A Letter from the Archbishop

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

For a very long time people of upright conscience and good will have worked and prayed for an end to the scourge of abortion on demand in our country and around the world. From ancient times our forebears in the faith rejected abortion as a moral evil, and over the last half-century people of a correctly formed and upright conscience have striven to undo the Roe v. Wade decision which has resulted in the death of well over 60 million unborn babies in our country alone.

Now that Roe v. Wade has finally been set aside, it is for the people of the United States, and not the Supreme Court, to decide the protections that can and should be afforded to the unborn. We need to make every effort to ensure that this happens, and that life is respected from conception until natural death. This is all the more urgent, living as we do in a “culture of death” fueled by abortion and euthanasia, where suicide among young people, lethal violence by guns or other means, and disrespect and intolerance are increasing.

Our Catholic Church has a monumental commitment to fostering the spiritual, moral and material wellbeing of our nation and our world, beginning in our own families, communities and parishes. Outreach and care for pregnant women in difficult and trying circumstances has been an integral part of Catholic pro-life efforts, and we need to commit ourselves all the more to the Respect Life Ministry of our Archdiocese (prolifeministry.org) and to our parish pro-life groups.

I want to thank all the Faithful of the Archdiocese of Hartford who have persevered in their pro-life commitment through thick and thin and have never given up hope that one day the evil of abortion on demand would no longer be the untouchable law of the land.

The Supreme Court published its decision on June 24, the Solemnity this year of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On the cross, contrary to all appearances, life conquered death. And as the great champion of life, Pope St. John Paul the Great, once wrote, “No absolution offered by beguiling doctrines, even in the areas of philosophy and theology, can make a person truly happy: only the Cross and the glory of the Risen Christ can grant peace to one’s conscience and salvation to one’s life” (Veritatis Splendor, n. 120).

I join you in praying that truth and love may prevail in our country and in our world.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair
Archbishop of Hartford