Unborn children, the most vulnerable members of society

​Abortion has once again become “front-page news” with states such as Alabama, Missouri and Georgia enacting laws that restrict access to abortion, and other states such as New York, California and Illinois seeking to remove virtually any limitations on abortion.

Earlier this year, the Indiana General Assembly passed a bill, which Gov. Eric Holcomb signed into law, that bans dismemberment abortion in the state, although it did not make national headlines like the newly passed laws in other states.

Our Church considers abortion to be the most serious of all the challenges to life we face today, including end‑of-life issues, capital punishment, HIV/AIDS, war, poverty, embryonic stem‑cell research, immigration issues, homelessness and more. This is because unborn children are the most vulnerable members of society and the most in need of our protection. They are innocent victims who must rely completely on the care and protection of others.

All crimes against the dignity of human life are horrible and must be vigorously opposed. But abortion stands out as an unspeakable evil that we must work to eradicate with all the resources at our disposal. As long as abortion remains legally and socially acceptable, our Church must speak out. We must pray and teach. We must protest and work to change our laws. We must help women in crisis pregnancies, and we must help “unwanted” children find good homes and loving parents.

In his final address as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2010, Cardinal Francis E. George, then archbishop of Chicago, made the following statement: “Consistently, and ever more insistently since the sin and crime of abortion was legalized in the United States, our voice has been that of bishops of the Catholic Church ever since the first Christians condemned the abortion practices of ancient Romans. The act is immoral; and the laws that have permitted now 50 million children of our country to be killed in their mothers’ wombs are also immoral and unjust; the laws are destroying our society.” These are strong words that must be spoken—over and over again—until abortion becomes a thing of the past here in our archdiocese, in our country and throughout the world.

Pope Francis recently reminded us that a fetus is not just “biological material.” An unborn child is a new living being, dynamic and marvelously ordered, a new individual of the human species. “No human being can ever be incompatible with life,” the Holy Father said recently. Every child is “a gift that changes the history of a family … and this child needs to be welcomed, loved and cared for.”

“Abortion is never the answer,” the pope says. “Human life is sacred and inviolable and the use of prenatal diagnosis for selective purposes must be strongly discouraged, because it is the expression of an inhuman eugenic mentality, which deprives families of the possibility of welcoming, embracing and loving their weakest children.”

The pope also reminds us that threats against the dignity of human life do not end with birth. Violence, especially toward children, can be found everywhere in our society. We must work to change our hearts, our culture, our laws and our social practices. We must end abortion and, with it, all forms of violence and abuse against those members of our society who are vulnerable and in need of our protection and care.

As long as abortion is legal and socially acceptable, we Christians (and all who believe in the dignity of human life) must work to overturn laws that are anti-life. We must reach out to women who may be considering abortion and help them find better, life-giving ways to deal with crisis pregnancies.

We believe that every human life is sacred. We proclaim the human person to be the foundation of human society. Nothing is more important to our Christian way of life than the defense of innocent and vulnerable unborn children. Nothing is more important to our spiritual lives than our prayers for life. Nothing is more important to our practice of the Catholic faith than our work to protect and defend life in Jesus’ name.

As Cardinal George said, “If the poor are allowed to be born, then the voice of Christ continues to speak to the homeless and the jobless, the hungry and the naked, the uneducated, the migrant, the imprisoned, the sick and the dying. Our ministry is consistent because the concerns of Jesus Christ are consistent. He is at the side of the poor.” To oppose abortion is to oppose all forms of violence against the dignity of human life. As the cardinal reminded us, “Ours is a consistent ethic of Christ’s concerns for all his people, especially the poor.”

Let’s pray for the most vulnerable members of our society. Let’s work to defend our unborn children who are most in need of our protection and care.

—Daniel Conway

Pope Francis tells young people: ‘Christ is alive’!

