by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann
In the liturgical calendar, November is a month during which Catholics remember those who have died.
Beginning the month with the feasts of All Saints and All Souls, we are reminded that, for Catholics, death is not an absolute barrier. We can prayerfully intercede on behalf of the dead and they can intercede for us.
We also honor and treat with the utmost respect the bodies of the dead because the body of a baptized Christian served as a temple of God. We also believe in the resurrection of our bodies — that our souls and bodies eventually will be reunited in heaven.
Recently, the bodies of 2,400 aborted babies were discovered in the home of the late Dr. Ulrich Klopfer. It is estimated that before his medical license was suspended in 2015, Klopfer aborted more than 30,000 children.
This is the just the most recent example of the disrespectful treatment by abortion doctors and other abortion clinic personnel of the bodies of aborted children.
Of course, the deeper cultural problem is the many in our society who assert a right to kill children in the womb. We should not be shocked by the callous treatment of the bodies of these children when powerful cultural voices champion abortion as a moral good.
Sadly, Kansas is not immune to this distorted moral view, as evidenced by the Kansas Supreme Court claiming to have discovered a right to abortion in the Kansas Constitution.
I am grateful for the many parishioners throughout the archdiocese who have signed petitions or postcards urging state senators and representatives to support placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot, making clear that there is no such “right” in Kansas and reclaiming the right of Kansans through their elected representatives to determine public policy regarding abortion and the protection of human life.
I urge every member of the archdiocese to join the Kansas Rosary Crusade, praying a rosary every Thursday for the specific intention of the passage of a state constitutional amendment returning the power to Kansans to protect human life that has been usurped by our Supreme Court.
The rosary is a powerful prayer that asks our Blessed Mother to intercede for the success of our efforts to protect the lives of innocent unborn children, as well as to protect parents from living with the terrible emotional, psychological and spiritual burden of abortion.
This past week at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) meeting, on behalf of its pro-life committee, I was able to propose a Nationwide Initiative of Prayer, Service and Witness to Life.
A centerpiece of this initiative is for each diocese to examine the resources available to mothers and families who are experiencing an untimely pregnancy.
Through this study of the resources, we are hoping to be able to identify where there are deficiencies or gaps of available support services — as well as opportunities to coordinate better existing resources — so that we can serve mothers and families more effectively.
Our culture often attempts to pit the best interests of women against the lives of their children. In reality, the opposite is true. The church seeks to love both mother and child.
We strive to surround mothers and families with love and practical help so that parents and children thrive. I am grateful to all those who serve, volunteer and support our pregnancy assistance clinics. You are on the frontlines of our pro-life ministry, saving lives and empowering families to be places where life is cherished, love is nurtured and joy abounds.
Sadly, in our post-abortion ministry we witness the tragic consequences of abortion upon the lives of mothers and fathers.
Abortion is presented to individuals in crisis as a quick and easy solution to the challenging circumstances of their lives. In reality, abortion results in years of regret, guilt and grief that only God’s grace can heal and relieve.
When you pray the rosary on Thursdays for the passage of the constitutional amendment, please also remember to pray for our pregnancy assistance clinics, that they can surround with love, compassion and practical resources those facing a difficult pregnancy.
Together, we can save the lives of children and protect parents from the painful consequences of abortion. The protection that we are unable to provide through the law, we can provide with love.
