Mass for Life homily

Homily by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., Diocese of Trenton, St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton

September 26, 2024

I was driving back from a priest’s funeral on Long Beach Island last week. Now those of you who have made that trip know that you pass through a long, monotonous stretch of New Jersey called “the Pinelands.” Driving along, my attention was drawn to a huge billboard —appearing out of nowhere — reaching across the pine trees, posting a picture of a mother holding her newborn child with the words, “Duty to Protect” printed across the picture in big, white letters. For the last week, knowing that this Mass was coming, I could not get that image and those words out of my mind. “Duty to Protect.”

In our document Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has reminded the Church in our country that “the threat of abortion remains our preeminent priority because it directly attacks life itself, because it takes place within the sanctuary of the family, and because of the number of lives destroyed.” Remember these words. Preeminent priority — not the only priority but the preeminent, fundamental basis of all other priorities. Directly attacks life itself— not some other less significant aspect of reality but LIFE.. Takes place within the sanctuary of the family — whether both parents contribute to the decision or not, they are still parents. Because of the number of lives destroyed — ultimately, death is the choice and outcome whatever the reasons given.

My sisters and brothers, the truth of that statement makesit unambiguously clear WHY we have a “duty to protect” … the child in their mother’s womb, the child in their mother’s arms and beyond. All human life. Every human life. From conception to natural death. Ours is a “duty to protect.”

The USSCB has explained that “Given the scientific fact, the scientific truth that a human life begins at conception, the only moral norm needed to understand the Church’s opposition to abortion is the principle that each and every human life has inherent dignity, and thus must be treated with the respect due to a human person. This is the foundation for the Church’s social doctrine, including its teachings on war, the use of capital punishment, euthanasia, health care, poverty and immigration. Conversely, to claim that some live human beings do not deserve respect or should not be treated as ‘persons’ (based on changeable factors such as age, condition, location, or lack of mental or physical abilities) is to deny the very idea of inherent human rights.” Such a claim undermines respect for the lives of many vulnerable people before and after birth and our “duty to protect.”

Today, in Trenton we in all the Dioceses of New Jersey affirm that “duty.” One need not be a Catholic to express and believe it. One needs only to be a rational, honest human being.

But one cannot, however, BE a Catholic without that conviction rooted deep in our souls as a preeminent priority” of our faith.
We are — all of us — created by God, created by God as we are. That is truth. “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb, I knew you,” — the Prophet Jeremiah proclaimed this truth. “Before you were born, I set you apart for my holy purpose (Jeremiah 1: 5).” Our creation, our very lives, therefore, are no mistake, no accident and admit of no exception “to protect.”. That is truth.

As Catholics, we are “pro-life.” How can a Catholic be otherwise? And, yet we see in our day people — even some who self-identify as Catholic, some who hold the highest positions in government — who not only are NOT pro-life but who work against that conviction, who vigorously support a contrary position, who tragically seek to advocate even more legislation that enables the destruction of life at its most vulnerable stages: in the womb. The dying cries of the innocent children call out to them. God will be their judge.

Two years ago and 65 million abortions later, the Supreme Court at long last overturned its tragic decision Roe v. Wade. Sadly, that reversal has not ended abortion in our country. It simply “passed the buck” to the states. Here in New Jersey, we have on the books the most permissive abortion laws in our nation with still more anticipated. The fight is in our hands.

There is no doubt that our presence marching on the front lines, our persistence, our raised voices, our prayers have made a difference as Roe v. Wade fades into one of the saddest chapters of American history. Now is not the time for us to fade with it, to sit back, to diminish our presence and persistence, to lower our voices, to weaken our witness, to minimize the constancy of our prayers.

That is why it so important for us to join together as Catholics and to be counted together as pro-life. It is not simply one of many labels applied to us. It is our “duty to protect” … life.

Today, as we share the greatest of all prayers, the Eucharist, let us ask the Lord Jesus who gave his life for all of us, born and unborn, to give us the grace to fulfill our “duty to protect” — to protect the innocent, most vulnerable child in the womb throughout their live there; to love and support and encourage their mothers and fathers to let them live; to walk with mothers and fathers, to work with renewed strength to build “a culture of life” and a “civilization of love.” Together, let us give thanks to God as we embrace and uphold without hesitation or doubt our “duty to protect” … a duty instilled in us by God our Creator along with his gift of human life!