To grasp the depth of our patient highlight this month is to grasp the meaning of Bishop Barron’s graduation speech at Hillsdale College earlier this year.
“If a sophist, a gifted and convincing speaker, teaches a politician to do what is unjust, he does that man and his city far more harm than good. To this, Polus (Socrates’s student) answers by means of a taunt: wouldn’t Socrates leap at the opportunity of having the power of life and death over other? No, Socrates says in response, for to put someone to death unjustly is in fact no power at all. And it is at this point that Socrates enunciates one of his most enduring teachings, a teaching that represents a watershed in the moral consciousness of the West: it is better, he says, to suffer wrongdoing than to do wrong oneself.”
Caroline visited the clinic to confirm a viable pregnancy. During the course of our spiritual discussion, she poured forth one of the most remarkable witnesses of suffering wrongdoing that I have ever heard. This is her story:
Born to a mother who didn’t want her, the parents of her biological father adopted her at the hospital and brought her home only to return her to the hospital for emergency open heart surgery. She still suffers from a weakened heart and is unable to deliver a child vaginally.
At the age of 16, Caroline attended a church camp and befriended a young man from Nebraska, who also attended. For the next 5 or 6 years they wrote letters back and forth, strengthening their friendship. Although a Christian, Caroline took the wide road for a short time and became involved with a different man who eventually beat her senseless, knocking out several of her teeth. He then raped her while she lie unconscious. Fearing for her safety and sanity, her family admitted her to Methodist Hospital. A few weeks later she learned she was pregnant.
Rape. The reason even some very pro-life people would give for allowing an abortion definitely influenced this still young woman, but the gift of the noble man from Nebraska bore good fruit. He moved to Peoria to help her with the child, later married her, and endured countless court hearings to adopt the baby that the world would have rejected… not just rejected but killed.
During this time, she clung to her faith. Her church supported and assisted her mightily. Her parents loved her unconditionally. In response, she is becoming the woman God created her to be. Love works miracles.
Together Caroline and her husband have given birth to another little boy, and today she is pregnant with their third child. Yes, she will have to have another C-section, but she is rejoicing at the prospect of bringing another child into this world, naturally hoping for a girl this time!
Caroline suffered the evil of this world and chose goodness with the help of a good man and a strong faith.