I am pro-life.

I reverence the beautiful gift of life.

The pre-eminent life issue is for me to reverence the unborn child.

However, the Catholic Church teaches that being pro-life means more than reverencing the unborn child.

While life begins at conception, it does not end there.

As Pope Francis has said, “Our defense of the innocent unborn needs to be clear, firm and passionate.

Equally sacred, however, are the lives of the poor, those already born, the destitute, the abandoned.” In other words, there are many other places where human life is seriously threatened and important when we consider voting and civic engagement: refugees and migrants, the death penalty, the environment, health care, racism and LGBT issues.

It may be time to deepen our understanding of what it means to be pro-life.

Pro-life means believing every life is sacred.

Father Paul Magnano

La Conner