EDITORIAL

Practitioner of death, to defender of life

Posted

It was with great sadness that the nation learned of the passing of Dr. Bernard Nathanson last week. Dr. Nathanson co-founded the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws (now NARAL Pro-Choice America) in 1969.

The group continues to be the most radically pro-abortion organization in the United States. In the mid-1970's Dr. Nathanson, a practicing abortionist who claimed to have killed thousands of innocent children in his career, had a conversion of heart and soon renounced the grisly practice of abortion. He brought to the attention of the world the horror of abortion in his powerful 1985 film, "The Silent Scream."

Dr. Nathanson was a self-described Jewish Atheist but made a religious conversion and was baptized a Catholic by the late New York Archbishop John Cardinal O'Connor in 1996. He often stated that he became a Catholic because of the role that forgiveness and mercy play in the Catholic faith. He clearly sought out the mercy and forgiveness of Jesus Christ in his life most especially for his past sins of abortion. As a genuine profile in courage and moral conviction, Dr. Bernard Nathanson, faced squarely and openly the truth that abortion is murder. His courage to confront the lies of the abortion industry which continues to destroy the lives of millions of unborn children and embrace the truth that the right to life of every unborn child deserves to be enshrined in law and practice in our nation are a striking testimony to the Lord's words in the Gospel, "you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." May he rest in peace.