By Susan Ciancio
As we witness the actions of many in our country today, we cannot help but feel disgusted and angry. One look at news headlines will show the violence, immorality, and rage that mark a society that has lost sight of God and His goodness and that somehow justifies violence toward people who see the beauty and value in preborn babies.
I hope you are as sickened as I am and as filled with righteous anger as you read the ever-growing list of headlines about churches that have been vandalized, Masses that have been disrupted, threats made to the Eucharist, and even instances of stolen tabernacles. It is truly a disturbed mind that believes that this violence is justified or acceptable.
We are on the precipice of moral chaos. And the bullies perpetrating it will not stop until we have good leadership who steps in and says enough is enough. Sadly, many of our government leaders show only weak moral leadership. That’s why it’s imperative that the faithful stand up and not only denounce these actions but speak out to the beauty and wonder of each and every human being—born and preborn. That means cardinals, bishops, priests, deacons, and lay people need to present a united front that tells the world that we will not back down to threats of violence, that we will not tolerate Christ in the Eucharist threatened or desecrated, and that the Catholic Church teaches the sanctity of human life because we believe the science that teaches that a human being is present from the very first moment of his creation when the sperm fertilizes the egg.
This is the truth. And whether the angry masses choose to believe it or not is irrelevant; their beliefs do not change this truth.
What our country needs now is prayer, peaceful action, and education. We cannot simply switch tabs to a different headline, change channels, or bury our heads in the sand in the hopes that things will get better on their own or that these violent people will simply go away.
If the SCOTUS “leak” about abortion laws changing and reverting to the states is accurate, then things will get worse before they get better. As a faithful people, we need to remain strong. We need to continually denounce acts of aggression and anger. And we need to teach the truth, for if we really want change, we must effect change—and we must do it with a firm compassion that shows our love for God and our love for all His children.
At the Culture of Life Studies Program, we understand the importance of teaching the sanctity of human life, the value of every single person—born and preborn—and the necessity of staying faithful to God and His teachings.
It’s obvious what happens when a country is run by and filled with people who have no regard for human life. We see the madness that is permeating today’s headlines.
St. John Paul II taught that we must build a culture of life here on earth. At the CLSP, we take this command to heart. In all of our lessons, we strive to help you do that, as we know that education is key. When we teach our children what we believe and why we believe it, they will have a better chance of understanding and continuing those beliefs as they grow older.
Society inundates our children with immorality and hedonism, telling them it’s okay to do what they want when they want. We need to make sure they hear our voices, that they hear the truth, that they internalize this truth, and that they can become the strong moral leaders of tomorrow.
Talk to your kids about what is going on. Explain why the actions of these violent people are so wrong. Show them the beauty and wonder of a preborn child. Teach your kids that there are countless pro-life groups who help moms and babies so that the woman doesn’t feel that abortion is her only option. Explore the world of the preborn baby by showing them sonogram images—tangible proof that a baby is in fact a human being deserving of protection.
And educate! At the CLSP, we have many lessons that teach the beauty and wonder of the preborn baby, but right now we find it vital to highlight The Beauty of the Developing Human Being—a four-day lesson for children in middle school and older. The Beauty of the Developing Human Being explores the science of the earliest moments of a person’s life and gives students a firm foundation regarding the fact that every human being’s life must be protected from creation until death.
This lesson will not only help your pre-teens and teens understand the sanctity of the preborn baby, but it will teach them to articulate these beliefs so that they can give voice to these innocent and threatened children.
Building a culture of life starts in our families. If we don’t teach our children that abortion is a grave evil, we can be certain that they will not learn it from society.