October is Respect Life month among Catholics, perhaps chosen because November is Respect Death month among Catholics. That is, beginning with All Souls Day on November 2, we give thanks for the earthly lives and pray for the souls of the faithful departed throughout the entire month. This year my parish will again decorate Our Lady’s altar with flowers, candles, and photographs of our forebears as we offer one Mass each day for all souls, especially those who have died unloved and unknown, with no one to pray for them.
In these last days of October, a month in which we have celebrated so many glorious saints, including St. Francis, St. John Paul, St. Therese and St. Teresa, St. Isaac Jogues and St. Denis of Paris, St. Luke and St. Ignatius of Antioch, we prepare for All Hallows Eve on Thursday: the feast of All Saints. Maybe that is why October is the month chosen to Respect Life, and to Give Thanks for Life.
It is in some way scandalous, then, that the City of San Francisco, two weeks after St. Francis’ Day, and right in the middle of Respect Life Month, ruled against human life. On October 16 San Francisco’s City Manager sent a memo to all her employees banning business with 22 states that protect unborn Americans by restricting abortions after the fetal heartbeat is detected. Supervisor Vallie Brown said that the city would do its $12 billion annual business only with people that “share our values.”
Let’s consider this ruling rationally. First, the City’s ruling ignores clear scientific fact by defining what is in a pregnant woman’s uterus as not human. Embryology defines the human fetus as a human individual with its distinct DNA and organic systems. I understand that Ms. Brown values a pregnant woman’s absolute right to choose what to do with her unborn child, but sound reason defines one person’s right to live as more important than another person’s right to choose a lifestyle. Second, the City cannot both claim it is “inclusive” and “tolerant” while excluding and not tolerating other states who think differently, especially when their thinking is backed by proven scientific conclusions. “Taking our $12 billion elsewhere” is simply an arrogant and wealthy city bullying poorer and humbler cities. Our City has no rational or scientific justification for this move. In a healthy democracy the citizens of such a city call out their elected representatives on such political hypocrisy, on such affronts to our intelligence and freedom. St. Francis of Assisi, and all saints, pray for us!
In these last days of October, a month in which we have celebrated so many glorious saints, including St. Francis, St. John Paul, St. Therese and St. Teresa, St. Isaac Jogues and St. Denis of Paris, St. Luke and St. Ignatius of Antioch, we prepare for All Hallows Eve on Thursday: the feast of All Saints. Maybe that is why October is the month chosen to Respect Life, and to Give Thanks for Life.
It is in some way scandalous, then, that the City of San Francisco, two weeks after St. Francis’ Day, and right in the middle of Respect Life Month, ruled against human life. On October 16 San Francisco’s City Manager sent a memo to all her employees banning business with 22 states that protect unborn Americans by restricting abortions after the fetal heartbeat is detected. Supervisor Vallie Brown said that the city would do its $12 billion annual business only with people that “share our values.”
Let’s consider this ruling rationally. First, the City’s ruling ignores clear scientific fact by defining what is in a pregnant woman’s uterus as not human. Embryology defines the human fetus as a human individual with its distinct DNA and organic systems. I understand that Ms. Brown values a pregnant woman’s absolute right to choose what to do with her unborn child, but sound reason defines one person’s right to live as more important than another person’s right to choose a lifestyle. Second, the City cannot both claim it is “inclusive” and “tolerant” while excluding and not tolerating other states who think differently, especially when their thinking is backed by proven scientific conclusions. “Taking our $12 billion elsewhere” is simply an arrogant and wealthy city bullying poorer and humbler cities. Our City has no rational or scientific justification for this move. In a healthy democracy the citizens of such a city call out their elected representatives on such political hypocrisy, on such affronts to our intelligence and freedom. St. Francis of Assisi, and all saints, pray for us!
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