You are all very aware that the Supreme Court has struck down abortion on demand as a right in the Constitution. The biggest problem for the Court was that abortion simply is not addressed in the Constitution. Fifty years ago, the Court tried to tie it to the right to privacy, but even court advocates for abortion admitted that it was a serious reach to tie it to privacy. What the court has done is recognize this and send the matter back to individual states. No doubt abortion will now be illegal in many states, but many will still allow and even encourage it. There has been a lot of celebrating among the faithful. And yes, many lives of the unborn will be saved. But there is still a fact the court left unaddressed, the right to life of the unborn. As it is right now the unborn will only be protected in some states, but they still do not have universal recognition as human beings. There is a lot of misunderstanding about where the Church stands on abortion. It stands first with the child because life is highest on the Churches hierarchy of values, particularly innocent life. She does not teach that the mother’s life is less importance. In the very rare occurrence of the mother’s physical life being threatened by the pregnancy, the issue is resolved by the mother with advice from her doctor and hopefully prayer. As Bishop Hanefeldt has pointed out, this is definitely not the end of this issue. But it is a major victory for the unborn. The problem lays with our culture that has grown cold and indifferent toward human life (note the growing increase of violence). We are distracted by pleasures and visions of perpetual youth (note celebrity worship). This has blinded us to the amazing gift of life and the love that inhabits it and blooms with true and eternal happiness. So, we must continue to pray, to speak and to act as advocates for life. Yours in Christ our Lord, Fr. Sid.