“The very first words then, that I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive!” (Pope Francis, “Christus Vivit,” #1)

In his postsynodal apostolic exhortation titled “Christus Vivit” (“Christ is Alive”), Pope Francis reflects on themes explored during the October 2018 Synod of Bishops on “young people, the faith and vocational discernment” in Rome, adding his own thoughts and employing what some call “Bergoglioisms”—language and images that are distinctive to Pope Francis.

Readers are encouraged to read the full text of this important apostolic exhortation, but here is a brief 10-point summary of some of the main ideas in “Christus Vivit”:

• Both the Old and New Testaments show that God welcomes, and encourages, the active engagement of young people in the history of our salvation. As the Holy Father observes, “Jesus had no use for adults who looked down on the young or lorded it over them. On the contrary, he insisted that ‘the greatest among you must become like the youngest’ ” (#17, Lk 22:26).

• In St. Luke’s Gospel, the adolescent Jesus himself gives witness to what it means for young people to be fully engaged in the life of the Church. “Jesus does not teach you, young people, from afar or from without, but from within your very youth” (#31).

• Young people are not just the world’s future. “They are its present, even now, they are helping to enrich it” (#64). Young people today face unimaginable challenges. For this reason, it is necessary to listen to them without resorting to “pre-packaged answers and ready-made solutions, without allowing their real questions to emerge and facing the challenges they pose” (#65). 

• To all young people, Pope Francis offers three great truths: a) God loves you; b) Christ saves you; and c) He is alive! “In these truths, the Father appears and Jesus appears. And where they are, there is also the Holy Spirit. Invoke the Holy Spirit each day. You have nothing to lose, and he can change your life, fill it with light and lead it along a better path. He takes nothing away from you, but instead helps you to find all that you need, and in the best possible way” (#131).

• “No matter how much you live the experience of these years of your youth, you will never know their deepest and fullest meaning unless you encounter each day your best friend, the friend who is Jesus” (#150). Pope Francis challenges young people to be “courageous missionaries” who give witness to the Gospel with their lives. “Learn to swim against the tide,” the pope says. “Learn to share Jesus and the faith he has given you. … There are no borders or limits. He sends us everywhere” (#177).

• “When young and old alike are open to the Holy Spirit … the old dream dreams and the young see visions” (#192). That is why both young and old need to take risks together, walking together. “Roots are not anchors chaining us, but a fixed point from which we can grow and meet new challenges” (#200).

• “The family should be the first place of accompaniment and then the community” (#242). “All should regard young people with understanding, appreciation and affection, and avoid constantly judging them or demanding of them a perfection beyond their years” (#243).

• “Vocation is a call to missionary service to others for our life on Earth reaches full stature when it becomes an offering” (#254). According to Pope Francis, vocation “has to do with finding our true selves in the light of God and letting our lives flourish and bear fruit” (#257). This ‘being there for others’ normally has to do with two basic issues: forming a new family and working” (#258).

• “Without the wisdom of discernment, we can easily become prey to every passing trend” (#279). “A vocation, while a gift, will undoubtedly also be demanding. God’s gifts are interactive; to enjoy them we have to be ready to take risks” (# 289).

• Pope Francis’ concluding wish: “Dear young people, my joyful hope is to see you keep running the race before you, outstripping all those who are slow or fearful. Keep running, attracted by the face of Christ, whom we love so much, whom we adore in the Holy Eucharist and acknowledge in the flesh of our suffering brothers and sisters. The Church needs your momentum, your intuitions, your faith. And when you have arrived where we have not yet reached, have the patience to wait for us” (#299).
 

The Face of Mercy

By

Daniel Conway

God always forgives; joy always endures

Joy adapts and changes, but it always endures, even as a flicker of light born of our personal certainty that, when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved. (Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium: The Joy of the Gospel)

Two of the most consistent themes in the teaching of Pope Francis are mercy and joy. During Lent, the Church calls our attention to the inexhaustible forgiveness of God. In Easter time, we are called to share in the experience of endless joy. 

