Because abortion is “such a deep wound in our society,” Americans can’t heal that wound until they work for greater respect for life in all its stages, said Bishop William K. Weigand, who presided at the annual pro-life Mass Jan. 24 at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento.

“Being instruments of life, we want to not only work for greater respect at the beginning and end of life, but we also want to foster an appreciation for God’s gift in the middle stages of life,” he said. “We have to be concerned about poverty, reach out to help the hungry, the homeless, and the mentally ill. We also need to do a better job teaching and living lives of purity and chastity and promoting lives of virtue and a pursuit of holiness.”

The Mass was held two days after the 33rd anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion “to pray for peace for those inside and outside the womb,” the bishop said.

“We pray for justice for the youngest and the oldest, for the infirm and the incarcerated serving death sentences,” he said. “Our prayer is marked by the hope that someday soon the legal guarantee of the right to life will be fully restored to all human beings.”

Through groups and initiatives such as Feminists for Life and the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, more post-abortive women and men are recognizing that their misery and negative feelings associated with abortion deserve attention and need to be addressed, the bishop said.

He said many of these people are finding healing through programs such as Project Rachel and Rachel’s Vineyard retreats. Project Rachel is a post-abortion reconciliation ministry that is offered in the Diocese of Sacramento and more than 160 dioceses across the United States and in several countries.

“While we can be encouraged by those who are seeking and finding healing courageously, we know there is always more to do,” the bishop said.

He urged more support for women facing crisis pregnancies. “We realize that changing laws is not enough,” he said. “We have to change hearts…We want to recommit ourselves to better assist mothers who are pressured into feeling that abortion is their only option.”

At the conclusion of the Mass, recognition was given to Katelyn Sills, 15, of Pleasant Grove, who was awarded first place in a recent respect life essay contest sponsored by the Catholics for Life organization. Her essay focused on how abortion hurts women’s equality and degrades individual women.

Dozens of Catholics from throughout the diocese also participated Jan. 21 in the second annual Walk for Life West Coast in San Francisco. Participation was nearly double of last year’s inaugural event to bring the peaceful message that “women deserve better than abortion.”

About 15,000 people from across California joined for talks and prayer at Justin Herman Plaza before walking two-and-a-half miles through the city under the banner “Abortion Hurts Women.”

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