Yesterday was, of course, Sanctity of Life Sunday in US Catholic churches. Did you know it? A reader suggests that I ask, akin to last week’s liturgical music question, if your priest mentioned sanctity of life, abortion, the Roe v. Wade anniversary or anything of the sort in his homily.
At my parish, my pastor didn’t specifically talk about it in his excellent homily (anytime a priest is quoting G.K. Chesterton in his homily, you know it’s going to be good), but at the end of Mass he spent a few minutes talking about it, then introduced a parishioner who works at a crisis pregnancy center to say a few words. The center is one several affiliated centers throughout Massachusetts, called A Woman’s Concern, that helps pregnant women. They have an annual fundraiser that starts this weekend every year. They hand out baby bottles, we fill them with our spare change, and then return them in six weeks. They raised more than $100,000 last year. Anyway, this woman spoke about abortion and its devastation, and about how they provide alternatives: counseling and prenatal care—including ultrasounds—for women thinking about abortion, parent classes for men and women who are “high-risk”, and post-abortion Bible studies.
So what did you hear in your homily on Sunday?
Mine was a geography lesson on the location of Ninevah near modern day Mosul, and the details leading up to Jonah’s sojourn in the whale. It was actually a very good homily. At one point the church was so quiet I think I could have heard a pin drop.
I spoke about abortion. I volunteer to say Mass for the LifeTeen group at another parish once a month, and last night was my turn. After the homily, one of the musicians—who comes there also from another parish—said that he’d been to four Masses in his own parish that weekend, and that mine was the first reference to abortion that he’d heard.
One of the many things we priests are going to have to answer for is complicity in this horrible evil. Way too many of my brothers have been either completely silent, nominally pro-life (you know, once a year they mention that they’re pro-life, but that’s it), or (gag) pro-abortion (although they call it being compassionate towards women who have to make difficult choices).
Today’s (Monday’s) Gospel is about the unforgivable “sin against the Holy Spirit.” I have to admit, I think that calling the gruesome and barbarous murder of 45,000,000 innocent children a “good” (that is, referring to it as “women having control over their own bodies” or any other such nonsense) IS the sin against the Holy Spirit—calling evil ‘good’ and good ‘evil.’
Not speaking out about this unimaginable crime at every available moment is, I’m sorry to say, complicity in the crime.
We had the usual – a longer-than-most-of-us-wanted hit-you-in-the-face whole-hearted abortion-is-a-hideous-sin homily. We can always count on my pastor to do the right thing until people are groaning in the aisles. LOL, it’s great to see!
Ours was similar to Carrie’s in that it was part geography lesson. Nothing about abortion, though the homily did have a few rehearsed punch lines that got a good laugh.
Never understood why a homily needs a joke or two.
A prerecorded message from our Bishop re the Annual Appeal, which I would assume went for all the churches in the Diocese. (I guess you could say the pro-life issue was addressed indirectly, because Bp. Smith talked about our needing to protect life from conception through natural death during the presentation).
You can see my homily <a>href=“http://frmartinfox.blogspot.com/2006/01/false-god-of-choice-homily-on.html”>here</a>
Comments are welcome, pro or con.
We had a pro-life homily.
We didn’t, and frankly I’m surprised. To me, the readings lent themselves very well to a pro-life homily.
Jonah was a prophet, but a reluctant one. In my mind, I thought a comparison of Jonah with those reluctant—for whatever reasons—to preach the Gospel of Life was inevitable. Only it didn’t happen.
Then, too, the overall theme of repentance seemed to open the door to a number of topics: the need for us to repent for the sin of abortion; and the mercy God showed Nineveh when they did repent seemed to cry out for women and men who experienced abortion to seek the mercy of God.
Like I said, I’m surprised.
Roe v. Wade and the aborted were included in the prayers of the faithful at my boomer-friendly parish.
The preacher, a deacon, was more concerned about reminding us of the Second Coming and fighting idolatrous Broncomania, but later events rendered his sermon half-redundant.
I should note that the U.S. Bishops have asked Catholics to observe this year’s January 23 as a day of fasting.
