Archbishop’s speech omits one key group: unborn babies

    Dear Archbishop,
    I sat in the RSEC, simply as a member of that generation in which you have hope. This time of youth is as empowering as you described. My heart cheered for you at your praise. Thank you.
    You described the work of my generation - giving, saving lives, supporting those most in need. It is all true. What about those that my generation is helping?
    They are people whose humanity has been utterly neglected. Their real names, “brother and sister,” have been replaced with any title that lessens their human identity. They suffer, and so do we when we do nothing to lift them up.
    You called out the evil that lies to the world and declares people to be less than human. You called the evil by name - ageism, sexism, racism, homophobia, elitism.
    All people underestimated, hated and reduced to base creatures by these poisonous movements are to be once again recognized as humans, deserving of dignity. All was well within me, and yet ...
    Your words, though both wise and endearing, are but words now to me. Once again, there is someone who has been left out. Crestfallen - that is my state. The denial of humanity continues. Do you not know? In all your venerable work and humanitarianism, you too have forgotten another of our brothers and sisters.
    Hungry children, thirsty children, suffering children - none of them deserve their fate. In fact, they all deserve the help and protection of those with strength and means. Pre-born children - where do they fall? Is their fate any less of a responsibility of those with strength and means?
    Now, you did not deny the humanity of pre-born children, but you did not affirm it. Instead, you chose to blanket all those opposed to their destruction as people “willing to kill” for this cause. The fanaticism of a few wayward activists does not equate to the undeniable intentions of the Nazi Holocaust or the Ku Klux Klan. Yet, why did you place them in the same context?
    This young person’s heart sank deeply at your words. This young person, whom you praised for idealism, has only to live up to that. This young person is willing to work, engage, speak, defend and persist until all humanity is confessed. There are others much better than I who do the same. You did much the same yourself, no?
    Why do you not open wide the doors to all? Why must we continue to work all the longer to regain the worth of all?
    There are idealist young people who dream and strive for a day to come. On that day, someone will be asked to speak to the people, much like you, Archbishop. They will speak about these times we live for now. They will talk about the betrayal of human beings by their own kind, and the audience will be stunned within themselves, wondering how it could have been so.
    Yet, they will smile to hear the words of conviction that give full dignity to ALL PEOPLE. Hearts will rise as those recognized will include the poor, the hungry, women, men, the elderly, the suffering, those different, the dying, the stranger and those who live within the womb of their mother.
    No one will be omitted, excluded, denied, discounted or deemed unworthy. They will speak great truths, and the crowd will cheer without reserve.