Archbishop Lucas asks for pro-life votes, prayers and outreach

Archbishop George J. Lucas urged Nebraskans to protect their “brothers and sisters in the womb” by voting against a proposed constitutional amendment, Initiative 439, which will be on the ballot this November.

He addressed the pro-abortion ballot initiative during his homily at the Archbishop’s Vigil for Life, held Sept. 28 at St. Mary Church in Bellevue. Events included Mass, Exposition and Benediction of the Holy Eucharist and a rosary procession to a nearby abortion clinic.

“Already manifestations of God’s creative love, these brothers and sisters of ours … need to be cherished and loved and protected,” Archbishop Lucas said during his homily, “not simply because of possibilities for their lives, not simply in terms of a concept of who they might be, but because we believe they exist now, and they can’t take care of themselves.”

He also encouraged those in attendance to vote for an alternative proposal on the ballot, Initiative 434, which preserves protections already in place for mothers and babies and would allow the Legislature to enact further pro-life laws in the future.

In addition to voting, the archbishop encouraged people to pray and educate themselves and others about the contrasting abortion measures which would both amend the State Constitution. The Nebraska Catholic Conference has compiled educational resources to help people better understand why they should vote for Initiative 434 and against Initiative 439.

Participants pray during a rosary procession at the Archbishop’s Vigil for Life. SUSAN SZALEWSKI/STAFF

“This is a matter of faith for us,” the archbishop said of the pro-life efforts, “but it’s also a matter of the influence that Jesus asks us to have in the society and community in which we live, an influence for what’s good and true.”

Archbishop Lucas has joined Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln and Bishop Joseph G. Hanefeldt of Grand Island in standing against the pro-abortion ballot initiative and supporting Initiative 434.

Although this pro-life alternative does not offer “the complete protection that we all desire and hope to one day achieve,” Initiative 434, “keeps us from being in a worse situation than we are in now,” Archbishop Lucas said.

If the deceptive, pro-abortion measure succeeds, the lack of protections will result “in the deaths of many more unborn children in our state,” he said. “It would not be the state you would want to be in. It’s not the kind of community that we would want to live in.” Instead, Nebraskans should create a place “we want to invite our children to grow in and be part of.”

A worshiper prays during Benediction at the Archbishop’s Vigil for Life. SUSAN SZALEWSKI/STAFF

Archbishop Lucas also asked people to pray that “as we go through this process in the coming weeks that we not be discouraged. We’re going to be here the day after the election. Whatever the result, the Lord will be with us in the Church. We’ll have the intercession and the protection of our Mother Mary. And we have a lot of good work to do, because one way or the other, the day after the election, there will be women who are troubled about their pregnancies and who are afraid or isolated, worried in all kinds of ways.”

And those women will still need care and support.

But before offering help, Archbishop Lucas encouraged people to ask God how they can be supportive, and the Holy Spirit will find a way forward for both mothers and their children. “We need to pray always, of course. But this is a really crucial time. I encourage us all to pray about how we might influence others” to help defeat Initiative 439, but also that people will be ready to protect the lives of the most vulnerable and support women in the days and years to come.

People of all ages participated in the Archbishop’s Vigil for life, including this mother and child. SUSAN SZALEWSKI/STAFF

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