Pro-Life
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Every human person is created as an “Imago Dei,” an Image of God, with God-given dignity and a transcendent destiny. This vision is spiritual, not political. Catholics belong first to the “city of God.” But we have a duty to correct injustices and build up the earthly city.
Globalized society tolerates many injustices— birth control policies targeting the poor; porn and drug addictions; the death penalty and overcrowded prisons; the erosion of religious liberty; a broken immigration system. The Church speaks to all these issues.
But abortion and euthanasia are direct attacks on innocent human life. We cannot claim to speak for all the vulnerable if we allow millions to be killed each year. Our vision must be whole and never partial. For God, every life is sacred, beautiful, and filled with possibility.
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Beginning of life
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physician assisted suicide
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As disciples of Our Lord, we know that life is a gift from God. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. Assisted suicide contradicts our natural inclination to preserve and perpetuate our life, and it also contradicts the way Jesus Christ accepted death.
As we encounter loved ones in our families and communities who are considering Physician-Assisted Suicide, let us address this critical end-of-life issue in the context of our Catholic faith.
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death penalty
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The Catholic Church teaches that every life is sacred and every person has dignity, the innocent and the guilty alike, and that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy and the power of His love to transform.
In working toward a society that moves beyond recourse to the death penalty, we never forget the victims of crime and their loved ones, nor the necessity of justice. We stand with them in prayer and support, asking our Merciful Father to grant them healing and peace. At the same time, we urge society to pursue forms of punishment that safeguard the common good, uphold human dignity, satisfy justice, and open the path to genuine conversion for those who have committed grave crimes.
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in the news
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On March 10, 2025, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed a proclamation in support of Abortion Provider Appreciation Day reaffirming her administration’s commitment to maintaining unrestricted abortion access throughout all stages of pregnancy in the state. In response, Archbishop Alexander K. Sample issued this Pastoral Teaching on the Sanctity of Life.
According to 2023 Oregon Health Authority (OHA) records, there has been a dramatic increase in abortion rates across multiple categories:- Highest Number of Abortions Since 2009: Oregon recorded 10,075 abortions in 2023, a 16.2% increase from 2022.
- 165% Increase in Late-Term Abortions: Abortions performed at or after 23 weeks gestation rose from 85 in 2022 to 225 in 2023.
- 60% Increase in Out-of-State Women Seeking Abortions: 1,661 women traveled to Oregon for an abortion in 2023
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