Pray for politicians’ courage

An Irish Catholic governor (CR, Feb. 8), a Polish Catholic U.S. senator, an Italian Catholic Speaker of the U.S. House . . . all Catholic educated, and all pro-abortion.

To be sure, Catholic education emphasizes social conscientiousness. Even in the 1950s at Ss. Philip and James, we knew what it meant to be socially responsible. It was from the pulpit, and Monsignor John J. Duggan that I received the “life” message. On an annual basis, long before “Roe v. Wade,” Monsignor Duggan told the following story:

“A doctor was presented with a pregnant patient who had tuberculosis. The child’s father had syphilis, and previously the woman had given birth to four children. The first was blind, the second was stillborn, the third was deaf and dumb, and the fourth had TB. He asked a colleague what he would recommend.”

At this point the monsignor paused to allow those in the congregation who had an idea of what abortion was to think about his or her advice. Perhaps it was the same as the consulting physician, namely abortion.

I still get goose bumps recalling Monsignor Duggan’s pure white hair glistening in the lights of the pulpit. His fair Irish face went from pale to beet red as he exclaimed, “Then you would have killed Beethoven.”

Then he left the pulpit and at that point all the crying babies were quiet, all the coughing stopped, for the most part, so did the breathing, and the message came across loud and clear.
So while we Catholics rejoice at our fellow Catholics’ political success and power, also let’s pray and fast for them that they might have the courage to turn away from killing children before they have a chance to be born and contribute in ways only God knows, and that the Catholic hierarchy in the Church and the schools likewise has the courage to do the right thing, and not fail to point out that when we end the life of a pre-born child everyone suffers.
To those to whom much is given, much will be expected.