‘Ring Out For Life’

ROCKAWAY  The nine Catholic parishes of the Northern Morris Deanery will ring their church bells loud and clear at 3 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, to call attention to a timeless message that our nation still needs to hear — that everyone everywhere must recognize the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death.

Through a new local Respect for Life campaign, named “Ring Out for Life,” the nine parishes of the deanery in the Diocese will peal their bells for a minute on Dec. 8 — a Holy Day of Obligation that celebrates that the Blessed Mother was conceived free from all stain of original sin and from the beginning, she was in a state of grace. Meanwhile, the faithful, who hear the bells, are asked to storm heaven with joint prayers of “Hail Mary.” Together, they will ask Our Mother, the patron of the U.S., for her “intercession for universal recognition of the sanctity of life from conception to natural death — one of the most essential teachings of our faith,” according to the Rockaway Catholic Right to Life Ministry at St. Cecilia Parish here, which originally proposed the campaign.

“ ‘Ring out for Life’ demonstrates our Respect for Life — human life at all stages that’s so important. It’s appropriate that we pray for life on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which honors Mary, the mother of God,” said Father Richard Bay, dean of the Northern Morris Deanery, and pastor of St. Simon Parish, Green Pond, one of the faith communities in the deanery and a campaign participant.

The other participating parishes in the northern part of Morris County are: St. Clement Pope & Martyr, Rockaway Township; Sacred Heart and St. Cecilia, both in Rockaway; St. Bernard, Mount Hope; Our Lady Queen of the Holy Rosary, Sacred Heart and St. Mary, all in Dover; and St. Mary, Denville.

“I think that anything that brings attention to the cause of life — advancing the culture of life and pushing back the advancement of the culture of death — is a good thing,” Father Brendan Murray, pastor of Sacred Heart and Holy Rosary parishes, Dover, said of “Ring out for Life.”

The idea for “Ring out for Life” originated from the Rockaway Catholic Right to Life Ministry. Lyle Ryder, one of the members, told The Beacon that he proposed that faithful throughout the U.S. pray together for life in an effort to “expand the work of the ministry around the country.” The outreach, which includes members from other local parishes, sponsors prayer and advocacy activities, such as the recent Pro-Life Community Evening on Oct. 13 at St. Cecilia’s that welcomed speakers Christine Flaherty, executive director of LIFENET, which promotes Respect for Life and the virtue of chastity, and Christopher Bell, co-founder of Good Council Homes, dedicated to the care of single mothers.

After Ryder proposed the idea of nationwide prayers for Respect Life, Carol McGotty, another ministry member, suggested that parishes ring their church bells. Then, the ministry assembled information about the possible campaign to send to Bishop Serratelli, who in turn, suggested that the parishes of their deanery carry out “Ring out the Bells.” Father Zig Peplowski, pastor of St. Cecilia’s and Sacred Heart, proposed the idea to the parishes of the deanery, which agreed to participate, Ryder said.

“The ‘Hail Mary’ and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception go hand in hand. I feel strongly in the power of prayer — more people praying at the same time to show the Lord that we have a feeling of Right to Life, so he can help protect life in the womb from terroristic acts,” Ryder said.

Meanwhile, among the many other celebrations of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception includes an event to honor Our Lady on Dec. 8 at Immaculate Conception Church, Franklin. All active and auxiliary Legionaries are invited to participate in praying the rosary at 6:30 before 7 p.m. Mass, which Father Boguslaw Kobus, Immaculate Conception’s pastor, will celebrate. Mass will be followed by veneration of the Immaculate Conception image, blessed by Pope Francis and borrowed from the Knights of Columbus, which Father Kobus will cense. Then, refreshments will be served in the Lyceum, said Jenny Murphy, vice president of the curia, which includes Sussex County.

“We will come together and join our prayers of thanksgiving for the great glory of God in preparing Mary to be the Mother of Jesus,” said Murphy, adding that the curia celebrates the feast days of the Blessed Mother on the Church calendar. “We [curia members] are all consecrated to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We get to know the Blessed Mother, who brings people to Jesus. She wants us to raise a prayer army to bring people Jesus,” she said.