(Usuaully this is done on January 22, but it was moved a day due to it’s falling on a Sunday this year.)
It is reccomended that a votive Mass be said today, for “Peace and Justice.” I’ve used the collect from that Mass as the collect for today’s Lauds/Matins and Vespers.
As for yesterday itself, prayers for the end of abortion were incoporated into the “Prayers of the Faithful” at my parish. The homily was spent instead tying the readings into the Parish Mission that began last night.
It was Neglect Life Sundays where I eneded up going to Mass. No surprise at this liberal parish that the pastor even equated the penances of the Desert Fathers as basically Manecheism.
Not a word about pro-life or abortion at our church. We did get a decent homily about following Christ though.
Although the homily was primarily focussed on end-of-life issues rather than abortion, yes, we heard a pro-life homily at my suburban Denver parish. The celebrant was a new priest-in-residence.
Based on the apparent warmth of his welcome after Mass, I’d say he didn’t offend too many.
I was ticked – very ticked!
We have a new priest – doesn’t wear a collar, but always a loose turtleneck – I give him the benefit of the doubt that a collar may irritate his neck . . .
Anyway, we got the seamless garment argument and since “Abortion will never go away” ; “why aren’t the same pro-lifers arguing against the death penalty” or “helping the hungry, after the unwanted babies are born” – last quote was more of a paraphrase.
Ok – you want to talk about other life issues, great topic for the homily the following weekend. But DON’T you DARE slap the hard-working pro-lifers in the parish. These are the same people who DO speak up against the dealth penalty and help the needy – cut the political crap you AS$%^(&^( Ok – guess I’m more than ticked.
Help me – I want to leave the parish – I’m already tired of fighting the resident “sister” out of Sr. Chittester (sp) mode.
Seminarian Eric wrote:
I should note that the U.S. Bishops have asked Catholics to observe this year’s January 23 as a day of fasting.
And penance. Not that I heard about it at yesterday’s Mass.
At today’s Mass (not at my parish, but at Saint Francis Chapel) the priest wore purple vestments, noted the Bishops’ request, and devoted his entire sermon articulating the pro-life message.
Anybody else experience this at today’s Mass?
I wore purple, said the Mass for Forgiveness of Sins, and spent my entire homily articulating (1) the sin of omission—not speaking up while living side by side with abortion; (2) the possibility that many—including many priests—will pay the price for the Unforgivable Sin of calling abortion (or ‘choice’) good; and (3) the need for penance and fasting for reparation for the last 33 years of butchery.
I got a warm reception after the Mass.
Brother priests: there’s nothing to be afraid of in preaching the Truth. Rather, it will set you and others free.
PS: I’m no relation to Kelly! Not that there’s anything wrong with that . . .
No homily…Charity and Development Appeal weekend…we were told they had to do it earlier than usual this year (CDA appeal) because of when the Super Bowl was scheduled…??????
Petition to see the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and prayers for the unborn killed in the womb.
45 crosses on the lawn outside the church, one for each 1 million babies aborted.
Would really have appreciated knowing about the whole fasting/penance thing ahead of time. Not that I can’t make up for it tomorrow…
This was my weekend to preach and I did talk about pro-life. If you’re interested, you can read it by clicking on my signature below. I find it interesting that whenever I talk about anything controversial (even though this subject shouln’t be controversial) I get many fewer comments afterwards, but the ones I do get are much more heartfelt. That was the case this weekend.
I’ve been in my parish for 31 years, 4 as a deacon. I admit that I wrestle with the idea that I might make someone angry, or uncomfortable, but I’ve decided that you can never go wrong speaking the Church.
We have a young parochial vicar at our parish, and he spoke quite well about the Fatherhood of God as revealed through Scripture and Tradition…with the stated truth that women cannot be ordained priests if we are to be true to Scripture and Tradition. Quite well put, but unfortunately nothing about the pro-life theme.
Still, I don’t complain because this young priest is orthodox, courageous, and reverent overall. Plus, he has spoken courageously about abortion, contraception, and sexual morality in other homilies.