By Deacon Gary and Valerie Streff
Special to the Herald
Where will we go in this the first year of the post-Roe era?
On June 24, 2022, with a historic ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade ending the constitutional right to abortion in our nation. The decision returned abortion laws back to the states. Thirteen states moved quickly to ban abortion. They were Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, North Dakota, South Dakota, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Texas, Alabama and Tennessee.
Women in these states seeking abortions have to travel out of state for the procedure. Many states, including Hawaii, enacted laws protecting the decision of women traveling to other states for abortions.
Another effect of the overturning of Roe v. Wade was the increase in women buying the abortion drugs Mifespristone and Misoprostol by mail-order.
Mifespristone blocks the hormone progesterone, causing the lining of the uterus to thin, preventing the embryo from staying implanted. Misoprostol is used to empty the uterus similar to an early miscarriage. In January 2023, Walgreens and CVS pharmacies were seeking certification to dispense Mifepristone where abortion remains legal.
The Food and Drug Administration has declared these pills safe and effective.
Our work is far from over. Our work has just begun. As a church, we are called to be a people who speak up consistently for the dignity of the human person from the moment of conception until natural death.
As Christians we are called to respect and honor all life — babies, the elderly, persons with disabilities and special needs, and the incarcerated — for we believe we were all created by God.
Psalm 139:13 says, “You created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”
We need everyone’s help, not only from organizations working under the title Respect Life. Communities need to get involved in carrying out the mission of building the “culture of life.” Alongside our bishop, priests and deacons, we are called to be untiring advocates of St. John Paul II’s encyclical “Evangelium Vitae,” the “Gospel of Life.”
It is our mission and duty to uphold the teachings of the church, using appropriate means to defend the truth against actions contrary to our Christian beliefs.
Here are several ways you can participate in building the Kingdom of God.
First, get involved in the political arena. It is our civic duty to promote candidates and laws that uphold the dignity of the human person. Join us on March 4, 9-11 a.m., at St. Stephen Diocesan Center for the Community Action Network training seminar.
Speakers Eva Andrade, director of the Hawaii Catholic Conference, and attorney Jim Hochberg will share their expertise on how to be citizens faithful to our faith.
The CAN training will show you how to engage in public policy within a Christian framework, how to build relationships with legislators, write effective testimonies and attend hearings when a bill is being introduced.
All are welcome. It will be a seminar you don’t want to miss. Contact the Respect Life Office at 808-203-6722 for more information.
Second, listen to Mayra Rodrigues, a former Planned Parenthood director from Glendale, Arizona, who will share her story of how she quit the abortion industry after 17 years. Learn their marketing strategies targeting keiki and how to educate them. She will speak at 6 p.m. in the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa parish hall Feb. 28, followed by Mass celebrated by Bishop Larry Silva at 7 p.m. Everyone is invited.
Third, pray the rosary in front of Planned Parenthood with the 40 Days for Life movement. There are many beautiful stories of women and men who changed their minds after talking with the sidewalk counselors. You can make a difference in someone else’s life just by your presence. Contact site leader, Anne Shigeta Koch at 808-268-7143, Ximena Nestler 406-417-9307 or Agnes Tauyan 808-348-4481. Sign up to volunteer for just one hour a week.
Last, get involved with a wonderful program called “Walking with Moms,” which started in Hawaii in September. Initiated by the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops, it encourages parishioners to support pregnant and parenting moms. It is a joyful celebration when we unite in helping mothers, especially those who believe abortion is the only option. We can offer many options as a community of faith.
Contact your parish respect life coordinators at your parish or the Respect Life Office on how you can be part of this great movement.
Deacon Gary and Valerie Streff as the co-directors of the diocesan Respect Life Office.
