Once again we mark the month of October as Respect Life Month. This year’s theme is “Christ Our Hope: In Every Season of Life.” Jesus is the anchor of hope to which we all cling.
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said this year’s theme is particularly suited for these challenging times. “While attacks against human life seem to grow ever more numerous and callous, we know that Christ has conquered sin and death. Through our Christian hope in the resurrection, we are given the grace to persevere in faith.”
Pope Francis reminds us that all life has inestimable value; even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.
I encourage everyone to pray that the world grows in its respect for life from conception to natural death and to build awareness to reaffirm the Gospel teaching about the gift of life. May our common efforts to bring about a world in which every life is protected and cherished be fruitful as we all cling to Christ, our hope.