'You Never Lose With Love': Karen Santorum, Gracious Lady, Warrior for Life

She possesses the grace and dignity that our coarsened culture has demolished

The most ignored candidate in the campaign has now become the most talked-about man in America.  Rick Santorum's stunning achievement in Iowa has forced the media to pay attention, and quite predictably, the knives have come out.  Sadly and shamefully, they're already targeting his wife, Karen, as well.  In the past week alone, she has become the object of vile scorn and defamation from certain mouthpieces of our culture of death. It's not really surprising.  True ugliness despises true beauty, and Karen Santorum is a truly beautiful woman. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Catholic Online) - The most ignored candidate in the campaign has now become the most talked-about man in America.  Rick Santorum's stunning achievement in Iowa has forced the media to pay attention, and quite predictably, the knives have come out.  

There's nothing unusual about conservative candidates being mercilessly attacked by the mainstream media.  But I believe we have never, ever seen the likes of what they're going to do to Rick Santorum. I don't think we've ever seen before the kind of hatred, viciousness, lies, and ruthlessness that will be brought against him and his family.  

The more he succeeds, the more bloodthirsty his enemies will become, and for one simple reason: he stands firmly opposed to the godless ethos of our time and courageously defends the moral and Natural law, and they HATE him for it.

Sadly and shamefully, they're already targeting his wife, Karen, as well.  In the past week alone, she has become the object of vile scorn and defamation from certain mouthpieces of our culture of death.

Again, not really surprising. True ugliness despises true beauty, and Karen Santorum is a truly beautiful woman. She possesses the grace and dignity that our coarsened culture has demolished. She counters the rules of modern "feminism" with great joy and fulfillment, which invites mockery and insults from all those who have either forgotten or never had any idea in the first place what feminine strength really means. 

Like her husband, she is a valiant defender of the sanctity of human life and the dignity of every human person.  She has put her very life where her mouth is, which of course, is so intolerable to abortion proponents that their new mission is to disparage her in any way possible, even by mocking the life and death of her infant son.

Their cheap shots are proof that they're scared.  They imagine a First Lady who rejects abortion and fights for the right to life of every child in the womb and they shudder with fear.  I envision Karen Santorum as the nation's First Lady and jump for joy.

Jill Stanek recently wondered on her blog, wouldn't it be wonderful to have a First Lady who would be a champion for Life? It is not an impossible dream, folks.  In Karen Santorum it would be a blessed reality because it's simply who she is.

I've had the honor of talking with Karen at-length on several occasions in recent months, and have gotten to know the heart of this great lady.  Last fall she did a personal interview with me in which she spoke openly about politics, family, faith, her joys, struggles, and heartaches, and what really matters to her.  Just listening to her speak is an occasion of grace -- you know you're hearing a woman of deep faith and courage. 

Karen shared with me the lesson that has really formed her spirit and made her who she is today: embrace the cross God gives you, whatever it is.  "All you can do is trust Him and embrace the cross you're given, because there's definitely a reason," she'll say. "Crosses come in all shapes and sizes, but we're better because of them.  Even in the worst of times God is working and His light will shine through."

She does not say that flippantly or without compassion, but with real humility and surrender.  She has had to take up the two crosses every good mother fears most: that of a sick or disabled child, and the death of a child.  Karen is intimately familiar with the pain of the Cross -- as is Rick -- and because of it she is tender, genuinely kind, and eager to love.  There is no guile or ego in her.  Yet she's no frail or timid wallflower.

She's both a lawyer and a neo-natal intensive care nurse, as well as a published author of two books. She has home-schooled her seven children, and presently devotes herself to caring for their youngest child, Bella, for whom she and Rick have fought tooth and nail against a callous medical system that doesn't consider Bella's life worth the effort.

Where our abortion-minded culture sees a "burden", Rick and Karen see Bella -- their beautiful blessing.  "I'm a blessed mother of a special-needs child.  Since her birth, I've learned that God truly has a reason for everything.  Like every one of us, God has a purpose for her.  Bella has made all of us grow in our faith like never before, made us more virtuous and shown us God's love and mercy.  Her life is a very happy and joyful life.  Bella is an angel.  I truly believe I am in the care of a saint."

"We are so blessed to be her parents and her family.  There's also a painful side of the journey because you're fighting for her life, to have her treated with the same dignity as every other child.  I can't tell you how many battles we've fought with doctors who wouldn't even call Bella by her name.  These children are denied the dignity they deserve as human beings."

"Bella is the greatest "burden" I've ever had.  I wouldn't trade the blessings that have come with her for anything in the world."

I asked her what she might say to a woman facing the possibility that her child may be born with a genetic condition like Trisomy 18, when doctors are likely telling that woman that abortion is the best "choice", and she answered so plainly, "It doesn't make any sense to me that we choose death over love.  You never lose with love."  

"It's never made any sense that when a doctor says your child has whatever defect, he then says, 'let's kill the baby.'  If the doctor said that about your five year-old you'd be outraged!  As parents we're wired to do everything possible to save our child.  Why does that not apply to these sweet babies in the womb who need our love and care?  Just simply bring your child into the world and love your child.  You don't know what God has planned."

She's passionate about changing the way doctors see kids like Bella:  "I'm on a mission to get every obstetrician and geneticist in the country to change the way they think and especially the way they talk about genetic diseases like Trisomy 18.  When a doctor says your child has a 'lethal diagnosis' that is 'incompatible with life' - those words are toxic.  Those words lead to death.  Doctors need to stop saying those words."

It goes without saying that special-needs children and their parents are going to have fierce advocates in the White House under President Santorum!  In fact, it was the looming threat of Obamacare that caused Rick and Karen to enter this Presidential campaign.  

"Obamacare was the final straw for him, the line in the sand.  Something has to be done.  That law will change our country fundamentally forever, and as parents of a special-needs child we knew that they would be the first to be denied care under Obamacare.  Rick and I can't stand on the sidelines and allow Obama to bring our nation to its knees.  We knew we had to get in and fight."

Karen also wants you to know some things about her husband.   
"He's a devout Catholic who lives his faith, is very prayerful and will always stay grounded.  He's a loving, devoted, faithful husband and father.  He's someone who goes after the issues with such a passion.   Preserving marriage, the sanctity of Life; these are things we really have to roll up our sleeves and fight for.   He's also brilliant in matters of the economy and national security.  He has a mind for history and facts and numbers.  There's no doubt in my mind he'll be a great leader to this nation." 

"Catholics in America need to understand the critical importance of their votes in 2012.  Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were both elected because they won the Catholic vote.  That is not to our credit!  I see America right now literally poised on the edge of a cliff, and Catholics will decide whether the nation goes over the edge or gets pulled back.  We have a huge responsibility."

The campaign road has been rough thus far; clearly it's only going to get rougher.  Karen knows it, and she knows where to go for her strength: "The only way I get through it is daily mass and keeping my prayer life in order.  Daily mass, prayer time, family rosary; these things give you strength and I notice a real difference.  I know if I'm not there [at mass] I won't be able to walk this walk.  Trust and be faithful is all any of us can do."

Amen to that.  Rick and Karen are faithfully following the road they believe God has laid in front of them.  Let's imagine the blessed day when he is sworn in as our 45th President, and then let's pray and work to make it happen.  The Santorums will be a desperately needed gift to our country.

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Jennifer Hartline is a grateful Catholic, a proud Army wife and homeschooling mother of three children.  She is a contributing writer for Catholic Online.  Visit her online at Wake Up, Deborah! and MCH.

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