Richard Doerflinger

A More Human Society

Richard Doerflinger retired from the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops after 36 years. He is now retired and living in Washington state where he writes this syndicated column.

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A more human society

Why Not Love Them Both?

“Why not love them both?” has been a message of the pro-life movement for many years, expressing a commitment to both the unborn child and his or her mother who […]

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A more human society

Wishing for Real Debate on Abortion

So many falsehoods and confusions fill the media lately on abortion that I find myself pining for an actual argument.  For an example, I do not want to pick on […]

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A more human society

A Depopulated Future

I remember when people thought overpopulation would destroy us and the planet. Paul Ehrlich’s 1968 book “The Population Bomb” popularized this idea, leading to urgent calls for “zero population growth.” Dr. […]

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A more human society

A Right to Contraception?

July 25 marked the 54th anniversary of St. Paul VI’s encyclical “Humanae Vitae,” reaffirming the Church’s teaching on contraception and openness to the gift of new life. Four days earlier, […]

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A more human society

Roe and the legacy of abortion

On Friday, June 24, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) and, by implication, a long line of abortion decisions relying on them. […]

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A more human society

A perfect storm on abortion

A leaked draft opinion in the Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization has prompted reactions that are extreme, ill-informed and sometimes abusive.  We are seeing a “perfect […]

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A more human society

A bias against children’s lives

Thirty years ago, my wife was 16 weeks pregnant with our third child. At a routine prenatal checkup, our doctor suddenly looked very concerned and said she couldn’t hear our […]

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A more human society

Gender politics and the Supreme Court

Judging by news coverage and social media, Senate hearings on the confirmation of appellate Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer have provided more political theater […]

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A more human society

A zeal for expanding premature death

When supporters of physician-assisted suicide announced in 1993 that they would sponsor a ballot initiative to legalize it in Oregon, they had bigger plans in mind. Coalition leader Dr. Peter […]

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A more human society

Should Catholic health care survive?

In January, five Catholic medical and professional associations came together to establish the Catholic Health Care Leadership Alliance. Its board members represent the Catholic Medical Association, National Catholic Bioethics Center, […]

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A more human society

On Christ and Christmas

It is an annual tradition: If it’s Christmas, there must be a Grinch trying to steal it. Vying for the Grinch award this year is Michael Weinstein, Air Force veteran […]

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A more human society

A partisan court?

“The Supreme Court’s partisanship is becoming increasingly difficult to deny,” said attorney James Zirin in the congressional newspaper The Hill. Other media have published similar broadsides. And according to a […]