Bishop blesses Monument to Unborn at Willingboro parish

October 24, 2023 at 9:09 a.m.
Bishop O'Connell is shown with Father John Testa and the altar servers from Corpus Christi Parish, Willingboro, where the Bishop celebrated Mass Oct. 22 and then blessed a respect life monument that's located on the parish grounds. Ron Maniglia photo
Bishop O'Connell is shown with Father John Testa and the altar servers from Corpus Christi Parish, Willingboro, where the Bishop celebrated Mass Oct. 22 and then blessed a respect life monument that's located on the parish grounds. Ron Maniglia photo (ronald maniglia)

By MARY STADNYK
Associate Editor

On the grounds of Corpus Christi Parish is a newly blessed monument dedicated to the many thousands of lives that have been lost to abortion while serving as a pointed reminder to all that all life is sacred — from the moment of conception until natural death.

Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., visited the Willingboro parish community during Respect Life Month. He celebrated Mass Oct. 22, then blessed the stone monument depicting an image of St. Joseph, who is holding the Christ Child on one arm and holding lilies in his other hand. Engraved below the image is the phrase, “In memory of the unborn children.”

Father John Testa, pastor, said the Monument to the Unborn was given as a gift to the parish by the former Sacred Heart Council, Knights of Columbus, which ceased operations earlier this year because of declining membership.

“The monument needed a new home, and we are happy to provide that on our campus,” said Father Testa, extending appreciation for facilitating the monument’s transfer to Butch Paramore, the council’s past Grand Knight, who also serves as an usher in the parish.

“This monument is erected to the memory of those innocents who have died unjustly, whose lives were taken from them while they grew silently in their mother's wombs,” he said.

PHOTO GALLERY: Bishop blesses monument to  unborn in Willingboro parish

Paramore, who is a Fourth Degree Knight and is now a member of the neighboring Delran council, said the Sacred Heart council members purchased the monument about 10 years ago as a way to pay tribute to all human life and as a way to honor the loved ones of members who have died.

The council, Paramore noted, had been very active in respect life works, including raising funds for 1st Way of Burlington County, a pregnancy resource center; hosting a Christmas party at a local facility for senior citizens; and a dance for people with disabilities. He said he was pleased that while the Sacred Heart Council has disbanded, most members have joined other neighboring councils and are able to continue works that promote respect for life.

“It’s an honor to have the Bishop visit Corpus Christi and bless the monument,” Paramore said.

In his homily during Mass, Bishop O’Connell shared a respect life message while preaching on the day’s familiar Gospel, “Paying Taxes to the Emperor,” and its familiar passage, “repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

He pointed out that Jesus’ words had nothing at all to do with taxes but “has everything to do with how we live our lives.”

“We can give Caesar his due. We can understand the role of government in our lives, but when government calls us to overlook what is due to God — life — then we have cause to pause and consider how we should act,” said Bishop O’Connell.

“When government forgets that we are all children of God and asks us to overlook the dignity of being marked by God, when law carelessly pushes aside the sacredness of life as the great gift of God, then allegiance to Cesar is in conflict with our allegiance to God,” the Bishop said.

Bishop O’Connell emphasized that the day’s Gospel “reminds each of us that while government has a right to and just place in our lives, it can never cause us to fail to respect the profound truth that each and every one of us is marked by God and, therefore, belong to God and not to the government.”



Shown is the Monument to the Unborn on the grounds of Corpus Christi Parish, Willingboro, that was blessed by Bishop O'Connell Oct. 22. Ron Maniglia photo

 




Related Stories

On the grounds of Corpus Christi Parish is a newly blessed monument dedicated to the many thousands of lives that have been lost to abortion while serving as a pointed reminder to all that all life is sacred — from the moment of conception until natural death.

Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., visited the Willingboro parish community during Respect Life Month. He celebrated Mass Oct. 22, then blessed the stone monument depicting an image of St. Joseph, who is holding the Christ Child on one arm and holding lilies in his other hand. Engraved below the image is the phrase, “In memory of the unborn children.”

Father John Testa, pastor, said the Monument to the Unborn was given as a gift to the parish by the former Sacred Heart Council, Knights of Columbus, which ceased operations earlier this year because of declining membership.

“The monument needed a new home, and we are happy to provide that on our campus,” said Father Testa, extending appreciation for facilitating the monument’s transfer to Butch Paramore, the council’s past Grand Knight, who also serves as an usher in the parish.

“This monument is erected to the memory of those innocents who have died unjustly, whose lives were taken from them while they grew silently in their mother's wombs,” he said.

PHOTO GALLERY: Bishop blesses monument to  unborn in Willingboro parish

Paramore, who is a Fourth Degree Knight and is now a member of the neighboring Delran council, said the Sacred Heart council members purchased the monument about 10 years ago as a way to pay tribute to all human life and as a way to honor the loved ones of members who have died.

The council, Paramore noted, had been very active in respect life works, including raising funds for 1st Way of Burlington County, a pregnancy resource center; hosting a Christmas party at a local facility for senior citizens; and a dance for people with disabilities. He said he was pleased that while the Sacred Heart Council has disbanded, most members have joined other neighboring councils and are able to continue works that promote respect for life.

“It’s an honor to have the Bishop visit Corpus Christi and bless the monument,” Paramore said.

In his homily during Mass, Bishop O’Connell shared a respect life message while preaching on the day’s familiar Gospel, “Paying Taxes to the Emperor,” and its familiar passage, “repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

He pointed out that Jesus’ words had nothing at all to do with taxes but “has everything to do with how we live our lives.”

“We can give Caesar his due. We can understand the role of government in our lives, but when government calls us to overlook what is due to God — life — then we have cause to pause and consider how we should act,” said Bishop O’Connell.

“When government forgets that we are all children of God and asks us to overlook the dignity of being marked by God, when law carelessly pushes aside the sacredness of life as the great gift of God, then allegiance to Cesar is in conflict with our allegiance to God,” the Bishop said.

Bishop O’Connell emphasized that the day’s Gospel “reminds each of us that while government has a right to and just place in our lives, it can never cause us to fail to respect the profound truth that each and every one of us is marked by God and, therefore, belong to God and not to the government.”



Shown is the Monument to the Unborn on the grounds of Corpus Christi Parish, Willingboro, that was blessed by Bishop O'Connell Oct. 22. Ron Maniglia photo

 



Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092

e-Edition


e-edition

Sign up


for our email newsletters

Weekly Top Stories

Sign up to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every Sunday

Daily Updates & Breaking News Alerts

Sign up to get our daily updates and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox daily

Latest Stories


Prepare the way of the Lord: reflections on the season of Advent
The word “advent” comes from the Latin term adventus, literally meaning “coming to.”

CCHD grant recipients will assist with education, work skills, budgeting
Responding to needs of social service agencies in the Diocese of Trenton ...

Caritas Georgia head: 'We are being torn apart' amid political upheaval, protests
The head of a Catholic humanitarian agency told OSV News the nation ...

Faith, hope 'work miracles,' Pope tells people of Nicaragua ahead of Immaculate Conception
In a moving letter, Pope Francis expressed his closeness ...

Notre Dame shines bright as French president visits days before the 'grande réouverture'
The world was left stunned when the first images of the rebuilt Notre Dame ...


The Evangelist, 40 North Main Ave., Albany, NY, 12203-1422 | PHONE: 518-453-6688| FAX: 518-453-8448
© 2024 Trenton Monitor, All Rights Reserved.