Pope is only a symbol. What he said is ever-valid, and highlights an ETERNAL TRUTH which any human will welcome and subscribe to; because NO MAN or WOMAN will ever like to be USED as a means (to be stamped out of existence) to solve a minor problem (of someone’s convenience!)
Yet Band on the Run touched the right and eternal solution to abortion—A MILLION THANKS to you!
You said: “ abortion rate would decline dramatically in the United States if Roman Catholic women followed the teachings of the Church.”
You are absolutely right—people should act with knowledge, and preempt the situation that lead to abortion! It’s basic biological knowledge that certain people with certain blood group will have complications; also certain moods and habits (such as smoking, alcohol… can have very adverse impact on the fetus.) This type of knowledge, which is plenty today, should be made good use of.
I will give you one example of my class-mate. The first child born to him was very intelligent and smart with all enviable qualities. That time he was one of the top bureaucrats in the country. Then he resigned from his job and started (out of greed) his own business, had lots of money and friends who are drunkards. The child born to him in this period was a mentally retard. Then the couple decided to have no more children, yet his wife conceived—they went for an abortion. But they were being eaten up within because of the dreadful thought of having killed a baby. When his wife became pregnant again, they did not go for abortion this time. But the child that was born was disabled. Reason? Her own fleshly sister who is a gynecologist herself says “residue left by the abortion carelessly performed earlier caused this child to be born crippled.”
This real life incident has enough for us to learn many lessons! I leave to you to make your own conclusions! The wise will learn from the experience of others. The imprudent will learn lessons the hard way!
Now with regard to the root-cause of abortion (indiscreet, sexual indulgence), there are some lessons taught by the nature. There are some lower species such as butterflies, bees, spider … often they die instantly after impregnating their mates! There are some animals that behave strictly—though they cannot express themselves in the language understood by us, the homo sapiens, during the female animal periods (they will never allow the male to mate except during that period). If at all, which is very seldom, the male is so stupid as not to control itself, she would KICK, FLICK HIM AWAY, OR ATTACK HIM.
Rape and incestual sex can be thwarted to some extent if the victim uses their powerful weapon of screaming at the top of their voices. Have we not read in the newspaper of women who have even gone as far as cutting the penis of the rapists with knife?
If one starts her day by praying to God Almighty, the supreme beneficent (Mark 10:18), sending good vibrations to others, and having an altruistic mind-set deep within, chances of getting raped by others will be reduced to the minimum.
In brief, take the principle behind whatever given above: We should do whatever we can before-hand to avoid situation that lead to an abortion. That will definitely bring down the alarming number of abortions (over 50 million a year) drastically! Leave the rest (that which is beyond our control) to God, “the Father of all comforts.” (2 Corinthians 1:3)