Message from our Administrator

My brothers and sisters in Christ, we have already begun to see the signs of autumn in nature, demonstrating that, whatever we do in life, nature follows the pattern laid out by a loving, creating God and shows forth his beauty in the kaleidoscope of color along the roadside, as trees reflect the autumnal sunshine!

But, as beautiful as this is, it is nothing to the beauty of a newborn baby smiling up at doting parents, filled with wonder that their love has been blessed by such a gift from God. Many times have I said, to those questioning the existence of God, that, to prove his existence, all you have to do is look at the face of a new born baby! For we are, each and all, made in the image and likeness of God and our main purpose in life is to thank him for his goodness and give him glory by our life well lived!

Yet we live at a time when, for many, life is no longer seen as gift but a burden and this attitude belittles us all. We believe and teach that each human being is an irreplaceable, never to be replicated, unique expression of God’s creating love!

For those who fail to see this I offer the story of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, from Luke’s Gospel (1: 39–55). Each woman had an unexpected pregnancy, yet, when they met, at Elizabeth’s home, she greeted Mary with an astonishing and beautiful prayer: “And who am I that the Mother of my Lord should come to visit me? For the moment your voice reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy.” That child, John the Baptist, recognized Jesus in Mary’s womb, before either was born!!! This story is the answer to anyone who talks about a fetus as if it is not a new being capable of birth and full maturity.

Elizabeth was beyond childbearing age, and Mary was yet a young virgin of about 16 years. Were they scared? You bet they were, yet they trusted God would take care of them so Mary could respond by her well known Magnificat! “My soul magnifies the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my Savior” she replied!!! I offer this Magnificat to all expectant mothers, especially those who are anxious in their pregnancy.

It is from this story we can come to understand what we mean by the right to life, which we celebrate this month. But this right must be understood as applying to all aspects of life, from conception to natural death (which itself is the true birth into everlasting life!). Pope Francis has made this clear when he stated, and this is worthy of repeating in full: “Our defense of the innocent unborn, for example, needs to be clear, firm and passionate, for at stake is the dignity of a human life, which is always sacred and demands love for each person, regardless of his or her stage of development. Equally sacred (my emphasis), however, are the lives of the poor, those already born, the destitute, the abandoned and underprivileged, the vulnerable infirm and elderly exposed to covert euthanasia, the victims of human trafficking, new forms of slavery, and every form of rejection” (Gaudete et Exultate, No. 100).

For the past few months I have been emphasizing our need to rededicate ourselves to Christ in the Eucharist and in our tabernacles. There is a direct connection here. We are told by Jesus in the Gospel that he came “that we may have life and have it to the full.” Mary and Elizabeth both said yes, in the darkness of unexpected pregnancies, and world history was changed forever! We need to declare, unequivocally, that all life matters, all life is sacred, all life is a gift and gifts are to be shared and celebrated. Our eucharistic celebrations are always a celebration of life, and from that celebration we learn to treat every human being with their dignity, which is his or hers as a child of God, created to give him glory and share that glory in its fullness for eternity. So I conclude by again offering you, dear reader, the prayer to St. Thomas Aquinas, to pray for an appreciation of the gift of life itself and in thanksgiving to the God of life and his Son, Jesus who died that we might live forever, Amen!

O sacred banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of his passion is celebrated, the mind is filled with grace and a pledge of future glory is given to us. Lord Jesus, present to us in the Eucharist, we place our trust in thee; make us signs of your presence.