(LifeSiteNews) — As I examine the dearth of vocal pro-life leadership within the Church today, I am reminded of Jesus’ declaration that He is the “light of the world” (Jn 8:12).

Priests, bishops, and cardinals are representatives of Christ here on earth. In cooperation with God, they must serve as that light. And all those who claim to be Catholic, regardless of their profession, have the responsibility to teach, live, and institute the tenets of the faith in the world around them.

But time and time again, we see darkness prevail. 

In fact, many in the world have become so adept at obscuring the darkness that they have made it look inviting. The media and pro-abortion politicians, for instance, use euphemisms to make evil acts sound innocuous. Abortion is called “reproductive rights,” euthanasia is termed “mercy killing,” and the mutilation of children has become “gender-affirming care.” 

If people cannot even identify or understand the darkness, how will they combat it?

In 2002, St. John Paul II explained that “darkness can only be scattered by light.” 

Where are those leaders so awash in the light that they can scatter the darkness? Sadly, they are few and far between. 

When was the last time you heard a sermon about the beauty of the preborn baby, the value of the elderly or those with disabilities, God’s creation of human beings in His likeness and image, the beauty and complementarity of males and females, or anything that isn’t reminiscent of sunshine and butterflies? 

Darkness prevails in our world because too many find it difficult to speak the truth. 

Case in point are some of the leading Catholic universities in our country whose leadership fails to stand up for Catholic values. For instance, DePaul University has a club called Planned Parenthood Generation Action. Its description page says that the group

aims to acknowledge and actively work against the injustices embedded within health care practices, policies, and laws. We will advocate for reproductive freedom [i.e., the destruction of the unborn] and comprehensive, values-neutral sexual education, and strive to support DePaul students with information about these subjects and other matters pertaining to accessing healthcare resources. We work to provide the campus and community with accessible, inclusive, fact-based, and values-neutral information regarding sexual health. PPGADPU strives to advocate for Planned Parenthood health centers at the local, state, and national levels.

It is incredibly disturbing that a Catholic university has a group that works with the nation’s number one abortion business. 

Yet many know this and simply look the other way.

DePaul is certainly not the only Catholic university to turn its back on Catholic values. Sadly, the list grows by the day. But let’s turn to another area where Catholic leaders are silent. Politics.

READ: Americans will vote on pro-abortion ballot measures in 10 states this fall

As of August 2024, proposals in 10 states are seeking to codify so-called abortion “rights” by adding them into their state constitutions. Why is not every priest and bishop within these states speaking about these November ballot measures? Why are they not teaching their parishioners that human life is sacred from the first moment of creation and therefore deserves protection?

This failure to speak up and to teach plunges us further into the darkness that seems to prevail in our culture. 

But it’s not just adults who lack proper faith formation. Countless children are immersed in TikTok or Instagram trends for hours every day. Parents hand over the care of their children to social media. And TV pundits spend more time talking about whom Taylor Swift endorses for president than they do on what truly matters.

We are raising children who don’t hear pro-life truths at school, in church, or anywhere else but home, if they even hear them there. Is it any wonder that they care more about the nonsense that comes out of Taylor Swift’s mouth than their eternal soul? Is it any wonder that children are leaving the faith in droves? They’ve lost their anchor, and this has happened, in part, because Church leaders, teachers, and even many parents aren’t taking their Catholic leadership roles seriously. 

If we are to create a culture where human beings are respected and cherished from creation until death and where people seek the light of Christ rather than the darkness of sin, we all need to teach these truths unapologetically.

We do this by refusing to remain silent. We firmly and kindly write to our priests, bishops, cardinals, and any other Catholic leadership, and we explain how incredibly crucial it is that they speak the truths of the faith. We educate ourselves so that we can educate our children and our friends. Though it may feel uncomfortable, we speak those truths when someone opposes us. And we must absolutely make our voices heard with our votes. 

Darkness has been closing in around us, but it only takes one light for the darkness to begin to dissipate. Imagine what millions of lights could do. Let us pray that each of us has the strength to be that light as we allow Christ to shine through us.

Susan Ciancio is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and has worked as a writer and editor for over 20 years; 15 of those years have been in the pro-life sector. Currently, she is the editor of American Life League’s Celebrate Life Magazine—the nation’s premier Catholic pro-life magazine. She is also the director and executive editor of ALL’s Culture of Life Studies Program—a pre-K-12 Catholic pro-life education organization.