Those familiar with the pro-life movement in US know they hold the biggest peaceful protests in favour of life, attended by hundreds of thousands braving freezing weather to march on the Capitol.
However, the silence on this issue prevailing on our tiny island is conspicuous, to say the least. One wonders if our collective negligence even considers the consequences of keeping back from speaking up on this in the face of an anti-life mentality.
St John Paul II, in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae, said: “Decisions that go against life sometimes arise from difficult or even tragic situations of profound suffering, loneliness, a total lack of economic prospects… Such circumstances can mitigate even to a notable degree subjective responsibility and the consequent culpability of those who make these choices which in themselves are evil…
“Today the problem goes far beyond the necessary recognition of these personal situations. It is a problem which exists at the cultural, social and political level, where it reveals the more sinister and disturbing aspect in the tendency, ever more widely shared, to interpret the above crimes against life as legitimate expressions of individual freedom, to be acknowledged and protected as rights.”
Everything that concerns man concerns the Church, as he also wrote in Redemptor Hominis: “Man is the primary route that the Church must travel in fulfilling her mission: he is the primary and fundamental way for the Church. . . traced out by Christ himself, the way that leads invariably through the mystery of the Incarnation and the Redemption.”
Evangelium Vitae appeals to Redempor Hominis to justify the Church’s need to teach the truth of the Gospel of life by echoing “man, living man, represents the primary and fundamental way for the Church” (RH 2.5).
Some may opine that the encyclical urges Catholic moral principles upon everyone, Catholic and non-Catholics. It also recommends that Catholic moral teaching be inscribed into law.
The result is a theory of civil law that is excessively entangled with theological doctrine. It also contributes to a balanced and just view of the value of life, “for the Christian it involves an absolute imperative to respect, love and promote life of every brother and sister, in accordance with the requirements of God’s bountiful love in Jesus Christ”.
It is therefore a service of love, which we are all committed to ensure to our neighbour, that his or her life may be always defended and promoted, especially when it is weak or threatened.
We have politicians who, when pressured, do not hold back from expressing views which neither promote nor sustain the rights of the unborn
It is not only a personal but a social concern which we must all foster: “A concern to make unconditional respect for human life the foundation of a renewed society.” (EV 77)
Malta shines alone amongst European countries in its unequi-vocal ‘No’ to the legalisation of abortion. It is a constant duel between pro-life citizens and the soulless State. This affects all of us in more ways than one because so much is at stake.
We have amongst us politicians who, when pressured, do not hold back from expressing views which neither promote nor sustain the rights of the unborn. A silent complicity cannot be justified.
Malta, walking the pluralistic tightrope over a mixture ofinfluences, knows that even remotely endangering life at its conception is robbing society of the possibility of a positive contribution made by that individual in any particular sphere.
The ‘significant changes in society’ brought about by those who founded certain services, both civil and ecclesiastical, motivated people to unite in providing the means with which the most vulnerable could start life on the right foot.
As a religious, searching first for the kingdom of God calls for much soul-searching as to what is directing my perspective. Service, as shown by Christ himself, brings one closer to those most in need.
As Pope Francis said: “If we are to share our lives with others and generously give of ourselves, we also have to realise that every person is worthy of our giving… Every person is immensely holy and deserves our love. Consequently, if I can help at least one person to have a better life, that already justifies the offering of my life.” (EG 274).
The Ursuline congregation has empowered me and many women to live the pro-life ethic even, as one great woman put it, if we “love until it hurts”.
Seeing babies thrive, smile, break their first tooth and venture on their first step, is more justification than I need. Love does all this and more.
Sr Daniela Micallef is an Ursuline, Sister residing at the Crèche, who carries out research on founder Mgr Isidor Formosa.