North Delco News

Being pro-life is an important stance for Catholics to take, says a member of Saints Simon and Jude Parish in West Chester.

Dave Owsik, who attends Mass every day, said abortion is wrong and the Catholic faith is clear on that. Owsik said the previous pastor at the church felt the church should be a safe place and he did not want to bring division into it, of which Owsik says he sometimes sees the wisdom.

"I believe that in a matter that we're talking about here — life — that the Catholic faith is very clear on what we believe, so, I don't see why . . . and the pastor says he's pro-life," Owsik said in an interview with North Delco News. "I was there this morning. He said he's pro-life. People accuse him of being too pro-life, but he's not. He doesn't really go out and make a big talk about how you should vote."

Owsik said the Catholic Church teaches that life begins at the moment of conception. He said science verifies.

"I was talking to a guy who was sitting on the back of his car on Friday and . . . I asked him why they were there and he said that he and his girlfriend decided that they couldn't afford to have a child now. It was just the wrong time, you know, they weren't equipped to do this."

Owsik said he asked the man what he would do if his son was 2 years old and he lost his job, his wife was sick and things were really difficult, and he wasn't able to afford to have the child anymore.

"Would you kill him?" Owsik said he asked. "And I said, 'There's no difference in what you're doing right now — he's just 24 months younger.'"

Owsik said while he supported women's liberation, he did not support abortion. 

"We can help them get support," Owsik said. "We can help them, you know, before pregnancy and after pregnancy."

Owsik said they could help with housing and money, but that killing unborn babies should not be allowed. He says that Catholics should care deeply about this issue.

"Although, I have to say that I think there are a lot of Catholics who don't or have a different viewpoint than that," Owsik said.

Owsik said Americans need to come together and try to solve the country's big issues.

"We have a lot of big issues," Owsik said. "I'm concerned for my children and grandchildren. It's very difficult and we're not going to solve too many [by remaining divided]."