O’Malley links pro-life struggle to the civil-rights movement

In a phrase long associated with the civil-rights movement, Cardinal Sean O’Malley told the Pro-Life Vigil Mass in Washington DC that “we shall overcome” in the fight against abortion.

The National Shrine church was packed with thousands of mostly young people on Wednesday evening last week, who marched at the National Mall with the cardinal and other pro-life leaders the next day. “In our country, people have come together in the fight to overcome racism” and other social ills, the cardinal said. “Now, the fight is for the right to life, and we shall overcome.”

Cardinal O’Malley, chairman of the bishops’ conference committee on pro-life activities, preached on the gospel story of the rich young man who comes to Jesus. “This story of the rich young man appears in all the synoptic gospels. And Jesus’ answer always begins with: ‘Thou shall not kill,’” Cardinal O’Malley said. “We are all here today because we are convinced that human happiness and inheriting eternal life require us to embrace this commandment: ‘Thou shall not kill’ or ... ‘Thou shall protect human life.’” The story also showed the importance of resisting promiscuity and helping the poor, the cardinal said.