Dear Most Reverend Pierre Morissette,
The Canadian bishops recently decided to let their ad hoc committee work for another year on developing new strategies on how best to promote a culture of life and family in Canada. In addition, the Bishops announced in their summary report what the committee had accomplished this past year. A central recommendation is to move beyond just the issue of abortion. The report says, “The strategy needs to build a distinct culture which requires a spiritual revival, a change of minds and hearts. In short, it is the work of a new evangelization. The role of the Bishops in this is to provide clear, consistent and vocal leadership in promoting this culture of life and family, while also offering guidance and inspiration.” Bishop Ronald Fabbro of London is expected to present the new plan at their meeting next year.
In the words of this interim report, there’s a need to develop a “a vision of marriage and family life in which spouses are committed to be faithful to each other, life is valued, a living faith is passed on to children, the elderly and disabled are supported, witness is given to Gospel values.” As well, they mention that the Sisters of Life, the Catholic Organization for Life and Family and a number of other Canadian pro-family and pro-family groups were asked for input. The committee during the coming year will also evaluate initiatives already being used to promote and support life and family in Canada. Bishop Ronald Fabbro of London is expected to present the new plan at their meeting next year These are all laudable objectives and ideas, but I would humbly suggest that the committee revisit Humane Vitae. This encyclical was too readily rejected by many Catholics, including a number priests and bishops. However, the low reproductive rates, the high number of abortions, the attempt to legalize euthanasia and the general decline of the value of life in the West for last forty-two years, are undeniable evidence about the document’s truth and foresight. Most of the faithful don’t know or remember that it was subtitled, “On Regulation and Birth”. If guided by our Shepherds and priests Catholics and others for the first time could find its moral teaching very valid and very useful. After all, it is an encyclical meant to remind and explain to the faithful the Church’s teaching on important human life and family questions. How many Catholics can honestly say they actually read and tried to live the profound spiritual vision of the human person and family found in Humane Vitae, not the slanted news reports or somebody’s opinion from the past or present?
After forty-two years, surely we can see that the problems we face regarding life and family issues are very serious. If we continue down this anti-life road, we are choosing to destroy ourselves. Unless we change our course, a certain demographic winter awaits the West. Yet, few leaders, either religious or political, have the will and the courage to address this fact. I hope and pray that the Bishops’ committee is inspired, along with all the other research they do, to revisit the wisdom and truth found in Humane Vitae. Because we have failed to tackle the central life issues in the light of the truth, Canada and the rest of the West are beginning to look at the only question left: how long will it be before we become extinct? The very low reproductive rates in Europe and North America are telling us this. Then should this darkest of days come, whatever our reasons or rationale for refusing to embrace this life affirming document, will all be irrelevant: there won’t be anybody around to agree with us. And isn’t part of “a new evangelization” to merely remind ourselves of how to live the faith today from what we should have done and learned as Christians in the first place?
Thank you,
Lou Iacobelli
Everyday For Life Canada: A Blog of
Canadian Life, Family & Cultural Issues
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