David Poecking

    Prolifers can learn from the marvelously practical language of Alcoholics Anonymous. In AA, the phrase “stinking thinking” refers to destructive habits of thought that tend to return the alcoholic to the bottle. Those of us concerned with abortion do well to be alert to... Read More →

    The pro-life movement is ultimately about extending the protection of the law to unborn babies; those of all faiths, or none, contribute meaningfully to that humanitarian cause. But for Christians, our pro-life witness must be subsumed into Our Lord’s healing work... Read More →

    “I’m done with the pro-life movement.” I heard that trope all too often this past fall, as erstwhile prolifers washed their proverbial hands of responsibility for the failures and foolishness of so-called pro-life politicians in this year’s midterm elections. The... Read More →

  Prolifers and pro-choicers occasionally attempt to fortify their arguments by invoking older moral disputes. Prolifers echo Vietnam-era anti-war protests when they call pro-choicers “baby killers.” Calling pro-choicers “eugenicists” insinuates a similarity to Nazis and... Read More →

  For several years, I was represented in Congress by a man whom I admired. He worked hard, listened to a diverse group of constituents, and, at least in my own neighborhood, did much good. He consistently advocated for the pro-life movement. But then came a scandal: He had... Read More →

Abortion is the sacrament of those suffering the futility of self-deceit—a condition that tinges much of the world. Mothers and fathers vainly pretend they are not parents to the unborn child. Clinicians pretend they are delivering health by dealing death. The community pretends... Read More →

  With hope and fear, the United States awaits an imminent ruling from the Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Last month’s unprecedented leak of a draft ruling seemed to indicate that Roe v. Wade would be overturned, thereby removing a major... Read More →

  “What are we, chopped liver?” Thus, I imagine the indignation of his fellow apostles when Thomas refuses to believe their claim that “We have seen the Lord.” Why does Thomas not believe them? And how should they respond to his unbelief? This is the second time I am writing... Read More →

  It’s hard for the pro-life movement to meet the high standard the world sets for it. Pro-choicers and even agnostic bystanders, irritated by the social and political conflict, are tempted to use any reason they can find to dismiss us as crackpots and cranks. We are... Read More →

“Put out into the deep: duc in altum!” Barely a generation ago, Saint John Paul II repeatedly invoked this Gospel imperative to prepare the worldwide Church for the third millennium. Now, suddenly, these words take on new meaning for prolifers, who are facing a new era in our... Read More →