Pray and fast for Life

Richard A. Sokerka

After gains were made in the pro-life movement in 2020 to protect life, the outlook for further gains in 2021 is certainly not as promising at both the federal and state levels.

With Democrats now holding the White House and both chambers of Congress, a key focus of pro-lifers at the federal level is the preservation of certain pro-life “riders,” or amendments, enacted by Congress that are attached to spending bills.

These riders stipulate that the funds cannot be used for any number of pro-abortion causes including paying for elective abortions, funding abortion advocacy, or going to groups that provide or perform abortions.

One of these policies, the Hyde Amendment, has come under attack from Democrats in recent years. The policy bars federal funding of elective abortions in Medicaid, but President-elect Biden — who formerly supported the Hyde Amendment — and House Democratic leaders have said they would work to repeal the policy. Biden, who will be the second Catholic president, has also said he wants to codify Roe v. Wade as the law of the land.

At the state level, N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy (D), who has Catholic roots, wants passage of the Reproductive Freedom Act S3030/A4848).

Pro-lifers are urging N.J. residents to write to their state representatives to stop the passage of the bill that allows abortions through the entire nine months of pregnancy up to birth. The bill also states, “A fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus shall not have independent rights under the laws of this state.” It also permits non-physicians to perform abortions; nullifies conscience clauses for medical personnel who are against abortion; mandates an annual allocation of taxpayer dollars to go to Planned Parent­hood; exempts prosecution of individuals who terminate or attempt to terminate their own pregnancy, and requires all insurance carriers to provide coverage for abortion.

We are eight days away from the 48th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal on Jan. 22, 1973.

The bishops of New Jersey are asking Catholics and people of good will to participate on that infamous date in our nation’s history in a Day of Prayer and Fasting to end abortion.

“As we mark this tragic event in our nation’s history, we remember the millions of lives lost to abortion and pray for the mothers and fathers left to suffer the tragic effects. The Catholic Church is committed to protecting all life from conception to natural death. We will work vigorously to ensure the laws of our state and country protect and defend the intrinsic dignity of all people,” the bishops said.

It is vitally important that all people of faith be one in spirit with the child in the womb through prayer and fasting on Jan. 22 to show these precious lives matter and to put an end to abortion.