Letters

Pro-life apathy

George Simpson

Contents - May 2012 - Buy a copy now Mexico: Benedict XVI's reflection on Our Lady of Guadalupe - Pope Benedict XVI Episcopacy: Brisbane's new Archbishop well-equipped for the challenges - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Obama imposes contraception document on UN - Babette Francis Benedict XVI builds on John Paul II's historic Cuba visit - Michael Gilchrist The culture wars: Archbishop Chaput's call to Christians - Ben Johnson Young adult ministry 2012: more reasons for hope - Br Barry Coldrey Religious Freedom: Catholics in Iraq: a struggle for survival - Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda The Church's dogma of transubstantiation - John Young UK Catholic schools under fire for 'homophobia' - Hilary White Letters: Obvious Link - C.V. Phillips Letters: Pro-life apathy - George Simpson Letters: Rights of children - Robert Bom Letters: Protecting marriage - Brian A. Coman Letters: Tradition - Peter Hill Letters: Year of Grace - Ken Bayliss Letters: Genuflection - John Frey Letters: Education costs - Arnold Jago Letters: Infanticide - Richard Congram Letters: Endorsement - Joy Mason Books: THE GIFT OF INFALLIBILITY, by Bishop Vincent Ferrer Gasser - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: A COMPANION TO CATHOLIC EDUCATION, by Leonardo Franchi and Stephen McKinney (ed) - Angela Schumann (reviewer) Events: The Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite: Sacredness in Continuity Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Nicene Creed's "consubstantial":What does this mean? - Bishop Arthur Serratelli

The excellent letter by Dr Frank Mobbs in your March edition highlights the apathy that is rife throughout the Church today. While there are bishops, priests and lay people who are most dedicated and energetic in their efforts to promote the pro-life cause, they are far too few.

I would go as far as to say that Catholics, through their apathy, are the main cause of the success of the anti-life movement. The former Jesuit, Malachi Martin, once said, "If all the bishops of the world did their job properly, there would be no need for a pro-life movement". I would extend that sentiment to all the faithful.

A Catholic may be too poor to offer financial help or too old and feeble to march or attend vigils outside abortion clinics but any Catholic can, however, participate in the most important work of all, prayer.

The Lord said, "As you sow, so shall you reap". As a result of the lack of respect for human life, we are living in an increasingly violent world. The demographic winter has engulfed Europe and Japan and is even starting to become apparent in China. This has led to the economic chaos that the world is facing today. Australia has been shielded to some extent by immigration, but this will not last forever.

GEORGE SIMPSON
North Blackburn, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 25 No 4 (May 2012), p. 15