Spirit & Life Blog
On January 22, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, issued a pastoral letter called “The Christian Family, In Vitro Fertilization and Heroic Witness to True Love.” In his letter, Bishop Burbidge seeks to guide people of good will and the faithful to better understand the respect that is owed to the…
Read MoreLast week, I wrote about the admirable work that President Trump’s administration is doing to promote the pro-life cause. The sheer amount of pro-life activity undertaken by the Trump administration in the first weeks via executive orders and administrative directives has been truly remarkable. It is extremely encouraging to see this administration push back against…
Read More“Life is the first good received from God and is fundamental to all others; to guarantee the right to life for all and in an equal manner for all is the duty upon which the future of humanity depends.” ― Pope Benedict XVI, Pontifical Academy for Life, 2007 For decades, the Catholic Church has issued…
Read MoreOver the last few weeks in this column, I have been discussing the importance of transforming modern society and culture from an anti-life mindset to a moral framework that values and safeguards human dignity. Promoting and encouraging the noble gift of adoption is one way to realize this vision, by giving children an opportunity to…
Read MoreDuring the Angelus before Christmas Day, Pope Francis reminded the world that “no child is ever a mistake…a child is a gift of life.” The Holy Father continued with this message during his New Year’s Day homily, where he called for “a firm commitment to promote respect for the dignity of human life, from conception…
Read MoreRecently, Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill sent letters to pregnant women to encourage them to choose life and welcome their children. The letters are part of an initiative organized by the “Hello, Mom!” project with similar letters planned to be distributed to moms across the country. Amid plummeting birthrates, some of the lowest reported in…
Read More“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” ― St. Teresa of Calcutta The Jubilee Year began on Christmas Eve with Pope Francis opening the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. A jubilee year, which occurs every twenty-five years, serves both to remind and encourage all…
Read More“How precious must man be in the eyes of the Creator, if he gained so great a Redeemer, and if God ‘gave his only Son’ in order that man ‘should not perish but have eternal life.’” ― Pope St. John Paul II, Redemptor hominis, no. 10 Christmas is about celebrating the most precious gift of Life—the…
Read MoreOn December 12th the Catholic Church celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas and the Preborn. How desperately does modern society need the profound truths contained in this apparition of Our Lady—a message of prayer, love and compassion. In Mary’s motherly love we find the courage to emulate her faith…
Read More
Why We Must Actively Defend the Sacredness of Human Life
Last week in Spirit & Life, I wrote about the importance of giving witness in the public square to the intrinsic and incomparable value of human life in the womb. On Friday, January 24th, tens of thousands of pro-lifers from across the United States will gather at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for the…
Read More