Since 1972 October has been designated Respect Life Month. Respect Life Sunday is always the first Sunday of October which this year will be October 6. The theme for this year?s Respect Life Month is a line which our Holy Father Francis has often used. He has often challenged us to ?Open your hearts to life.?
Not many years ago the late Pope John Paul II in one of his major writings spoke about the ?Culture of Death? as he described the present situation encompassing our societies throughout the world. There are so many examples of how the Culture of Death has been experienced by humanity around the world. Examples such as wars within countries and between countries, acts of terrorism with huge loss of life, the inability of millions of people to secure food and other necessities needed for a healthy life, attacks on vulnerable people by others, by death of the unborn and the hastened end of life for the elderly and those terminally ill present to us a picture of an ongoing story of truly a culture of death around us, everywhere around us.
It is in light of this sad reality that the decision was reached to challenge all people of good will to consciously open their hearts to life by making choices which offer alternatives to violence and death which ignore the dignity of each and every person.
A recent example was that offered by Pope Francis as the situation in Syria worsened and the outlook was grim with the threat of attacks against Syria. Pope Francis spoke strongly and directly that there had to be another way. He offered the combination of prayer and fasting.
While the skeptics among us wrote and spoke about such an approach being old-fashioned, there were millions more who embraced the Pope?s suggestion. Those who prayed and fasted were fellow Catholics and Christians, Jews and Muslims, and people of good will--this happened literally around the world. As we know, at least so far, there have been no hostilities from outside of Syria directed at Syria. Openness of hearts to life was experienced.
As Catholics we are committed to Respecting the Dignity of All People from the moment of conception until natural death. We can never waver from that commitment for it is at the very heart of our faith. God created every person in His image and likeness and sent His Son to redeem humankind so all may experience eternal life in peace and happiness, and the Paraclete was sent to guide and strengthen each person on his or her personal journey through life and God willing into eternity.
In light of our faith we are challenged at all times to enhance life, to defend life and to love those who live. We can never minimize our commitment to life, even in the face of present situations which mirror another message. Our message must always be for Life, the life for all which respects their dignity.
As we prepare for next Sunday, October Respect Life Sunday, let us do so by opening our hearts to life and being part of the answer to furthering life and its beauty in our midst.
Also, please feel welcome to come to St. John the Evangelist Cathedral on Thursday,October 10 at 10:00 a.m. for a special Respect Life Day Mass.
Lastly, may all of us make a commitment today and every day to embrace Pope Francis? challenge--?Open your hearts to life!"
(The above column by the Most Reverend Richard Lennon, Bishop of Cleveland originally appeared in the Friday, September 27, 2013 issue of the Catholic Universe Bulletin, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Cleveland.)