Who hasn’t seen the video of Dr Deborah Nucatola, senior director of medical services at Planned Parenthood, casually discussing the sale of aborted babies’ body parts over lunch? It was released on Tuesday and proved impossible to avoid.
“I’d say a lot of people want liver,” Dr Nucatola says nonchalantly, pausing to jab a fork full of food in her mouth, “and for that reason most providers will do this case under ultrasound guidance, so they’ll know where they are putting their forceps.”
Pro-life advocate Abby Johnson and former Planned Parenthood director has written to Dr Nucatola an open letter which is well worth reading.
The main point is this: “I want you to know that I’m not disgusted by you. I’m not disgusted, because I used to be just like you. You see, my former Planned Parenthood clinic used to harvest fetal body parts. I used to sift through their bodies and prepare them for transport to the research lab we were contracted with…I understand the world you live in. I understand the blindness. I don’t think you are an evil person. I wasn’t an evil person. But just like I was, you are gravely misguided. I want you to know that I care about you.”
In her final paragraph, Johnson adds: “We believe that your life matters. We believe that your life holds infinite value and worth. You matter to us. As hard as I fight to save unborn babies, I fight just as hard to save people like you from the grips of the abortion industry. You can leave. We can help you.”
Many of us feel righteous anger about the mass assault on unborn lives which happens across the world every day. But as Johnson mentions, it is easy for righteous indignation to transmogrify into bile and hatred, hurled at one particular individual.
But the most challenging aspects of this story is the uncomfortable fact that Dr Nucatola could still be the next Abby Johnson. Catholics must distinguish themselves from pro-abortion lobbyists, some of whom will be furious with Dr Nucatola, by not losing sight of this possibility.
If even just one Catholic reaches out as Johnson has, every time someone like Dr Nucatola is caught out in this way, imagine what impact this could make. Imagine how many lives might be saved, as women find the strength to walk away from the abortion business, just as Johnson did.
We live in a world where the very worst of ourselves can go viral within moments and we are publicly disgraced and destroyed over night. Each of us knows at least one scene from the drama of our lives which we recall with bitter shame and regret, which would cause us to die of shame if it was ever publicised.
This particular scene – in fact her whole Planned Parenthood chapter – might one day be the chapter Dr Nucatola dearly wishes she could erase.
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.