This joy is the result of an encounter with a person, Jesus Christ. Like the experience of falling in love, joy overtakes us. It floods our heart with a sense of beauty, goodness and fulfillment. Joy is a deeply spiritual experience that is very different from the physical satisfaction of our senses. 

The Gospel story of the prodigal son (Lk 15:1-32) is an illustration of true joy. The younger son sought pleasure through dissipation, but he came up empty. It was only when he faced his sinfulness and sought forgiveness that he could experience lasting joy. Sadly, the older son, whoobeyed his father and did all the right things, did not know joy because his heart was bitter and resentful.

“How good it feels to come back to [God] whenever we are lost!” Pope Francis writes. “Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy. Christ, who told us to forgive one another ’seventy times seven’ (Mt 18:22) has given us his example: he has forgiven us seventy times seven. Time and time again he bears us on his shoulders. No one can strip us of the dignity bestowed upon us by this boundless and unfailing love. With a tenderness which never disappoints, but is always capable of restoring our joy, he makes it possible for us to lift up our heads and to start anew. Let us not flee from the resurrection of Jesus, let us never give up, come what will. May nothing inspire more than his life, which impels us onwards!” (EG, #3)

The personal encounter with Jesus that is the source of Christian joy is especially keen during the Easter season. Having come from a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving when we have emptied ourselves of false desires and futile attempts to find happiness in worldly things, we are reminded of how blessed we are by a God who gives himself to us unconditionally.

As Pope Francis says, “I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since ’no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord.’ The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms.” (EG, #3).

God never tires of forgiving us and “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Lk 15:7).” Mercy and joy come together. In Jesus, who is the face of God’s mercy, and our source of lasting joy, the two experiences are united.

As Pope Francis teaches, “Proclaiming Christ means showing that to believe in and to follow him is not only something right and true, but also something beautiful, capable of filling life with new splendor and profound joy, even in the midst of difficulties. Every expression of true beauty can thus be acknowledged as a path leading to an encounter with the Lord Jesus. This has nothing to do with fostering an aesthetic relativism which would downplay the inseparable bond between truth, goodness and beauty, but rather a renewed esteem for beauty as a means of touching the human heart and enabling the truth and goodness of the Risen Christ to radiate within it” (EG, #167).

Beauty, goodness and truth are inseparable from our experience of authentic joy. This Easter season, let’s be grateful for the mercy shown us “seventy times seven,” and let’s open our hearts to an encounter with God’s son, and our brother, who shows us with absolute certainty that “when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved.”

We celebrate the Easter Triduum this week as the holiest of the Church year. This is the time of year when we recall—in the most vivid terms possible—the supreme sacrifice that Jesus made for each one of us.

St. Paul tell us, in the words of an early Christian hymn, that Jesus humbled himself and became a slave for our sake. Although He was God, he emptied Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.Jesus’ death, and His resurrection from the dead, freed us from the slavery of sin and death. By His wounds we have been healed. By His victory over the power of death, we have been liberated.
And yet, far too many of our sisters and brothers throughout the world do not know what it means to live free.

Did you know that 12.3 million people are victims of forced labor, bonded labor and sexual exploitation each year? These are forms of slavery as cruel and inhuman as anything experienced by African-American slaves in our country 150 years ago.

Did you know that nearly 20,000 enslaved people (mainly women and children) are “trafficked” into the United States each year? Or that 100,000 American children are the victims of commercial sexual exploitation each year?

Traffickers lure vulnerable men, women and children with false promises of good jobs, an education, economic security and even love. Once lured, the traffickers are able to keep their victims from seeking help by confiscating identification documents, using threats of violence against the victim or their family, as well as subjecting the victim to physical, psychological and/or sexual abuse. No sector or industry is immune from human trafficking.  Victims have been identified in factories, restaurants, construction work, agricultural fields, hotels, spas, nail salons, and even private residences.

