Marian Helper Summer 2019

F ather J oseph W rites We seem to be at a pivotal point in the pro-life move- ment here in the U.S. For the first time in my life, I’m opti- mistic that we’re making major inroads to bring about a culture of life. But what would such a culture look like? And how can we help to achieve it? With this special issue of Marian Helper — including nearly a dozen pages dedicated to pro-life stories —we seek to answer those questions. We give you the tools to defend the Church’s teachings o n abortion. We give you tips on how to be active and effective pro-life advocates. We show you what happens when one young woman, unprepared for motherhood, chooses to carry her child to term and put him up fo r adoption. We also show what happens when another young pregnant woman believes the lie t hat a fetus is merely a “clump of tissue.” Her powerful testimony points to a way forward for pro-life advocates in our mission to change hearts and minds. Indeed, through the private revelations received by St. Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938), Christ is calling us in this place and this time. He’s calling us to the cause of life, armed with the joy of the Risen Christ and His words to St. Faustina that “Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My Mercy” ( Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska , 300). Against a backdrop of anxious times, He continues to reveal Himself today — through people like those featured in this issue, as well as people like Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood clinic supervisor turned pro-life Catholic whose story is the subject of the film, “Unplanned.” Please be sure to see the film, and encourage others to see it as well, particularly young people. I’m optimistic, yes. Still, so much work must be done. Though the number of abortions annually in the U.S. has dropped from a peak of 1.6 million in 1990 to about 900,000, the death toll remains inconceivable and un- conscionable. Each and every procured abortion wounds the Heart of Christ. Each and every procured abortion “is gravely contrary to the moral law” ( Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2271). And as you well know, even if Roe v. Wade were over- turned, states would have the right to pass their own laws permitting or prohibiting abortion. Some states, including NewYork, have already passed strong legal protections for abortion rights. With this issue of Marian Helper , we hope to underscore that our efforts must extend beyond civil laws. A culture of life requires nothing less than a radical change of hearts and minds. To that end, Christ needs us to be people of prayer and people of action. In addition to the stories in this issue, I point you to the top of page 23, where you’ll find information about three new pamphlets of ours, which were inspired by this issue. I encourage you to order these pamphlets and to strategi- cally and prayerfully place themwhere they will be found by those who need to hear the truth— at public kiosks, coffee shops, healthcare waiting rooms, etc. In the cause of life, let’s advance to the front lines together, confident that as we grow in mercy and mature as disciples of the Risen Lord, we break the evil grip of abortion. T ake a look at what’s going on in the fight to protect the lives of the unborn. This spring, Alabama, Ohio, and Georgia joined a list of states seeking major restrictions on abortions. Meanwhile, the United States Supreme Court now may well have the votes needed to overturn Roe v. Wade, should the opportunity arise. And a pro-life film, “Unplanned,” became a box-office hit, with ticket sales approaching $20 million by May. THE UNBORN NEED US M arian H elper • S ummer 2019 • marian . org 3 “Father Joseph, MIC,” is the honorary title of the director of the Association of Marian Helpers. The current director i s Fr. Chris Alar, MIC.