Abortion, Guns and the 'Throwaway Culture'

Like so many others, I am heartbroken by the senseless gun violence that has taken the lives of innocent victims in recent weeks. The loss is immeasurable. Americans of all political stripes are grieving and crying out to God to ask when our beloved nation will restore its respect for human life.

Unfortunately, our political system appears to be broken, as Republicans and Democrats operate in silos and see more political benefit in intransigence than consensus. The result is that both parties reject policies that would fortify what St. John Paul II referred to as a culture of life and instead embrace what Pope Francis has called a throwaway culture that extends even to human beings.