Nine years ago, my daughter, Caitlyn, was born 3 months 3 days early at 2.4 pounds at 26 weeks gestation. She stayed at the Fairfax Inova NICU for 95 days. Upon her delivery, as she was born so early, you could see into her translucent little body and see God’s handiwork on full display as a fetus began her journey and fight to live for the next days and weeks into months outside the womb.
Her stomach was under-developed and perforated requiring intravenous feedings. Her heart and lungs were under formed adding to her difficulty in getting breaths and adequate oxygen levels requiring assisted breathing and consistent attending nurses to stimulate her back to take breaths when she frequently stopped breathing.
She developed a blood infection which required her to be sequestered from the other 60-70 other preemies on the ward. Having gone through this experience as her father and witnessing her fight, as well as the will to live of the other preemies throughout the ward serves to strengthen one’s belief in advocating for the life of the unborn.
Realizing that so many abortions occur at the stage my daughter and her fellow preemies were in, moves our hearts to do what we can as Catholic fathers and men to speak out and work towards the protection of all innocent and vulnerable lives.
Today there are thousands of significantly pre-born babies throughout the state and country fighting to live; they continue to demonstrate to us the importance of standing up for them in supporting Pro-Life causes both with our time, talent and finances for causes undertaking this worthy cause.
At 26 weeks (end of 2nd trimester) Caitlyn would have been legally allowed to have been aborted in the State of Virginia.
Two weeks ago, Caitlyn received her 1st Holy Communion and her mother, Cindy and I reflect back on her early start in life with thanks that she lived and how she can now partake in this wonderful sacrament of God’s gift of love and mercy to all of us.
North Carolina recently passed a 12 week ban on abortions in which the legislature overrode the Governor’s veto. South Carolina recently enacted a 6 week ban (once a heartbeat is detected) which has been blocked by a state judge; this case will proceed to the State Supreme Court.
Abortion is legal through the 2nd trimester (26 weeks, 6 days) thereafter abortion is legal only to save the life of the mother in Virginia.
The National AOH Pro-Life Committee is requesting that all Divisions consider offering a Mass- The Feast of the Holy Innocents on December 28, 2023, which is a Thursday. I submit this to the officers to decide and if so, coordinate with the Clergy at All Saints. Maybe a Sunday Mass could be considered on the 2023 calendar hosted by our Division in support of life as well.
In Brotherly Charity,
Paul Huber
