Pro-life movement is expanding its emphasis, say panelists

Published: 2004-01-27

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The pro-life movement, which has long emphasized the defense of the unborn, is now also stressing the harm that abortions can cause women, according to participants in a Jan. 23 panel discussion. Society as a whole is beginning to understand the concept that abortion kills babies but it "still embraces abortion, saying it's good for women," said Cathy Cleaver Ruse, director of planning and information for the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. She took part in the discussion, "Abortion and the American Woman," at the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America. Ruse noted that women who have begun speaking out about the physical and emotional pain they endured after having their abortions are "our new prophets who will bring us to the end of this. These women are the rest of the story." And these women are talking. They are telling their stories, while holding signs with the words "I regret my abortion," at rallies across the country. The rallies are part of the Silent No More Campaign launched last year and co-sponsored by the Catholic organization Priests for Life and the National Organization of Episcopalians for Life, known as NOEL.

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