Priests & Pastors

Dear Shepherds of God,
 
Never has the world needed your guidance more than it does today!  God has given each of you a gift to touch people’s lives in ways the rest of us cannot.  You stand as a moral compass, giving love, compassion, and direction to those who need it.   Without you, we would not know the right paths to take. Thank you for all you do.
 
Unfortunately, we are in a time like no other.  Abortion is being offered to women all over the world for almost any reason.  New prenatal testing, (which is recommended for all pregnant women) is making it even easier to detect a possible "flaw" in the unborn child earlier than ever before. Further, the science of genetics is rapidly evolving and with it comes vast knowledge in regards to the health of unborn children.  In the past, when a baby was born and died, the family unexpectedly grieved the loss of their child.  Now, parents can know ahead of time their child's potential adverse diagnosis.  They start grieving before their child is even born.  In their weakness and sadness the medical community offers, and sometimes pressures, couples to abort these unborn babies. 
 
Today, we need to unite to give good advice and support to these couples whose babies are prenatally diagnosed with a life-threatening or serious condition.  Some may think it is permissible and compassionate to tell the couple they can induce labor early in order to cause a miscarriage.  This couldn't be farther from the truth.  We know it is never okay to abort a child at any stage of pregnancy.  
 
Fathers and Pastors, most us on this website have babies who had been given a fatal or life-threatening diagnosis.  All of us have a story to tell.  All of us praise God that we chose to carry our babies as long as God allowed us to.  Ending the life of a child by early induction is an abortion.  Every mother grieves for the loss of her child she aborts.  Then she grieves the unknown and the what if's.  By allowing God to decide the fate of our child we heal more fully, and in the end, after all the pain heals, we are joyful.  There are no regrets.  Carrying that child to term doesn't harm our family or inflict pain upon our pre-born child.  What it does is teach us the virtue of patience and dependence on God. 
 
When a couple comes to you in search of answers in their sorrow, please do the right thing by counseling them to love that child for as long as God wills it.  We all come to you in search of God's love and God's truth and God's will.  You are the pillars that make the world strong.  Stand strong for life.
 
We also feel compelled to list some suggestions on what you can say that may be helpful.  These were composed by parents who were given a negative prenatal diagnosis...
 
-- God will give youevery grace you need.

-- I hear your pain.  God hears your pain.  He loves you and calls all of his children to embrace the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death.  He will be with you and never leave your side.

--   You are united to Christ through your suffering.

--   God has chosen you to be the mother of this special child.

--   Go to our Blessed Mother.  She knows your pain and will wrap you in her mantle.

--   Name your baby, talk to your baby, and love your baby like any mother would.

--   Create wonderful memories of this special time while he is still alive and protected in your sacred womb.

--   Remember that God can and does perform miracles. Don’t be afraid to ask, and don’t be afraid to hope.

--   Every life is created by God and has a purpose.

--   These special babies bring with them many spiritual gifts and grace.

--   If your baby doesn't make it to term, there is a baptism by desire.

--   No matter how long your baby lives, he will be your child for all eternity. 
 
Suggestions on what not to say, (things that may cause confusion and lead a women to end her pregnancy)….
 
--   Only you know what is best for you and your family.

--   This is between you and God.

--   You need to keep your own health in mind.

--   This has got to be hard on your body.

--   What do you think is the right thing to do?

--   This is a complicated matter.

--   Follow your own conscience.

--   I’m worried about your mental health.

--   Listen to the doctors and do what you think your heart tells you to do.

--   If your choice is made with love, it can’t be wrong.

--   In this case, it is okay to say good-bye early.
 
 
Catholic Doctrine on the dignity of ALL human life
 
“How do we persuade a woman not to have an abortion?  As always, we must persuade her with love and we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts.” Mother Teresa ofCalcutta
 
The Catechism of the Catholic ChurchARTICLE 5: THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
 
2258
"Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being."56
 
2261
Scripture specifies the prohibition contained in the fifth commandment: "Do not slay the innocent and the righteous."61 The deliberate murder of an innocent person is gravely contrary to the dignity of the human being, to the golden rule, and to the holiness of the Creator. The law forbidding it is universally valid: it obliges each and everyone, always and everywhere.
 
The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae)
 
“But since the possibilities of prenatal therapy are today still limited, it not infrequently happens that these techniques are used with a eugenic intention which accepts selective abortion in order to prevent the birth of children affected by various types of anomalies. Such an attitude is shameful and utterly reprehensible, since it presumes to measure the value of a human life only within the parameters of “normality” and physical well-being, thus opening the way to legitimizing infanticide and euthanasia.” (no. 63)
 
United StatesConference of Catholic Bishops, Critical Decisions: Genetic Testing and its Implications

“The Church condemns and will never cease condemning the taking of innocent unborn life, surely the saddest aggression of our violent time.” “Catholic clergy and laity must become knowledgeable about emerging biotechnologies if they are to help people make the critical decisions they will inevitably face. Both the Church and the scientific community, we believe, can benefit from the effort to harmonize scientific advance with religious insight. Genetic testing is an important tool, but many will suffer if wisdom and sound morality do not guide its use.”

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The support, information and encouragement provided by the PPFL parents is not meant to take the place of medical advice by a medical professional. Any specific questions about care should be directed to a health care professional familiar with the situation.

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