Archbishop Dolan's Thought for the Week

January 22, 2008

Dear Friends United in Love and Service of Jesus Christ and His Church:

Sanctuary . . . the very word soothes, protects, embraces, welcomes . . .

Sanctuary . . . a holy place, where all God’s children are welcome and respected . . .

Sanctuary . . . safety, security, inviolability, a harbor, a refuge, a shelter.

So, the poor hounded by the soldiers of the king could claim sanctuary in a church, there to remain untouched until they received a fair hearing . . .

So, runaway slaves could seek sanctuary in churches where they would be secure until it was safe to leave and pursue their yearning for freedom . . .

So, conscientious objectors to war could find sanctuary where the draft board could not get to them . . .

And, yes, today, immigrants and refugees come for sanctuary rather than be sent back to persecution or torn from their families.

The most powerful, beautiful, natural sanctuary of them all is the mother’s womb. There, her tiny baby, from the moment of conception, finds security, safety, protection, and care.

There, in that sanctuary built by nature, no threatening power can get to the baby.

At least, in this country, not until January 22, 1973, and Roe v. Wade.

Now, horribly, in what is perhaps the most severe pollution of creation’s plan, the womb is the most dangerous of all places for the pre-born baby to be.

Now, with abortion-on-demand, more babies die in the womb than from bombs in Iraq (as terrifying as those are), famine in Darfur (as tragic as that is), or inadequate medical care (as unjust as that is).

Now, it’s almost as if the Surgeon General could put a notice on the womb, “The Supreme Court has determined that life in the womb could be dangerous to your health.”

So, the possibility that the tiny baby in the womb could be inconvenient, untimely, unwanted or difficult trumps the fact that we are talking of human life.

Talk about a threatened environment! A sanctuary is now invaded by chemicals, solutions, scissors, knives, scalpels, forceps.

Does this depress you? Understandable.

Does this sadden you? Join the crowd.

Does this shock you? It should.

Does this move you to action? Even better.

Join today’s sanctuary movement! Restore nature’s safe, secure, unthreatened refuge!

Protect the most innocent, jeopardized person of all -- the baby in the womb.

Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan

To receive Archbishop Dolan's Thought for the Week, submit your name and e-mail address here .