Annual Respect Life events make faith a visible sign for others
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By David Kilby | Correspondent
“I hope we all live to see the day when all given life is respected from conception to natural death,” said Father Alberto Tamayo.
To see photo gallery on this story, click here.
His thoughts expressed the hopes and faith of those filling St. Anthony of Padua Church, Red Bank, March 8 for the annual Respect Life Mass and Witness. The day was also a time to recognize the K-8 student winners of the 2014 Respect Life Poster, Essay and Video Contest.
Father Tamayo, pastor of St. Anthony Parish and homilist for the Mass, thanked the diocesan Department of Pastoral Care’s Respect Life Ministry for organizing the day and then recognized the 23 winners in the contest, asking the winners who were present at the Mass to stand.
In his homily Father Tamayo spoke of how respect for life is “not just another issue. It’s about real people. ... It would be no good to point out the road people should not walk if we’re not willing to point out the path they should walk. We can do this through kindness, generosity and love,” said Father Tamayo.
Christopher Montefusco, a fifth-grader in St. Leo the Great School, Lincroft, was the first place winner in the Grade 3-5 essay contest. He wrote on the theme of this year’s contest, “Open your hearts to life.”
In his essay, Christopher wrote about respecting life in all forms, and encouraged people to consider “spiritual adoption” of unborn babies, which is a way to pray for the unborn.
“We should respect life because Jesus wants us to,” Christopher said while reflecting on the inspiration behind his essay.
The Respect Life Mass and demonstration began over 20 years ago under Bishop John C. Reiss and Nancy Koenig, who was the respect life coordinator of the Diocese at that time.
This year, the walk led the crowd past St. James Parish on its way to Broad Street, Red Bank. From Broad Street, the demonstrators turned onto Newman Springs Avenue, where the clinic is located.
During the walk, Father Vincent Euk, pastor of St. Veronica Parish, said the most successful thing for the pro-life cause has been sonograms and ultrasounds, because with these technologies people “start to realize there’s little people there.... It hits a primal nerve. We’re all sensitive to suffering.”
The creative endeavors of the contest winners proved that age is no barrier to being pro-life. Joseph Ruggiero, a fifth-grader in St. Joseph School, Toms River, won third place in the grades 3-5 poster contest with his poster depicting people doing good deeds like donating clothes and feeding the hungry.
Gina Rienzo, an eighth-grader in St. Catharine School, Spring Lake, won third place for her video that she made in religion class.
Rienzo said it’s important for eighth-graders to stand up for life because “it teaches a lesson, especially to those younger than us. It sets a good example.”
Father Edward Jawidzik, parochial vicar of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold, stressed pro-lifers should focus very clearly on getting a pro-life constitutional amendment.
Noting how very encouraging it was to see so many people present for the Respect Life Mass and Witness, Father Jawidzik said, “demonstration has always been a big part of American history. I’m sure it does make a difference.” He added that he has heard of surveys that claim 80 percent of those under the age of 30 do not support abortion on demand.
“Those young people are our future judges, supreme court justices and legislators. The future belongs to all those who are pro-life,” he said.
The pro-lifers ended their walk in the parking lot of the Shrewsbury First Aid Squad across the street from the back of Planned Parenthood, then journeyed back to St. Anthony of Padua Parish for a reception in the Rev. Joseph Miele Center across the street from the church where the winners of the contests were honored.
Felicia Mattioli proudly stood by her second place award winning poster that depicted an illustrative family tree with many generations represented.
“I was really excited when I got the letter (saying I won). I was jumping off the walls,” said Mattioli, a sixth-grader in Holy Cross School, Rumson.
Laura Mondesir, a seventh-grader in Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, drew a poster showing how people should support and help others who are going through troubling times.
“If you don’t have a friend to talk to when you’re having problems then you’d be alone,” she said. “We should be there to talk to those who are thinking about abortion.”
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By David Kilby | Correspondent
“I hope we all live to see the day when all given life is respected from conception to natural death,” said Father Alberto Tamayo.
To see photo gallery on this story, click here.
His thoughts expressed the hopes and faith of those filling St. Anthony of Padua Church, Red Bank, March 8 for the annual Respect Life Mass and Witness. The day was also a time to recognize the K-8 student winners of the 2014 Respect Life Poster, Essay and Video Contest.
Father Tamayo, pastor of St. Anthony Parish and homilist for the Mass, thanked the diocesan Department of Pastoral Care’s Respect Life Ministry for organizing the day and then recognized the 23 winners in the contest, asking the winners who were present at the Mass to stand.
In his homily Father Tamayo spoke of how respect for life is “not just another issue. It’s about real people. ... It would be no good to point out the road people should not walk if we’re not willing to point out the path they should walk. We can do this through kindness, generosity and love,” said Father Tamayo.
Christopher Montefusco, a fifth-grader in St. Leo the Great School, Lincroft, was the first place winner in the Grade 3-5 essay contest. He wrote on the theme of this year’s contest, “Open your hearts to life.”
In his essay, Christopher wrote about respecting life in all forms, and encouraged people to consider “spiritual adoption” of unborn babies, which is a way to pray for the unborn.
“We should respect life because Jesus wants us to,” Christopher said while reflecting on the inspiration behind his essay.
The Respect Life Mass and demonstration began over 20 years ago under Bishop John C. Reiss and Nancy Koenig, who was the respect life coordinator of the Diocese at that time.
This year, the walk led the crowd past St. James Parish on its way to Broad Street, Red Bank. From Broad Street, the demonstrators turned onto Newman Springs Avenue, where the clinic is located.
During the walk, Father Vincent Euk, pastor of St. Veronica Parish, said the most successful thing for the pro-life cause has been sonograms and ultrasounds, because with these technologies people “start to realize there’s little people there.... It hits a primal nerve. We’re all sensitive to suffering.”
The creative endeavors of the contest winners proved that age is no barrier to being pro-life. Joseph Ruggiero, a fifth-grader in St. Joseph School, Toms River, won third place in the grades 3-5 poster contest with his poster depicting people doing good deeds like donating clothes and feeding the hungry.
Gina Rienzo, an eighth-grader in St. Catharine School, Spring Lake, won third place for her video that she made in religion class.
Rienzo said it’s important for eighth-graders to stand up for life because “it teaches a lesson, especially to those younger than us. It sets a good example.”
Father Edward Jawidzik, parochial vicar of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold, stressed pro-lifers should focus very clearly on getting a pro-life constitutional amendment.
Noting how very encouraging it was to see so many people present for the Respect Life Mass and Witness, Father Jawidzik said, “demonstration has always been a big part of American history. I’m sure it does make a difference.” He added that he has heard of surveys that claim 80 percent of those under the age of 30 do not support abortion on demand.
“Those young people are our future judges, supreme court justices and legislators. The future belongs to all those who are pro-life,” he said.
The pro-lifers ended their walk in the parking lot of the Shrewsbury First Aid Squad across the street from the back of Planned Parenthood, then journeyed back to St. Anthony of Padua Parish for a reception in the Rev. Joseph Miele Center across the street from the church where the winners of the contests were honored.
Felicia Mattioli proudly stood by her second place award winning poster that depicted an illustrative family tree with many generations represented.
“I was really excited when I got the letter (saying I won). I was jumping off the walls,” said Mattioli, a sixth-grader in Holy Cross School, Rumson.
Laura Mondesir, a seventh-grader in Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, drew a poster showing how people should support and help others who are going through troubling times.
“If you don’t have a friend to talk to when you’re having problems then you’d be alone,” she said. “We should be there to talk to those who are thinking about abortion.”
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