On the 15th of August, 2025 we will yet again celebrate our nation’s glorious Independence. The national anthem will be played, tirangas will be hoisted and worn, messages of patriotism will resurface and we will revel in our “freedom”. For us Catholics, we have a double celebration as the day also marks the Feast of Assumption, our Blessed Mother being assumed into heaven, body and soul. We will head to our churches as faithful Catholics, venerate the Mother of God and pray for our nation, and return home content with the annual routine.
Just a few days before that, August 10, marks the day our beloved country legalised the horrific killing of babies in the wombs of their mothers in the year 1971. Decades later this murder has only worsened. In 2021, India passed the MTP Amendment Act making it legal in India to butcher babies as old as 24 weeks in the wombs of their mothers. With advancements in modern medicine, babies born even as early as 21 weeks have survived through adequate care and treatment. These same babies are torn apart limb by limb in our country and killed while we watch silently.
The threats to life are ever increasing and in our culture they are lauded as good. Pope St John Paul II summarises these various threats in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae, “Whatever is opposed to life itself, such as any type of murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia, or wilful self-destruction, whatever violates the integrity of the human person, such as mutilation, torments inflicted on body or mind, attempts to coerce the will itself; whatever insults human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children; as well as disgraceful working conditions, where people are treated as mere instruments of gain rather than as free and responsible persons; all these things and others like them are infamies indeed. They poison human society, and they do more harm to those who practise them than to those who suffer from the injury. Moreover, they are a supreme dishonour to the Creator.”
All of these threats to life are to be condemned and fought against, however, among all these it is the beginning and end of life that are the most vulnerable stages for every human person. This is why the greatest threats to life today are contraception, abortion, IVF and assisted suicide.
Pope St John Paul II taught, “The Gospel of God’s love for man, the Gospel of the dignity of the human person and the Gospel of Life are a single, indivisible Gospel.”
Being pro-life is integral to being Catholic. Anyone that says they’re Catholic but not pro-life ought not consider themselves as Catholic for to be Catholic is to worship the Holy Trinity who is the source of Life: God, the Father who commanded that we “Choose Life” (Deuteronomy 30:19), God, the Son who stated “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6) and God, the Holy Spirit who is the “Spirit of Truth and Giver of Life” (John 14:17 & the Nicene Creed). Every baptised Catholic is called to defend and uphold the dignity of every human life from the moment of conception until natural death for life is sacred and God alone is the Author of Life. To be pro-life is to be actively and passionately pro-life for a passive pro-lifer is not truly pro-life.
What can we do to be active pro-lifers? How can we wage war against this culture of death? Do at least one thing pro-life every day. Here are a few ways to be a pro-life warrior in your day-to-day lives:
- Spiritual Warfare: Offer Holy Qurbana for all babies being killed by abortion, for their parents and for all those that are a part of this culture of death. Pray the rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet for pro-life intentions. Adopt a baby spiritually and pray for them for 9 months (Army for Life app or spiritual adoption prayer cards). Stand and pray outside abortion clinics and IVF centres. Meditate on pro-life verses. Celebrate the Feast of Annunciation.
- Read, Learn & Study: Organise study groups and read St Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Evangelium Vitae, Pope Paul VI’sencyclical Humanae Vitae which is essential reading for every Catholic. Learn about Natural Regulation of Birth. Spend at least 15 minutes daily to learn the Church’s teachings on Life. Invite pro-life speakers to your parishes, schools, colleges, and hospitals.
- Work Together: Connect with local pro-life organisations and volunteer your time. Start a pro-life club. Support pregnancy resource centres such as The Saved Pearl Foundation & Garbhdrithi.
- Media to Evangelise: Upload pro-life posts on your social media accounts including WhatsApp regularly. Don’t shy away from being publicly pro-life, you never know whose life you are called to save today.
- Activism: Initiate penitential Walks for Life around your vicinity praying and making reparation for the sin of abortion and join those taking place near you. Every year on the second Sunday of December, Eva Pro-Life Movement organises its Walk for Life in Mumbai. Block your calendar for August 10th each year for it is the day India’s March for Life is held. Bring all you know to the march including your families and children.
- Minister to those Near Us: Help young couples as they navigate through pregnancy and childbirth. Be like Mamma Mary who rushed to minister to her pregnant cousin Elizabeth. Offer to babysit children in your parishes and encourage large families. Defend families that are open to life from the ridicule and scorn of society.
- Movies: Screen the movie ‘Unplanned’ and recommend it to everyone. Promote movies with a pro-life theme such as Wonder, Storks, Crescendo and the like.
We will always have the choice to not do any of these but we can never say that we did not know. At the last judgement, Jesus will ask us, “What did you do to the least of my brothers and sisters?” I pray and hope that we may not have to hang our heads in shame and admit that we did nothing while the least of our brothers and sisters were being brutally killed by abortion, assisted suicide and IVF only because we cared more about what other people thought or we were too busy. Each of us has a role to play in this battle for Life. You are needed! As Pope St John Paul II says, “The Church needs you. Place your intelligence, your talents, your enthusiasm, your compassion, and your fortitude at the service of life. Have no fear for the outcome of this battle for Life is already decided. Be not afraid!” Through the intercession of Mamma Mary, the Mother of Life, may we respond with a ‘yes’ to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and do all God wills of us to build a culture of life.