Human trafficking exists because of the lack of laws against it, the lack of enforcement of such laws where they do exist, and the ease and ability to re-exploit individuals. Human trafficking has become the fastest growing source of profits for criminal enterprises worldwide.  The Catholic Church has repeatedly condemned human trafficking, stating that human trafficking “constitutes a shocking offense against human dignity and a grave violation of fundamental human rights.” For over a decade, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has been a leader in the U.S. and global response to human trafficking. The Coalition of Catholic Organizations Against Human Trafficking consists of national and international Catholic agencies working to eliminate the scourge of human trafficking by:

• Formulating plans for combating trafficking and serving its victims
• Promoting development of services for trafficking victims and approaches to empowerment of trafficking victims
• Dialoging with government officials and others engaged in public policies affecting this issue
• Devising strategies for public education, awareness-raising and grass roots action.

The freedom won for us by our Lord’s passion, death and resurrection cries out to heaven for liberty and justice for all regardless of their nationality, religious background, social or economic condition. All human beings were set free by the cross of Christ. All are equal in the sight of God. All are called to be united with each other and with Him.

This Easter, let’s dedicate ourselves to proclaiming liberty for all who are enslaved—whether by means of human trafficking or by more subtle forms of slavery caused by domestic violence, or addiction to alcohol, drugs or pornography. Let’s put an end to the evils of human trafficking and sexual exploitation once and for all! And let’s work to overcome the habits of self-indulgence and abusive behavior toward others that are so prevalent in our global culture.

# # #

Sexual Abuse is a Universal Problem

Sexual abuse is the work of the devil, Pope Francis said at the conclusion of the meeting of bishops from all over the world held at the Vatican last month. And Church personnel who engage in sexual abuse, or cover it up, “become tools of Satan.”



The Holy Father went on to say that there can be no explanation, or excuse, for the abuse of minors and others who are vulnerable. That’s why it’s important to “recognize with humility” that the Church stands “face to face with the mystery of evil.” Even one case—one unspeakable instance of atrocity—must be “faced with the utmost seriousness,” the pope says.



“Acts of violence take place not only in the home, but also in neighborhoods, schools, athletic facilities and, sadly, also in church settings,” the Holy Father said. This is a “universal problem,” and the evil is no “less monstrous when it takes place within the Church.” It’s actually more scandalous, the pope said, because it’s incompatible with the Church’s moral and ethical credibility.

Pope Francis’s remarks were given at the conclusion of an unprecedented meeting of the presidents of bishops’ conferences from all regions of the world. As was predicted, the pope’s observations were not applauded by everyone. Some thought he said too much about “pressure from the media” and “journalistic practices that exploit tragedy.” Others argued that the pope didn’t go far enough in condemning the Church’s role in the “universal problem” of sexual abuse. 


Although the Vatican has warned observers that no definitive actions would be announced at the end of the week-long meeting, Pope Francis did list eight “best practices” in the effort to “confront the causes and effects of these grave crimes.” In keeping with the pope’s designation of sexual abuse as a universal problem, the best practices he listed draw on guidelines published by the World Health Organization as well as work done by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and reflections provided by the 190 participants in the meeting of bishops’ conference presidents.

What are these best practices?


As summarized by Courtney Grogan writing for the Catholic News Agency, these are:

1. A “change of mentality” to focus on protecting children rather than “protecting the institution.”
2. A recognition of the “impeccable seriousness” of these “sins and crimes of consecrated persons.”
3. A genuine purification beginning with “self-accusation.”
4. Positive formation of candidates for the priesthood in the virtue of chastity.
5. Strengthening and reviewing of guidelines by episcopal conferences, reaffirming the need for “rules.”
6. The accompaniment of those who have been abused with an emphasis on listening.
7. Ensure that seminarians and clergy are not enslaved to an addiction to pornography.
8. Combat sexual tourism around the world.

The primary goal of every measure, Pope Francis said, has to be the protection of minors from any form of psychological and physical abuse. To achieve this, “a change of mentality is needed to combat a defensive and reactive approach to protecting the institution and to pursue, wholeheartedly and decisively, the good of the community by giving priority to the victims of abuse in every sense.”

