United States: Proactive “Pro-Lifers”

Source: FSSPX News

A sign of hope from the United States: in the wake of the overturning of the Roe v. Wade ruling, the laity is taking the initiative to invest in the health system by training professionals in the ideas of the culture of life.

The historic decision made in the United States on June 24, 2022 is still etched in people's minds. On that day, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned the Roe v. Wade ruling dating back to 1973, ending nearly half a century of court-sanctioned abortion nationwide.

It was a political earthquake whose aftershocks are still being felt among pro-life circles, who have been galvanized by the blow dealt to the culture of death by the highest court in the country. Some Catholic universities have even decided to invest more in the medical sphere, by offering training focused on respect for life.

Thus, more than half of the higher education establishments referenced by the Newman Guide – a publication of the Cardinal Newman Institute which supports universities committed to offering education in accordance with Catholic morals and dogmas – offer specific training in the health fields.

The goal: to be able to increase the number of pro-life caregivers in the country's hospitals in order to reduce practices contrary to natural and Christian ethics. And initiatives in this direction are multiplying.

“The University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota recently announced its tuition-free Nursing Academy for select full-time freshmen.”

At Belmont Abbey College, in North Carolina, a new hospital is being built, because the hospital is leasing land from the Benedictine monks, its charter commits “the hospital to faithfully follow Catholic healthcare guidelines, including no cooperation with abortion, sterilization, euthanasia, or assisted dying.”

Another encouraging example is that of Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, which intends to play a leading role in the training of pro-life medical professionals. The college announced that it plans to establish a new independent medical school, that “understands the essential role of faith and morality in the sciences.”

But that's not all: at this Kansas school, “Nursing students take courses on bioethics, and on fertility-based awareness/natural family planning. The Nursing School has an annual White Mass for Nursing students, a student-led Bible study, guest speakers on pro-life issues, and are planning an annual retreat.”

As Kelly Salomon, director of the Newman Guide at the eponymous institute, says: “being proactive and strategic going forward will be not only a requirement but the most effective forms of evangelization. The important work of faithful Catholic colleges to build up pro-life medical professionals should be celebrated and supported!”