In his annual Respect Life Month message,
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., affirmed the noble fight for human life in all its stages and encouraged his flock to be “culture warriors” for life. He writes:
The expression “culture warrior” is used in contemporary conversation to describe people who fight for those causes that run counter to prevailing cultural values and preferences, chief among those causes, the protection of human life in all its stages, from conception to natural death. It is rarely spoken or written in a positive way. And, yet, those who are labeled “pro-life” are, indeed, engaged in a significant battle to convince their opponents and critics that, as Pope St. John Paul II affirmed, “When some lives, including the unborn, are subjected to the personal choices of others, no other value or right will long be guaranteed.”
October is designated in the Catholic Church Respect Life Month, with Oct. 7 this year selected as Respect Life Sunday. Of course we know that respecting life is a human imperative that cannot and must not be limited to a single month or a single day. It is an everyday and always cause that is not unique to any one religious belief or denomination. For Catholics, however, respecting life, especially the unborn, is intrinsic to our identity as people of faith. It admits no denial, no exception, no compromise. “Every life is cherished, chosen, sent,” as the theme of Respect Life Month expresses.
This year’s Respect Life theme is,
"Every Life: Cherished, Chosen, Sent." The essence of our identity is that we are created in God’s image and likeness and loved by Him. Nothing can diminish the priceless worth of any human life. Every person is
cherished. God creates every person for eternal union with Himself and continually invites us to embrace a loving relationship with Him. Every person is
chosen. We are called to be messengers of God’s love, treating one another as cherished and chosen by Him. In doing so, we help build a culture that respects all human life. Every person is
sent.
To learn more about
Respect Life Month and the Respect Life program, please visit our website. The 10 delegates from the Diocese of Trenton who took part in the
V National Encuentroheld Sept. 20-23 in Grapevine, Texas
, are sharing their experiences in special coverage now posted on
TrentonMonitor.com. The
V National Encuentroconvened more than 3,000 Hispanic Catholic leaders from across the United States for the conclusion of a multi-year initiative aimed at identifying best practices in Hispanic Catholic ministry, areas that still need improvement and guidelines for the future.
Maira De los Santos of Mother of Mercy Parish, Asbury Park, said about the conference, “This National Encuentro has allowed us a way to share with other communities and to learn from one another with a sense of openness and hope. We are realizing that we can do much more in our communities taking action, opening doors, especially to our youth and young adults, helping them assume leadership in the Church.
The Oct. 4 print edition of The Monitor will include comprehensive, bi-lingual reporting on this historic event in the Church. To request copies of this special section, write to
[email protected], or call the Business Desk at (609) 403-7131.