Day 837: Friday, July 1, 2022

Dear Sisters and Brothers: This is a letter to the Editor I wrote to the editor of the Press Democrat. It ran this morning.

The bishop’s view

EDITOR: Catholic Bishop Robert Vasa is thrilled about the Supreme Court’s decision reversing a woman’s right to choose to give birth (“Santa Rosa bishop calls ruling a win for unborn,” June 25). He and many of the hierarchs and members of my church believe themselves to be pro-life. But his statement makes clear he’s interested only in the unborn.

Vasa made no mention of those young women who have suffered the trauma of rape, incest and other forms of sexual violence and abuse. No mention of women who have made the incredibly sad decision to terminate a pregnancy because fetal abnormalities would mean a quick and painful death after birth.

I will believe my Catholic Church is truly pro-life when it recognizes the sanctity of women and raises them to positions of true equality and authority. When the church sells some of its vast wealth to take care of children born to poor parents who would otherwise be doomed to a life of poverty. When the church stops vilifying members of the LGBTQ+ community and instead joyously welcomes them.

When the church works to eliminate the twin scourges of systemic racism and white privilege, I may begin to believe it is truly pro-life.

David Carlson

Santa Rosa