Respect Life Month 2009
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
For several years, October has been designated as a special month to highlight the need for respect of all human life from natural conception to natural death. It is also the month of the rosary. I encourage all of us to make a real commitment this month: pray the rosary everyday for a greater respect for the dignity of the human person both born and unborn. If you can, I also recommend some sort of fasting-especially on Fridays of this month. Fasting has always been a powerful tool, especially when joined to prayer, to ask God to intervene in our concerns that sometimes seem too overwhelming for us. Fasting can take many forms: not only from food, but also alcohol, smoking, television, the internet and any number of small things that we can “give up” during the day.
THE WORK FOR LIFE
By His own death and Resurrection, our Lord Jesus Christ offers us His own whole and perfect life, in place of our broken and sinful one. Our only possible response to this gift is humble gratitude, and a deep and unwavering commitment to work for life. As Pope Benedict has written in Caritas in Veritate (“Love in Truth”), “Openness to life is at the centre of true development. When a society moves towards the denial or suppression of life, it ends up no longer finding the necessary motivation and energy to strive for man’s true good” (#28). In our society today, despite how frequently Christ’s gift of life is denied and suppressed, we see many signs of hope and vigor in promoting and defending life, with the Gospel of Love.
FORTY DAYS FOR LIFE
One of the most powerful and tangible signs of hope for life is the success of prayer. Prayer transforms lives. Believe in the power of prayer. The 40 Days for Life campaign is a powerful witness to this, and I encourage all of us to support it this fall, in some way: by participating in the vigils, or by private and public prayer for life in our parishes and homes, or by offering pious works like fasting on behalf of the unborn and of mothers considering abortion. All these strong intentions give spiritual support and hope to those most in need.
DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE
While abortion is the most grievous and most critical pro-life issue, many other issues also come under the pro-life banner. Married life is the most influential formation for both children and parents in respecting life. When marriages are weaker, as so often today, people come to accept more routinely the world’s constant assaults on human life and dignity. When marriages are stronger, people are generally less ready to tolerate such evils. This is because married life, when strong, teaches Christ-like love. A healthy marriage trains each spouse to make generous sacrifices for the other, and therefore for their children, and ultimately for all. But in weak marriages, the world teaches that self-interest is stronger than love, and trains spouses to use each other selfishly. This is not love, nor the life given by Christ. Defending and promoting traditional marriage is an important pro-life stand, and an urgent need in our society today.
FAITH AND MINISTRIES CONFERENCE
Yet another sign of hope was the generous turn-out for our Diocesan Faith and Ministries Conference this past weekend. I had the privilege of being with more than 800 people from across the Diocese gathered to grow in faith and deepen their love for Christ and the Church. We heard three talks on the Eucharist and Catechesis from Dr. John Cavadini, of the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Cavadini taught us a fundamental belief of our faith: the Eucharist makes the Church. The more we learn and appreciate the fact that our Lord Jesus totally gave Himself to us in His sacrifice on the cross and how this is truly Eucharist, the deeper our faith grows. In accepting the gift of the Eucharist, we accept this fullness of life, and give our full and grateful response in sharing that life.
But this is also what it means to be pro-life! Pro-life is necessarily “pro-Christ’s life.” Therefore pray for an increase in faith, that we may truly have the motive and energy to strive to the good of all. May God may use our good works in the Church to change hearts and give us hope in all our efforts to defend life.
Do you believe in miracles? I do, just look at the Denver Bronco record: 3-0! Enjoy these beautiful autumn days. I look forward to seeing many of you on October 11, when we welcome Cardinal DiNardo for our Annual Bishop’s Dinner for Catholic Schools. May the Lord bless you with peace.
Your brother in Christ,
Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless
Bishop of Sioux City