Maintaining Hope in the Fight for Life

By Ella Morone

Like many Montana Catholics, I was deeply saddened to hear that CI-128 was passed. This ballot measure enshrined the ‘right’ to an abortion in our state. Combined with the legal permissibility of so-called ‘aid in dying’ that was established in 2009 through Baxter v. Montana, Montana has unfortunately established itself as an anti-life state. Life in our beautiful state truly is a blessing, one that should not be denied due to age, dependence, infirmity, or mere inconvenience. Amid this difficult landscape, Catholics can act by holding onto HOPE.

Help: Now is the time to live out Christ’s commandment to love our neighbor. Support your local crisis pregnancy center through donations and volunteering. Visit both loved and lonely ones as they approach the end of life. Create a culture of life by supporting expectant mothers and families, as well as those facing terminal illness and grief.

Organize: Get involved with your parish’s pro-life efforts, such as 40 Days for Life. Consider reaching out to your Montana legislative members to encourage them to support life in our state. The Montana Pro-life Coalition has many resources specific to Montana, while National Right to Life has resources at the nationwide level.

Pray: Prayer changes us so that we may change things. The single most effective tool we have in the fight for life is prayer. Frequent the sacraments and consider ongoing petitionary prayer, such as a novena. Pray especially for those facing crisis pregnancies, the end of life, and our leaders.

Educate: Being able to give a thoughtful defense for why the Church values life from conception to natural death is essential. Familiarize yourself with the Church’s teachings on life from the Catechism and Scripture. Another helpful tool is The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, published by the United States Council of Catholic Bishops. These directives summarize the responsibilities of Catholic healthcare providers from the beginning to end of life.

There is much work to be done on behalf of life in Montana. By living out the greatest commandment to love God and our neighbor, we can build a culture of life for all in the Big Sky State. Now is the time to “pray, hope, and don’t worry.”