Your Summer To Do List
Looking back in history, I am struck by the intensity of debates of issues that seem meaningless or very difficult to understand today. As well, being in the Easter Season and hearing the readings from the Acts of the Apostles, we can only dimly understand the questions that roiled the apostles in the early Christian churches. It has struck me that the same is true in our time. In my many decades in the pro-life movement, I’ve been involved in intense debates about all aspects of the abortion and euthanasia issues and the legislation and methods to overcome, defeat, or restrict them. As intense as these debates were at the time, many of them have faded now into history. This has caused me to reflect on one of the major roles of Priests for Life Canada. As bishops, priests, and deacons, we ourselves are called to bring about unity within the pro-life movement. This is a difficult proposition because as activists all of us feel incredibly strong about life issues or we would not be persevering for as long as we have. It’s always difficult to agree on practical measures because these practical measures mean decisions have to be taken about what to do and what not to do. Personalities, too, cannot be stripped away from the debate. Disagreements can be extremely difficult to explain to others and obviously detract from the effectiveness of our work.
One of the roles of Priest for Life Canada has been to try to facilitate work as bridge builders. Sometimes at conferences it seems I spend more time in the hallways listening to pro-life activists and their struggles than to the presenters in the main hall. This is important because it allows those activists to articulate, to speak their ideas and their plans then, perhaps in ways that are surprising.
I would suggest to all of you clergy who are reading this newsletter that we can take this summer to increase our effectiveness as facilitators within the pro-life movement. How much do you know about the movement in your own diocese, parish or area? Now that things have throttled back a bit in terms of pastoral work, this is the right time to talk and listen to your local pro-life leaders - as to their own frustrations, plans, and initiatives. Where and how are things going? Do you have services for pregnant women or for mothers? What is happening in your hospice?
This is a big country and it is hard for people in one province or one area to know what is going on elsewhere without some kind of structured organization to facilitate that information flow. How is that being done in your area? Lastly, is there a diocesan plan to incorporate pro-life initiatives, evangelization, and catechesis? How do you see your role within both the pro-life structures and pro-life within the church structures?
Cardinal Newman said, “I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments.”
Fr. Tom Lynch (PFLC National President)