.
