Respect Life Mass

Bishop urges faithful to bring God’s Word as truth to relativistic culture

PARSIPPANY   The rules and laws of nature and science make no room for tolerances in fields such as chemistry with its precise formulas and mechanics with its exacting measurements. Likewise, we must seek to change the hearts and minds of people in a society that has grown more tolerant of the “culture of death” — and its promotion of the evils of abortion, doctor-assisted suicide and euthanasia — which defy God’s truth, natural laws and plans for our lives.

That’s what Bishop Serratelli told the faithful of the Paterson Diocese, who filled St. Ann Church here Nov. 7 for the annual Respect Life Mass, sponsored by the Paterson Federation of the Knights of Columbus. The Bishop was the main celebrant and homilist of the 10 a.m. liturgy — formally known as the Mass for the Unborn — where local clergy, religious and laity came together in prayer and mutual support for protecting all human life, born and unborn.

“God says to each of us today, ‘Thou shall not kill,’ Taking innocent lives destroys society itself,” said Bishop Serratelli during his homily. “The Creator actually has a plan for our well-being. He has gradually been revealing that plan by His Word. Only in God’s Word is there truth. The Gospels are the ultimate source of what is good, right and holy in God’s eyes. It is only by living out that Word in our lives and bringing God’s Word to those, who are morally confused, that the truth will be able to set all of us free to enjoy the precious gift of life,” he said.

The Lord’s truth will help guide our moral actions through the confusion brought about by a relativistic culture that “tells us that everybody’s truth is equal and, therefore, everyone of us has to be tolerant,” said Bishop Serratelli during the Mass, concelebrated by many priests of the diocese.

“Tolerance has become the moral standard of the actions of society today and tolerance is a very faulty standard. Some people tell us — our political leaders, the elites in the universities and, at times, some within our Church — to tolerate abortion, euthanasia, doctor-assisted suicide, same-sex marriage and cohabitation,” Bishop Serratelli said. “The result of not accepting God’s Word as truth has been the death of innocent children, the breakdown of family life, the devaluation of the human person and disappearance of compassion and true charity.”

During the Respect Life Mass, chaired by Deacon Anthony Fierro of St. Bonaventure Parish, Paterson, those in attendance prayed intentions for all humans born and unborn. The liturgy represented the commitment of the Knights, the largest Catholic fraternal service organization, to pro-life issues. The faithful also included many deacons, religious sisters and laity, including families with children. Dignitaries included Bruce DeMolli, state deputy of the Knights from Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls; Tom Ciborski, fraternal trainer from the Knights’ Supreme Office in Connecticut; and Dr. Mary Mazzarella, diocesan director of the Office of Respect Life.

After the Mass, Joseph Miller, chairman of the Paterson Federation, thanked Bishop Serratelli, concelebrating priests, assisting deacons and the faithful in attendance in their efforts to “honor human life in all of its forms from conception to natural death.” Afterward, congregants walked to the nearby parish hall for a light reception.

The prayers offered during the Mass and Bishop Serratelli’s insights during his homily resonated with participating faithful. At the reception, Wilfred Lara of St. Gerard Parish, Paterson, sat with his family, which includes his wife, Liz, and their children: 16-year-old Jonathan and 12-year-old Isabella.

“I want to teach my children about the gift of life, which is being taken for granted,” Lara said. “I like when Bishop Serratelli talked about the way we live today — following some rules, but not other rules, like Respect for Life. I found that interesting, because I work in the field of semiconductors, where we have no tolerances and have to be exact in our measurements to what the customer wants,” he said.

During the reception, Miller, a parishioner of Our Lady Queen of Peace in the Hewitt section of West Milford told The Beacon that Bishop Serratelli asked that the annual liturgy of the Mass be changed to Respect Life Mass, because “he wanted to promote respect for all life, born and unborn.” Miller added, “We are concerned about everybody.”

Fervently committed to the cause of Respect for Life, the Knights — who also provided a honor guard that morning — engage in many endeavors to help stop abortion, such as providing for ultrasound machines in medical offices. They also lead initiatives that support life as lived now, such as fund drives for mentally challenged and people with Alzheimer’s disease and programs for children, such as sports and essay contests, Miller said.

Also at the reception was Deacon Fierro, a past grand Knight, who has organized the annual Respect Life Mass for six years. He thanked Bishop Serratelli, St. Ann’s, the priests and deacons, state and federation officers, his brother Knights, the Parsippany Council of the Knights that handled the refreshments and everyone who attended for their support.

“It’s humbling to have Bishop Serratelli here to celebrate the Mass. He expresses a deep value and respect for life, which I personally hold dear to my heart,” Deacon Fierro said.

At the conclusion of Mass, Bishop Serratelli thanked the Knights and participating priests and deacons, especially, Deacon Fierro, and issued to the congregation a challenge on behalf of Respect Life.

“It’s important to keep respect for life in all its forms. St. John Paul II spoke so strongly about the ‘culture of death’ that has been overtaking out modern civilization,” Bishop Serratelli said. “It will only be stopped and the great joy of human life that God gives us will be enjoyed only when we are faithful to what God asks of us and, without fear, speak the truth of our lives.”