Respect Life Mass

PATERSON  As a 12-year-old boy, Father Andrew Burns learned the critical lesson that “abortion is personal, because life is personal” thanks to the brave witness of the mother of his middle-school friend, Stan.

Last Saturday, Father Burns, parochial vicar of St. Joseph Parish in Mendham, talked about Stan in his homily for the annual diocesan Respect Life Mass, celebrated by Bishop Serratelli in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist here. In middle school, the future priest was surprised one Sunday to see Stan show up at church for a talk from a woman in her 30s, who had experienced an unplanned pregnancy in college, which led to feelings of tension and isolation. Then, she watched the pro-life movie “The Silent Scream” and, after, prayed tearfully for the courage to keep her baby. At the end of the talk, the woman called up that child — her son, who to Father Burns’ surprise, was Stan. Then, mother and son embraced.

“The moment left a lasting impression on me. Later on, I went through my memories and tried to imagine my life without him. Stan had a name and a face that I knew. This was personal. He wasn’t one of the 40 million millennials aborted, whose names and faces we would never know in this life. What I took away from that talk is that abortion is personal, because life is personal,” Father Burns told the congregation at the Nov. 16 Respect Life Mass.

That morning, Bishop Serratelli 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, including families with children, gathered in prayer and mutual support for protecting all human life, born and unborn. Dignitaries included Dr. Mary Mazzarella, diocesan director of the Office of Respect Life and officials from the state and local Knights of Columbus, among them William Roberts, president of the Paterson Federation of the Knights. The Paterson Federation sponsored the liturgy, chaired by Deacon Anthony Fierro of St. Bonaventure Parish, Paterson.

“We gather together this morning to worship the God of all life and to thank him for the gift of life that he gives to us and our brothers and sisters. We pray for him to strengthen us in our commitment to protect this precious gift,” Bishop Serratelli told worshippers.

In his homily, Father Burns urged the Church not to become complacent in advocating for the Culture of Life in a society that promotes the Culture of Death with the 4,000 children aborted in the U.S. each day, euthanasia, infanticide and physician-assisted suicide. He praised the Church for its many efforts on behalf of life, including help centers, financial aid, medical services, legal advice, places for mothers to live, jobs, education, counseling for families and, if needed, adoption services. After an abortion, the Church brings God’s healing and reconciliation to women, the priest said.

Father Burns also reflected on the vocations of the prophet Jeremiah, proclaimed in the first reading in Jer 1:4-10, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, of the Annunciation story in the second reading of Lk 1:26-38.

“When you approach the altar today, that same glory that touched Jeremiah’s mouth will touch your mouth. Ask him [God] for his words and the gift of prophecy. As you consume the Eucharist, you receive into your body the same Jesus, who was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Ask him to work the impossible task of bearing the God of Life through our culture,” Father Burns said. “And when the Culture of Death threatens, do not be afraid or discouraged. By Jesus’ death, death was destroyed and by his rising, he has restored life. In the end, the Culture of Death does not have the last word, because the Lord of life lives and reigns forever and ever, Amen,” he said.

Toward the conclusion of Mass, Roberts addressed priests and the congregation, thanking Bishop Serratelli for celebrating the Respect Life Mass and organizers and participants, including a Knights’ honor guard.

“We are here because we recognize that, from conception to natural death, life is a treasure. Life is all around us but it is up to us to see it through and respect one another and respect life. Live your life and respect life,” Roberts said.

Then Deacon Fierro thanked the Bishop and participants, while also announcing that he is stepping down, after nine years as chair of the Mass and will help the new as-yet-unnamed chair get acclimated.

“I thank you and appreciate you coming out for Respect Life,” Deacon Fierro said.

In his closing remarks, Bishop Serratelli thanked Father Burns for his “outstanding homily,” organizers and worshippers. He highlighted the attendance of young people of DePaul Catholic High School, Wayne, and St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, Morristown.

“We cannot start too early in speaking about the Culture of Life to our young people,” said the Bishop, noting that many laws passed today deny the values of the Gospel, which include respect for life. “In the future, the Church may very well be smaller, but we will be stronger [to promote life]. Nothing is impossible with God,” he said.

After the Mass, Teresa Haggerty, a DePaul junior, told The Beacon that she attended the liturgy to “show my support against abortion.” Her mother is Valerie Haggerty, a DePaul theology teacher and moderator of the school’s Right to Life Club. Attending the Mass were six members of the club, which attends the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., lobbies lawmakers in support of pro-life legislation and raises awareness of pro-life issues in the DePaul community, she said.

“It’s heartwarming to see so many young people out for the Mass to speak up for life on a Saturday, when they have so many other things to do,” said Valerie Haggerty, mother of four. “Kids are amazed to hear the statistics of how many people of their generation have been lost to abortion. They become more fervent for the cause,” she said.