Steven Bozza, bioethicist and the director of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office for Life and Family, has emphasised the importance of being pro-life at all stages of life in the lead-up to the 49th annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., later this month.
“What you say at the beginning of life, you say at the end of life”, he said. “The question is, ‘How are we being pro-life with all of the stages of life?”
The answer, he said, should include a combination of public witness, legal change, social outreach, scientific progress and education, inspired by faith and prayer.
Steven Bozza also blamed the ubiquity of abortion for many of modern society’s problems.
He said: “Think of the social problems we see in the news every day – violence, people killing each other. It boils down to a disrespect for human life. You’re not respecting human life in the womb. What makes you think you’ll respect it on the street?”
Father Christopher Walsh, of St. Raymond of Peñafort Parish in Philadelphia, urged pro-lifers to show compassion towards people who believe abortion is permissible, and to “share the truth… little by little, with patience but also with conviction”.
Bozza also cited Pope Paul VI’s 1968 encyclical, warning that artificial contraception and abortion would reduce women to “a mere instrument for the satisfaction of [a man’s] desires”.
SPUC comment
A SPUC spokesperson said: “The pro-life movement consists of passionate individuals working hard for legislative and cultural change.
“As bioethicist Steven Bozza says, if individuals combine faith with action, we have a very real shot at influencing hearts and minds on this vital issue, ultimately reaching the point where abortion is unthinkable to most people.”
Similar stories
Researcher questions true motives behind UK emergency DIY home abortion legislation in the Journal of Medical Ethics