The Holy Father also said that the Catholic Church will “spare no effort” to do what’s necessary to bring justice to those who’ve been hurt, never staying silent or failing to treat each case with the seriousness it deserves.


Finally, beyond preventing abuse, Pope Francis said that the Church needs a “constantly renewed commitment to the holiness of pastors,” constantly questioning how best to protect children, avoid these crimes and bring healing to survivors and victims.

Sexual abuse is a “monstrous” universal problem that is “incompatible with the Church’s moral and ethical credibility,” but precisely because it is a work of the devil more than “natural” means are required to combat it. Holiness, spiritual renewal and the power of prayer are indispensable when confronting pure evil.


Practical measures are important—absolutely necessary—to combat the universal problem of sexual abuse, especially in the Church. But openness to the power of God’s grace is even more important. That’s why a key element in the Church’s response to this unspeakable evil must be the ongoing formation of holy priests and bishops who are totally dedicated to leading chaste lives and serving God’s people with humility and moral integrity.


Let’s pray for Pope Francis and all bishops throughout the world. May the power of God’s grace fill them with holy zeal and the commitment to do whatever is necessary to protect our children and heal the wounds caused by the grave sin of clergy sexual abuse and its coverup.

# # #

Why I remain a Catholic: Father Wayne Jenkins

I was not in a good mood when I went to Mass this weekend. Feeling sorry for myself (for no good reason), I entered Holy Trinity Church focused on myself, not on God or anyone else.

Once inside, I saw Father Wayne Jenkins, a retired diocesan priest who lives at our parish and “helps out” with daily and weekend liturgies and other ministries as needed. When our former pastor, Mark Spalding, was appointed Bishop of Nashville, Father Wayne stepped out of retirement to serve as our Acting Pastor.  Not one to simply coast, Father Wayne gave his all to this assignment, becoming fully engaged in meeting the pastoral needs of our very active parish. Then, when the new pastor, Father Bill Bowling, was installed many months later, Father Wayne quietly stepped down and returned to his former role as a humble priest in residence.

When I saw Father Wayne in church right before Mass, my mood shifted. I let go of whatever negativity was hanging over me and my spirits were lifted. Why?

Good Priests are a real blessing. Way too much attention has been paid to the few rotten apples who have spoiled the barrell when we ought to be rejoicing in the pastoral presence of good priests like Father Wayne. The way he celebrates Mass is prayerful but not excessively devout. His homilies are outstanding, not because they are brilliant theological reflections but because he speaks from the heart in plain language always with a message you can remember and take home with you.

This weekend Father Wayne shared his reflections on the Gospel story of the Lord’s Transfiguration (Lk 9:28b-36).  He offered us a simple illustration from his own life of what it’s like to experience the extraordinary presence of God in the midst of our ordinary lives. He shared with us his deep faith in the transformative power of God’s love and mercy—even in the face of the great sorrow that all disciples of Jesus are called to witness in the Lord’s passion and death on a cross.

When his homily was finished, Father Wayne welcomed an adult man, a husband and father, into full communion with the Catholic Church. With just a simple profession of faith, followed by the Sacrament of Confirmation, a new member joined his family, and our parish community, in full Eucharistic communion.  What a powerful witness in these troubled times! When too many of us are racked with doubt and uncertainty, this newcomer confidently pledges his fidelity to the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church!

It was fitting that Father Wayne was the one who received our new parishioner in the name of the whole Church. I’ve described Father Wayne as “a humble priest in residence.” By humble, I mean “down to earth.” He is clearly one of us, a man with faults like all of us, who seeks God in the everyday circumstances of life and who strives to become better, more faithful, in fulfilling the promises he made at baptism and in his priestly ordination. As he shares with us his struggles—and his joys—we have the opportunity to be transfigured, to reflect the glory to which we are called as women and men who follow Jesus and who learn much from the words and example of good priests like Wayne Jenkins.

