Just last week my friend and his wife welcomed a new baby boy. He sent me a picture of him sucking his thumb and resting his head on mom in the hospital bed. His wide, dark eyes look like they are
staring off into the distance as if to say, “What just happened to me and where am I?!”

The birth of a child gives us an opportunity to reflect upon the goodness of life. Each of us can
say to God, as Scripture tells us, “You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I
praise you, because I am wonderfully made!” (Psalm 139:13-14). Although it is not always accepted or understood, the Church steadfastly and joyfully proclaims “Yes” to life from the moment of conception. We believe that even in the most difficult circumstances, life is always a gift, an unconditional gift, since we are created out of love by a God who has willed us into existence. And in those difficult circumstances, the Church is there, to support struggling moms as they carry the beautiful gift of new life in their womb into the world.

This coming November, a ballot issue in the state of Ohio will propose to amend the state’s constitution to include a right to abortion. This represents a serious threat to the dignity of human life, one that as people of faith we must stand against. We will be judged according to how we treated the poorest and the most vulnerable among us. Today, there are none so vulnerable as the child in the womb. It’s our task to preserve the dignity of all human life, and to help those women who cannot yet see a path forward.

Another ballot issue related to this is coming very soon on August 8. Issue 1 would increase the
majority needed to amend the state constitution from 50% to 60%. This will affect the November
abortion amendment issue, since a higher threshold would make it less likely that such an amendment would pass. Although issue 1 has no direct moral content like the ballot issue in November, nevertheless our bishops encourage us to be faithful citizens, to discern through prayer and study of the issues, and to vote.

There are few things so precious in life as the face of a newborn child. Let us give our “Yes” to life!