Let the Sacredness of All Human Life Unite Us

Summary of a Fr. Gerry Creedon homily from January 23, 2005
Christian Unity Week and March for Life

"On those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen." Matt. 4:14

CAN YOU GUESSS the amount given by you in last week's second collection for the tsunami victims? 31,000 dollars!

When I came here over 8 years ago that would have been a month of first collections. This testifies not only to the generosity of the people of St Charles but to your sensitivity to human life. Our hearts went out to the 150,00 people who were drowned and to the thousands whose lives are menaced by disease. When human lives are fragile and threatened, even across the globe, we stand with them. Our Pope often speaks of a culture of death. In addition to death from natural disasters there are altogether too many victims of the varieties of human violence. We stand in solidarity with all victims.

Tomorrow members of our parish will participate in the March for Life. The following Monday others will visit the State Capitol on Catholic Advocacy Day to promote human life and dignity in a variety of areas.

This weekend we focus on life in the womb. The alarming statistics on abortion claim our attention for this foundational issue. Human life itself at its most vulnerable is the foundation on which all other rights are based.

While there should be no argument with the fundamental principle, the sacredness of all human life, there are a variety of ways of responding. Some will be attentive to one area of threat, some to another. Many believe that the only way to eliminate abortion is through constitutional change, some through public policy advocacy, others through education and persuasion, a few believe the way is through the imposition of church penalties and others through the promotion of life affirming alternatives for those facing stressful pregnancies.

The diversity of strategy often leads to division even within the church, especially in times of partisan campaigns.

We relive the experience of the Corinthians: "There are rivalries among you. I mean that each of you is saying, "I belong to Paul," I belong to Apollos" or " I belong to Christ. Is Christ divided?"

In part to deal with differences within the hierarchy arising from the last presidential election, Cardinal Mc Carrick led a task force of bishops that concluded on November 17, 2004:

"Bishops can come to different prudential and pastoral judgments on how to apply our teaching to public policy." If bishops have that freedom, surely we should allow a similar freedom of conscience to individual Catholics. "We do not believe that our commitment to human life and dignity and our pursuit of justice and peace are competing causes. While we do not believe that all issues have equal moral claims, we will work to protect those whose lives are destroyed by abortion and those who are dying of hunger, we will strive to protect human life from the moment of conception until the moment God calls us home and we will strive to pursue peace. This is who we are and what we believe."

While some will work to eliminate or limit abortion using a variety of means, while others will choose to oppose the use of the death penalty or question the ethics of war, and many will reach out to victims of natural disaster and disease, there should be no room for divisiveness among those who are most active, while the majority rest apathetic. Let us work together in harmony respecting the variety of charisms. Let us be closely united by our bedrock principle the sacredness of all human life.

On a weekend when we reaffirm the church's strong advocacy for the unborn, families or individuals who have been involved with abortion personally need to hear not only the strength of the church's conviction on abortion but also the availability of post-abortion counseling and the Sacrament of reconciliation. There are no unforgivable sins

Jesus is the light that rises over a land overshadowed by death. He is the way, the truth and the life. He is the fountain of living water. He came that we may have life and have it to the full. Because of his rising we believe in life everlasting.