As the Democratic National Convention closed Thursday, Aug. 22, astonishment came across the minds of many Catholics in the United States.
Even before the gavel came down to open the nomination convention, Planned Parenthood had set up mobile vans outside the arena to offer free chemical abortions to the public.
In an attempt to exhibit equity, the mobile vans were also offering vasectomies.
Some protestors outside the hall were dressed as boxes of Mifepristone, one of two drugs that lead to the end of life for a fetus.
Once the festivities opened, Chicago Archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich gave the invocation. He did not mention the Church’s stance on abortion.
However, according to the recently released Democratic Party platform, broad access to abortions is a principle belief of the party leadership.
The platform states: “President [Joe] Biden, Vice President [Kamala] Harris, and Democrats are committed to restoring the reproductive rights [former President Donald] Trump ripped away. We will pass national legislation to make Roe the law of the land again.”
The party leadership even gave a primetime spot to Planned Parenthood’s CEO, Alexis McGill Johnson, the following night.
Kristen Day, executive director of Democrats for Life, a pro-life organization, said of the convention, the harsh Democratic statements on abortion have pushed many of the party faithful away.
In contrast to the convention, Day and her organization raised funds to help Chicago pregnancy centers buy diapers and other supplies for newborns.
According to a 2022 Pew Research report, 20% of Democrats feel abortion should be illegal in most instances.
Meanwhile, Archbishop Jerome Listecki of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee gave the invocation at the Republican National Convention, which took place in his city last month.
Archbishop Listecki harkened back to American history during his prayer, stating, “Our founding fathers held these truths self-evident, that all are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
He continued, “For 248 years, we have sustained this vision,” Archbishop Listecki explicitly endorsed the pro-life position by highlighting the need to “guard the dignity of every life from conception to natural death.”