Commentary: Abortion is moral evil

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Abortion is the worst moral evil in the USA because of the huge numbers of precious unborn children of God, true human persons, killed by this brutal cruel act.

Sacred scripture makes several references of how God sees the sacredness of the tiny, innocent baby in a mother’s womb. For example, we hear, “you knit me in my mother’s womb.”

Both Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Francis have called abortion murder. Pope Francis has referred to the brutal killing of the unborn as an act of assassination. Dr. Alveda King has clearly stated that abortion is the major social justice issue in our country.

The overwhelming sad reality about abortion and the disregard for the sanctity of life is that last year more than 2,800 tiny unborn children were destroyed via abortion each day in the U.S.

This tragic loss of life is due to the apathy and lack of appreciation by many in our society for the preborn and the sanctity of life. How can our nation be OK with this? How can seven states have voted recently to enshrine this kind of atrocity as a right in their state constitutions?

And our grief is compounded many times over when we consider the huge number of precious unborn murdered at a universal level. Worldometer indicates that there were more than 45 million abortions worldwide in 2024.

Each day as a Catholic community we need to humbly fall on our knees before Jesus suffering on the Cross, begging His forgiveness for this massive murdering on a daily basis in our country and worldwide of God’s most precious and innocent children, and to recommit ourselves to overcome this brutal evil. How can we fully expect God’s blessings on our country if we do not do more to stop this horrible evil?

This shocking situation is a call to action for all involved and wanting to get involved in the pro-life movement. There is a huge need in national leaders, especially religious leaders, to defend life in their very own communities to empower and develop life teams that are involved in the war on abortion to save precious weak tiny lives.

As we grieve for the vast number of precious little children of God destroyed each day in abortion, we always must acknowledge a basic truth. The truth is that a preborn child, made in the very image and likeness of God, deserves upmost care and protection, and that abortion is cruel and intentional murder of a unique person.

We cannot abandon our preborn because the fight is tough. We must persist, doubling down and taking advantage of every opportunity we are given to share with the hearts and minds of others the truth about the sacredness of human life and open their eyes to the evil of abortion.

Abortion tragically rejects the truth that every life is good and deserves protection. This violent practice ends the life of a tiny human being and horribly wounds all those involved.

Pro-lifers carry on their ministry because Christ came that we “might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10), and Christ took on human life for the sake our redemption. May we work for a culture that experience God’s transforming love so that all eyes maybe open to the incredible beauty of every human life. All people of all religious backgrounds are called to take part to counteract this massive destruction of little preborn children of God, tiny persons.

We bishops, along with our priests and spiritual pastoral leaders, working with our government leaders and courts are obliged to take more common action to overcome this massive evil of abortion.

Our Biblical belief, affirmed by medical research, shows that abortion is a national issue, not to be determined by each state. Abortion violates the 14th Amendment of our Constitution, which grants to every person, the right to life, liberty and property.

Also, with our government officials supported by all our people, we urgently need to pass the Life at Conception Act that recognizes that the beautiful, God-given human life begins at conception. These two actions will bring an end to abortion.

In his first homily of the year, Pope Francis condemned abortion and emphasized that respect for life stems from the humanity of Christ. The humanity of Christ calls humanity to care for all life.

God’s choice to incarnate as “a tiny helpless child in need of his mother’s care and love obliges us” to protect life from it’s beginning to its natural end, “from conception to natural death.”

Pope Francis stressed his strong opposition to both abortion and euthanasia. In his final message of 2024, Francis stated “may we learn to care for every child born of a woman, and above all like Mary, to protect this precious gift of life in the womb, the lives of children, the lives of the suffering, the poor, the elderly, the lonely and dying.”

In their USCCB Respect Life Reflection, the U.S. Catholic Bishops remind us that since the Dobbs decision many states have strong legal protection for preborn children.

But tragically other states have expanded abortion. In the recent elections 10 states featured ballot initiatives that would enshrine abortion in state constitutions, with seven of them voting in favor of abortion and overriding pro-life safeguards in the process.

Abortion is currently legal in more states than not.

Continuing work is urgently needed to protect children, women and families from the tragedy of abortion. At this critical moment we are presented with opportunities and responsibilities to continue building a culture that welcomes and celebrates and protects human life.

The bishops point out that our prayer and action are essential to maintaining policies that protect life, where they exist, and preventing the spread of policies that lead to more abortions. May we recommit ourselves to the cause of life.

In addition to our efforts to protect human life in law, we must redouble our efforts to serve women facing unexpected or difficult pregnancies, offering them the compassionate care they need to lovingly welcome the gift of their children. Every parish should have designated prepared people who can assist them. We must do whatever we can in every sphere to ensure that life is welcomed, and mothers are supported. We should strongly support states alternative to abortion programs and provide a variety of services to assist women with unplanned pregnancies to carry their unborn babies to term and keep the baby or place the baby for adoption.

These services to help new mothers need to continue for at least three years after the birth of the child. In all our pro-life efforts to overcome the evil of abortion and to support expectant mothers, prayer and personal presence are our most important means to conquer abortion.

We pro-lifers have the God- given tools, guided by the Holy Spirit to end abortion in America and build a culture of life, but we need the help of the entire community and especially to reach more young people online before they fall for big abortion propaganda.

This is a special pro-life moment to also support many national and local pro-life organizations with our personal and financial assistance. I mention just a few here: LiveAction, Students for Life, National Pro-Life Alliance. There are others especially at a diocesan level.

God created the human person in the divine image and likeness as the pinnacle of all creation. Each of us, including the unborn, share in the image of God’s glory. Human life as a gift from God is sacred and inviolable


The Most Rev. Michael Pfeifer, OMI, is bishop emeritus of the Diocese of San Angelo.

Bishop Michael D. Pfeifer

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