Respect Life Sunday

Sunday, October 6th, we celebrate Respect Life Sunday.  As Catholics, we are encouraged to promote the dignity of all human life from conception until natural death.  We are called to promote the Gospel of Life, and protect and cherish the lives of the elderly, the physically and mentally challenged, and the unborn.  We should never forget that God is the Creator of all life, and all life is precious in His sight.

Pope Francis strongly criticized a “throwaway culture” that places too little value on human life. He said, “Unfortunately what is thrown away is not only food and disposable objects but often human beings themselves, who are discarded as unnecessary.”  He stressed the need to respect the dignity of the most vulnerable and marginalized in society.

As we reflect on these profound words of Pope Francis, this Sunday we are invited to reaffirm our appreciation for the precious gift of life.  We are invited to participate in the “Life Chain” that will be held on October 6th between 2p.m. and 3p.m. in the Flemington Circle.  The “Life Chain” will be a peaceful, public witness concerning the dignity of all life, especially the lives of the unborn.  We will pray for our nation and its people and we will be exercising our responsibility to speak out on behalf of the value of life.

Our Pope have called on us to be voices for the voiceless, to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.  We are challenged to follow the example of our Pope, and commit ourselves publicly to the protection of all human life from conception until natural death, as we strive to enhance the moral integrity of our great nation.  If we cannot be at the “Life Chain” in Flemington, we are invited to speak for the most vulnerable through prayer in the silence of our hearts.

May God bless you and your families for all you do to embrace a culture of life.