A week ago Sunday, October 1st, was the deadliest Mass shooting in our nation’s history. The current number of those killed was 58, while another 489 were injured (Source: Wikipedia). While this tragedy through the use of guns is another example of violence in our nation, other well-known examples include terrorism, racism, and domestic violence. All forms of violence are to be condemned. But one type of violence that oftentimes goes unnoticed in the public eye, as if it were swept under the rug, is the tragic violence that goes on in the womb, the tragic violence of abortion.
According to Every Town Research, “on an average day, 93 Americans are killed with guns. On average, there are nearly 12,000 gun homicides a year in the United States.” “Since 1968, when these figures of gun violence statistics were first collected, there have been 1,516,863 gun-related deaths on US territory. Since the founding of the United States, there have been 1,396,733 war deaths,” according to The Guardian.
How do statistics of those killed by gun violence compare with those killed in the womb by abortion? Based on available state-level data, an estimated 908,000 U.S. abortions took place in 2015 (or 2,487/day). That is just in one country. Take China, for example, where an estimated 13-23 million abortions happen annually. (Source: Abort 73)
While the number of abortions decreased in the U.S. from 926,200 in 2014 down to 908,000 in 2015 according to the Guttmacher Institute, there is still much more work to be done, much more witnessing to give, and much more prayer to be offered. But since the Roe V. Wade decision made abortion legal back in 1973, close to 60 million known abortions have occurred in the U.S. according to the National Right to Life.
The ongoing failure of the secular media to confront the injustice of abortion continues…If the topic of abortion is even mentioned by the secular news media, either there is an indifference toward it, or it’s in favor of it disguised as “choice,” while the bloodshed and the silent screams of the innocent children also continue to cry out to God for justice in our country, a country where the three “unalienable rights” of LIFE, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are eroding quickly. These three unalienable rights, stated in the Declaration of Independence, have been given to all human beings by their Creator, and which governments are created to protect. Strangely enough, while medical science believes that life begins at the moment of conception, we as a nation, led by our government, have failed to enforce it.
But there is hope. While the amount and rate of abortion have decreased over the past few years, the violence committed through abortion can also be transformed into healing. One who has been involved in the abortion process, whether it be as a mother, father, doctor, nurse, driver – accomplice, or other ways, can go to receive forgiveness from God through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Furthermore, one legitimate and very credible resource for women and men in need of post-abortion healing can also be experienced through Rachel’s Vineyard, which offers a weekend retreat to begin the healing process.
May the gun violence as well as all other forms of violence, whether on or off the street, inside or outside of the home, STOP! But especially, may the killing of innocent children in the womb stop too, which is appalling, not just the fact that it happens nearly one million times per year in our country, but the fact that it has been going on for well over 40 years. May we be the voice for those who don’t have one. I want to recognize and commend all of you who were out on the sidewalks and streets on Sunday, October 1st for “Life Chain Sunday” holding pro-life signs in a spirit of solidarity and prayer, which was, ironically enough, the same day as the Las Vegas Shootings. We pray for the peace of Jesus Christ to triumph over all violence in our nation including all gun violence and especially over the violence committed in the womb through abortion.
– Fr. Jeff
"Speak The Truth with Love," A Catholic Blog by Fr. Jeff Allan 
It would be refreshing to see a clear, direct and forceful condemnation of gun violence without it quickly turning into a primarily anti-abortion piece. Abortion is a moral issue but so is the business and politics of guns (not to mention other violence). Continuing to frame the narrative of life issues with abortion always at the top of the list is incomplete and irresponsible.
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Mary – Thanks for your response. While you are entitled to share your opinion, which I respect, I disagree with it. I hadn’t seen, heard, or read anyone out there in the world or the cyber world that attempted to make the connection or the comparison between gun violence and abortion. That’s why I wrote the piece. For the record I do condemn gun violence as should any right-minded individual with common sense. I agree with you that abortion is a moral issue, but unfortunately it has been politicized in our country. I charitably disagree with your last sentence, “Continuing to frame the narrative of life issues with abortion always at the top of the list is incomplete and irresponsible.” If we can’t defend the the least and most vulnerable in society, namely those in the womb, then who can you defend? Gandhi once said, “A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members?” How well have we and other countries done? Based on the statistics in the article we have not only done it poorly, but we have failed miserably knowing that each and every human life is precious in the eyes of God. Furthermore, St. John Paul II once remarked, “The common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights, for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture (and we can add immigration) is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition of all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determinations.” That saintly pope is right, and who is and will be their voice? It should be all of us. It’s a not a “choice” or a “blob of tissue.” It’s a human being. The choice is life, and we have an obligation to defend them. Are we being their strong voice? No. Not when murdering innocent babies in this country is still legal. While each immortal soul is complete, it is irresponsible and wrong, and evil, and sinful when these babies are taken prematurely from this world through abortion. That is incomplete and irresponsible, and it is also gravely irresponsible when we don’t speak up.
Unlike gun violence, which can be used in rare exception such as self defense including the death penalty as clearly stated in the Catechism #s 2263-2267, abortion is an intrinsic evil meaning that is is always wrong and you can never do anything to justify it. The Catholic Church also teaches that other sinful acts are intrinsically evil such as rape (see CCC 2356), self-abuse (see CCC 2352), lying (see 1753), and contraception (see 2370) to name a few.
Furthermore, you may be familiar with Catholic Answers’ “Voters Guide For Serious Catholics.” They talk about 5 issues that ARE current campaign issues. All five of these issues are intrinsic evils. Catholic Answers (www.catholic.com) refers to these issues as “The Non-Negotiable Issues.” Because these issues all involve carrying out intrinsically evil acts, they are considered by the Church as being non-negotiable issues.
What ARE these 5 intrinsically evil current campaign issues? They are as follows:
1. Murdering unborn innocent babies (also known by the euphemism of “Choice”).
2. Murdering the sick and disabled who will be unable or no longer is able to contribute significant tax revenues or profits (known also as the euphemisms of “Euthanasia” and “Death With Dignity”).
3. Allowing innocent babies to be conceived for the purpose of murdering them to “salvage the parts” and “study” (also called by the euphemism of “Fetal Stem Cell Research”).
4. Redefining Marriage by government-supported illicit and intrinsically disordered sexual licentiousness, which also violates nature (also called by the euphemism of “Gay Marriage”).
5. Approval of Scientists in laboratories who are illicitly concocting and manipulating Human cells to produce a person genetically desired and mirrored to another human being (also known by the euphemism of “Cloning People”).
In addition, below are two links for further info on “intrinsic evils.” While I would agree that gun violence is wrong, and evil, and should be stopped, the worse evil, is the instrinsic evil of abortion, should be stopped too. God help us put a stop to both.
In The Peace, Love, Healing, Forgiveness, and Mercy of Jesus Christ, +
Fr. Jeff
Examples of Intrinsic Evils:
https://catholiclabor.com/spirituality-of-work/morality-usccb/intrinsic-evil/examples-of-intrinsic-evil/
https://catholicmoraltheology.com/voting-against-intrinsically-evil-acts-a-working-list/
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