ROME — President Trump deserves to have his pro-life record acknowledged when he meets with Pope Francis on Wednesday, because when it comes to protecting life, “he has been true to what he said he would do, and very quickly.”
According to Father Shenan J. Boquet, President of Human Life International, there are “great things” happening under the Trump administration. He also discusses the concrete effects reinstating the Mexico City policy has had; the need for the United States to regain its “moral compass”; and the “tremendous” impact the US could have by defunding the United Nations Population Fund.
Aleteia spoke to Fr. Boquet at the 7th annual March for Life in Rome.
Fr. Boquet, what brings you to Rome?
Each year I travel to Rome as we have an office here. This year, I came to participate in the Rome Life Forum and a conference Human Life International hosted at the Angelicum on family and life, and to participate in the 7th annual Rome March for Life.
Tell us more about Human Life International
HLI has been in existence for 40 years. We have worked in 157 countries and will be working in the 158th soon. The main thing we do is education on bioethics, looking at abortion, contraception, protecting marriage and family life, reproductive technologies and euthanasia.
Those are our target subjects. The groups we deal with are mainly seminarians, priests, lay faithful, and lay leaders. But it also broadens into the civil society, so we work within governments and with government leaders on family and life to try to educate and form hearts and minds on these issues. We’re not a political body; we’re not a lobbyist group at all. It’s purely information, education, and providing supplemental assistance to those in leadership on these issues.
What are the greatest challenges in life and family issues that you see today?
One of the challenges, as Pope Francis mentioned earlier this week, is the exploitation of embryos. So many people are trying to exploit human embryos, whether from aborted babies by using them as experimental opportunities or in other ways. This is a global issue that has been happening primarily in the West. But it is growing, and we see it expanding even into underdeveloped nations where the Western world is intruding.
However, I think the overarching issue really is the dignity of every life, and I think that’s the biggest conversation. At the HLI conference we held here in Rome, at the Angelicum, this was mainly what we were talking about — starting with the dignity of the human person. Where does this dignity originate? Where does this inalienable right come from? Were we to start there, it would effect the way we look at law. It would effect everything that we are as a people were we to look at life from that perspective: that every human life, no matter how that life has come into being, or the struggles that human life will live — sometimes with disabilities, sometimes in poverty situations.
Does anyone stand out as a particularly effective leader in this?
Cardinal Sarah is very powerful, because very few people I notice in these conversations want to talk about the systemic reasons why we have poverty, and Cardinal Sarah has had the courage to say that we need to look at corrupt governments, corrupt political systems, the exploitation of human life. These are some of the systemic problems. In so many parts of the world there is no clean water, no electricity or sanitation, no education, healthcare. These are the things that are structurally needed to support life, family and society and we’re not talking about those issues. Instead we have governments that exploit. My own government that uses its money, until recently, under the current administration — praise God for this — which is changing the conversation. But we are using money to push these agendas globally. So my country very sadly has caused great harm in its policies and positions, and I see the effects of this on a global scale. This is what Cardinal Sarah has been challenging.
I was just in the Philippines last week, and I really love the people. Family and faith is so central in their lives, but they are struggling, because they are watching the Western influence. The Philippinos have a way of saying it: “When the United States sneezes, the Philippinos catch a cold.” Of course we see this in Africa as well, on both the eastern and western sides. I often say in my lectures and presentations: “Stop looking to us. We do not have the moral compass, because we have come to the point of beginning conversations with a disregard for human life and the support of the family.” Even in some of the most remote parts of the world, you will see the LBGT agenda.
Who is running it?
The UN. The United Nations is the main pusher, along with Western NGOs. They are pushing these agendas because they are pushing population control and contraception. Two men cannot have a child, and two women biologically cannot have a child. That’s where the surrogacy issue comes in, with babies being treated like a commodity, a material possession.
Regarding the UN, if you could advise the new administration, what would you say?
Actually, we’ve had the opportunity to meet with the new administration. Vice President Pence has been a friend of the pro-life movement for many, many years. And President Trump has, through his cabinet and delegates, been meeting with many pro-life leaders and bringing us into the conversation. So the whole idea of defunding Planned Parenthood; the whole reality of the Mexico City policy … Just a couple of days ago, President Trump raised the bar even higher on it. He has now taken the funding out of International Planned Parenthood. He is continuing to push this.
We also see this with US aid, and I know the administration is challenging this as well. Though they take away direct funding to Planned Parenthood and International Planned Parenthood, many in the administration are now learning how it’s tentacled into US aid programs. So what we have to do is take it away from those, which is what the President is now talking about. So there are some great things happening in this moment of time.
I travel a lot, and I hear a lot of negativity regarding the President from a lot of news agencies. But what they are reporting is not accurate, and it’s unfortunate. It’s doesn’t mean that, as in all of us, every detail is perfect, but regarding this conversation, we’ve seen some great things happen, which means we can move the conversation and effect things we are concerned about, like marriage and family support. So I think there’s an opportunity here that I wish people would pray for. Don’t just accept things that are out there in the media. Really look deeply and make sure you are getting an accurate presentation. If President Trump can do this with his administration, other governments can do that as well.
How much influence would the US be able to exert on these matters in the UN?
They could have great influence, if they defund it. The UN is going to find its funds in other ways, but defunding the United Nations Population Fund, which is promoting population control, would be tremendous.
Just to be clear: in Puerto Rico, on the day after President Trump signed the first executive order reinstituting the Mexico City Policy, there were two abortion facilities on the same street. One closed the the next day because there was no funding. So this is a reality. It’s more than just paper; it really affects lives. And just think, in this limited span of time, how many lives have been saved; how many women have been protected from this great crime (though they might not see it), and how many families have been saved.
This is something I think we ought to be talking about, and ought to be grateful for. Because under the Obama administration, this was zero. In fact, in the last year of his presidency, he introduced more millions into this conversation.
Any hopes for President Trump’s visit with Pope Francis this week?
I’m not sure what the agenda is for the meeting, but I’m hoping the President might talk about what his administration is doing to protect life and the family. I’m hoping that somehow that will come up, and that there will be an affirmation [by the Pope], saying “thank you for what you are doing.”
We know that there have been some negative comments, and of course the media takes that and runs with it, but I’m hoping that this meeting will be a way for the Pope to say to President Trump: keep doing what you’re doing to protect families and life.
Pope Francis said on his return flight from Fatima that he always listens before judging, and expects they will have a frank discussion away from the cameras.
I’m hoping that, behind closed doors, there is a deeper conversation with the spiritual father of the Church speaking on issues that are crucial. It doesn’t need to be in front of the camera; just a personal convicted challenge from the universal pastor of the Church, saying: “I’m concerned.” Either in a complimentary way or, in a beautiful way, to challenge.
President Trump deserves an opportunity, because he has been true to what he said he would do, and very quickly. And I really believe that, because of Vice President Pence, and because of many pro-life leaders with whom he has surrounded himself that are good people, he’s listening. And I think other people in other positions of authority can challenge, but should also thank him for what he’s doing. He’s the only one doing it. The Pope’s audience with President Trump would be a great opportunity for this to happen.
And today we celebrate...