Take a look at this 16th century Flemish painting of the Nativity featuring a little angel with Down syndrome kneeling next to the Blessed Virgin Mary. What a wonderful image to prayerfully ponder upon World Down Syndrome Day, March 21.
“Made in the image and likeness of God, our brothers and sisters with Down syndrome are of intrinsic worth and beauty, they bring joy to the world and love into any family blessed by their presence,” says Jenny Ingles, Director of Life Ministries in the Diocese of Lansing.
“And yet, it is estimated that between 60 to 90 percent of all children diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted in the United States, compared to 18 percent of all pregnancies ending in abortion.”
“Let’s be clear, this is eugenics. It’s so disturbing. It’s a national scandal. It must stop. That has to be and, indeed, is our earnest prayer upon this year’s World Down Syndrome Day.”
It was in 1958 that the saintly French pediatrician and geneticist, Jérôme Lejeune (1926 – 1994), who first discovered the link between Down syndrome and the chromosomal abnormality, trisomy-21.
Professor Lejeune then gave much of his life to campaign against the immoral use of prenatal testing for eugenic purposes through selective and elective abortion of those with Down syndrome.
A close collaborator with Pope Saint John Paul II, Jérôme Lejeune was the founding president of the Pontifical Academy for Life in 1994. In 2021 he was declared Venerable by Pope Francis thus paving the way for his cause of canonization.
Hence, today we can say: Venerable Jérôme Lejeune, pray for them. Venerable Jérôme Lejeune, pray for us. Amen.