Protecting the Vulnerable: Children with Down Syndrome

Faith and Politics

Chris Motz and Michael Pauley welcome to the show Lauren Costabile, founder and executive director of Hearts of Joy International, an organization that helps babies with Down Syndrome gain access to needed care, especially open-heart surgery. The ongoing debate about abortion after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision frequently revolves around so-called “hard cases,” including pregnancies in which a pre-born child has been diagnosed as having a disability. It is estimated that between 60 and 90 percent of pre-born children diagnosed with Down Syndrome are aborted, compared to 18 percent of pre-born children overall. Chris and Michael discuss with Lauren the competing visions in our culture regarding the value of human life. Catholic social teaching reminds us that our worth as human beings is anchored in the fact that we are created by God. But this worldview is challenged by a utilitarian ethos that measures the worth of a human being based on abilities and achievements. Lauren Costabile offers a powerful testimony about the inherent dignity and value of every child.