By naming October as Respect Life Month, we emphasize learning about the many issues that tear down or build up the Culture of Life. In addition, we focus on the actions that positively or negatively affect this culture.
What is the Culture of Life? How do you know if you are tearing down or building up in your home, your school, or your work place? Some very simple measures are to celebrate life in our day to day living.
In 1972 Jim Croce recorded the song, “Time in a Bottle.” The lyrics of the song that especially spoke to me were, “But there never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do, once you find them.” These words seemed prophetic. Jim Croce was killed in a plane accident on September 20, 1973.
Jim Croce’s death or any death reminds us of the fragility of life. Death reminds us Catholics that we are pilgrims on a journey through time to Eternity. Earth is our temporary home. Heaven is our Eternal Home. St. Paul urges us to run the race of life for the prize of Eternal Glory.
During his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, presidential nominee Barack Obama made a comment in which he attempted to appeal to both pro-life and pro-abortion voters.
“We may not agree on abortion,” Obama said. “But surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country.”
While this sound byte may sound like a good faith effort to unite Americans, it revealed a fundamental flaw in the candidate’s understanding of the sanctity of life. We can agree on reducing the number of malaria cases in Africa or the number of car accidents on our highways because malaria and car accidents are by their very nature bad. But human beings are created in the image and likeness of God — whether they are wanted or unwanted.
Some people have actually heard corn growing. They tell me this happens when all the conditions are just right; enough good weather and plenty of rain.
Looking around our area makes me think there must have been a lot of noise in the fields this past growing season. Corn, beans, hay, grains, you name it, they have all grown like gangbusters. What a miracle when we think how it all comes from seeds that are planted.Maybe, if you are like me, reminders help from time to time. Harvest season is upon us. Gardens and fields both are producing the fruit from all that has been growing. I am reminded that our God of all creation planted the seed of faith in my life to bear good fruit. If the conditions are just right, and with enough prayer, receiving the sacraments, striving to love God and my neighbor, this can result in a fruitful life.
As Catholics we face many complex questions and challenges in regards to being involved in public and political life. We face similar questions and challenges in selecting a candidate.
I had the pleasure of attending a Theology On Tap in which Thomas Peters, an extremely articulate and funny Internet-journalist, worked hard to sell that McCain is the best choice for Catholics. His argument was that the abortion issue encapsulates and trumps all other life issues. If you get the abortion issue wrong, how can you be an advocate for life in its later stages? This seems on the onset like a salient point.
What are these other “life issues” that might motivate a Catholic voter to either pick Barack Obama or perhaps trouble a Catholic enough not to vote for John McCain? A few mentioned but not adequately discussed were the evils of “preventive war,” the death penalty, embryonic stem cell research, and the social sins of poverty and oppression in its many forms.
This Sunday’s readings are so direct and to the point. They also bear directly on how we form our conscience in today’s complicated world.
What was said and written so long ago from the Book of Exodus is powerful and true. “You shall not molest or oppress an alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.”
Our diocesan Rural Life Office serves to support communities of all sizes as consumers of a constant, safe and affordable food supply, with focused emphasis in supporting the farmers and rural communities who plant, grow, and harvest the crops that feed us.
The Rural Life Office works to connect our rural parish communities to the greater diocesan Church as well as inform non-rural parish communities of the many challenges and justice issues facing those who labor to provide “our daily bread.” The success and vitality of all our communities must be measured along-side the health and sustainability of our local farmers and rural families, rural parishes, and farming communities.
World Mission Sunday, which will celebrate its 82nd anniversary in 2008, affords the entire Church a focused opportunity to reflect on those who have not heard the Gospel — and to respond to Christ’s call to be missionary.
On that day, all parishes in every diocese of the world celebrate together our common vocation to preach and proclaim Christ throughout the world.
People with mental, physical, or cognitive disabilities face challenges from the everyday tasks of dressing and transportation to the larger challenges of interacting in a world that is not always welcoming.
During Respect Life Month, it is particularly important to remember that each person is a gift from God, in whatever guise. It is also important to recognize that each of us is differently-abled and this infinite variety is a gift too.
As we creep into the end of another year, it prompts us to consider our charitable gifting opportunities in respect to our year-end tax planning. There are many ways in which you can structure a gift to provide benefit to you personally while supporting the causes that mean the most to you. Congress has recently made it more attractive for IRA owners over 70 to do just that.
On October 3, 2008, as part of the economic recovery plan, the House joined with the Senate to approve the much awaited IRA charitable rollover plan. This allows IRA owners to make a direct gift to their parish, parish school, diocese, or other qualified diocesan institution through their required minimum distribution from an IRA. This also applies to legally binding pledges you may have made to the Church.
