Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Parishioner,

January is always a time when we remember the Pro-life message. This is because it is the anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision. Our church has always been a defender of life from its conception until its natural end.

The most impressive pro-life witnesses for me are those who live out the pro-life message in very practical ways. Maybe they do not get headlines in newspapers, but they are none-the-less very powerful witnesses.

In every city, I have served in I have seen such individuals. Two practical examples I can think of are the husband or wife who lives with a spouse who is suffering from some form of dementia. My mother went through that experience. For years, she tried to keep my father at home patiently dealing with his confusion and paranoia until it became too much for her and we had to move Dad into a nursing facility. As Euthanasia becomes more accepted, some might question the wisdom of keep elderly people alive who do not even know their loved ones. A man put the value of his wife’s life well when he said. “My wife may not know who I am, but I know who she is.” Since he “knew her” his love for her gave him the energy to provide for her care.

The other situation I think of which is a real witness to pro-life values concerns parents who take care of a mentally or physically challenged son or daughter. I have known mothers and fathers who have taken care of such children for years on end. Most of the time they are loving and patient and spiritual. Why do they do it? Because they believe in the value of every human life. They are astute enough to see the talents of their children and their uniqueness.

I invite all of us to look around this month and find the pro-life people around us. Perhaps we can offer to help carry the burden in some small way for the heroic care givers among us. We might offer a meal or can ask if there is something else we can do to help.

We can put our pro-life belief into action.

Blessings,

Fr. Mark

P.S. Fr. Sebastian will be gone the month of February to Canada to work on his dissertation. We will try to maintain most of the Mass schedule for the month. We will be having some communion services on Mondays. Just watch the weekly schedule. Fr. Sebastian will be back in March.