Meeting Dr. Bernard Nathanson helped me to understand the need to pray for abortionists. They too are God's children. Catholics who pray and offer sidewalk counseling at abortion clinics have witnessed to their desire to defend human life. It is crucial that they give a testimony of love and reconciliation that will touch the hearts of the women who go there for abortions, as well as the hearts of the abortionists and their staffs. We want to distance ourselves from those who react to abortion with violence, but we also want to defend the right of pro-life people to hold peaceful demonstrations near abortion clinics.
Laws designed to curtail their right to free speech are discriminatory and unjust.
The great challenge that we face is not just to change unjust laws, but to change people's hearts. It is spiritual conflict that involves the powers of Light and Darkness. Some devils are cast out only by prayer and fasting. We must begin with our own personal conversion and mending the broken relationships in our lives. Today, we gather to witness to one another, to those of the household of the faith, to those who share our convictions.