In the Archdiocese of Louisville, and especially at Holy Trinity Parish, we are blessed with good, holy priests. We should thank God for them, pray for them, rejoice in them! Priests like Father Wayne  have given their whole lives to help us remain faithful to our baptismal promises. Their priestly ministry is a gift of inestimable value, a treasure we should cherish out of gratitude and respect.

Father Wayne Jenkins is one of many reasons that I choose to remain a member of the Catholic Church. May God continue to bless him in his humble, but very powerful, priestly ministry.

Lent is a time for healing, hope

“Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners” (Lk 5: 32).

We go to the doctor because we are troubled by symptoms. Based on the symptoms, and perhaps with some further observations and tests, the doctor diagnoses the underlying cause of our illness. Based on the underlying cause, the doctor prescribes a course of treatment—not just to eliminate the symptoms but to eliminate the root cause of the illness. If someone has a case of pneumonia and they only treat the symptoms (fever and a cough), the underlying cause of illness (an infection in the lungs) could kill them. 

The same is true of our spiritual health. If we really want to get back to good health, we have to get at what’s underneath the symptoms. Therefore, in order to be spiritually healthy we have to examine: 1) the symptoms of sin—our overt sinful actions, 2) the underlying causes of sin—the attitudes and habits of our heart, from which our actions spring, 3) the healing offered by Jesus, and 4) how the healing mission of Jesus is made available to us in the Church through the sacraments.

The Church today shows grave symptoms of ill health. Clergy sexual abuse, clericalism, declining membership and Mass attendance, and the general malaise or discomfort experienced by many faithful Catholics are all signs that something is seriously wrong. What’s causing these symptoms? What are the root causes of this illness of mind, heart and soul?  

Lent is the time of year when the Church encourages us to do a thorough examination of our spiritual health, and then to take whatever steps are necessary to let the healing power of Jesus make us whole again. The six and a half weeks of Lent provide a structure for diagnosing the symptoms, and the root causes, of our sinfulness. During this special time of year, the Church encourages us to take advantage of the healing power of the sacraments, especially the sacrament of penance, to admit our selfishness and sin (confession), to experience a change of heart (conversion), to deny ourselves (penance) and to change the way we live (healing). 

The sacrament of penance is our greatest diagnostic tool. Through this great sacrament, we allow Jesus to enter into our hearts and cleanse us of all the impurities—large and small—that have built up over time. We present ourselves to him for the healing of both our symptoms and their root causes. 

Jesus Christ is the Divine Physician of body and soul. In his Incarnation, Jesus reached out, by word and deed, to heal those with illnesses of the body and sicknesses of the soul. In his passion, death and resurrection, he conquered sin and death, and became the source of ultimate healing for all. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus gave the apostles a share in his very life, so that the healing power of his words and deeds might continue to be present to the world through them. And through the sacraments, Jesus himself continues to be present in every time and place, healing us and drawing us into the communion that he shares with the Father and the Spirit.

What’s true for individual Catholics during the season of Lent, is also true for the Church as a whole. Now more than ever, the whole Body of Christ needs to do a thorough examination of its attitudes, behaviors and their consequences. This certainly includes our pope, bishops and pastoral leaders, but it cannot be limited to the ordained, to Church officials. It must involve the entire people of God whoever we are and wherever we find ourselves. All of us need to allow the Holy Spirit to work within our communities of faith to purify, cleanse and heal us. And we need to open our hearts and minds to substantive change, to the kind of radical conversion that alone brings healing and hope.   

During this Lent, the Divine Physician invites us to a healing that brings reconciliation and communion—with God, with each other, and with ourselves in our inmost being. Our response—as individuals and as the whole Church--must be to once again say “Yes!” to him: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter my roof. Say but the word, and my soul will be healed.”

Jesus himself told us that “those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.” Lord, help us to acknowledge our illnesses of mind and heart and body. Teach us to turn to you and to humbly seek your healing power. We need it now, Lord, more than ever.

Daniel Conway