CATHOLICS should “not pick and choose what we want (from what the Church teaches)” but listen to the Church’s teaching, “especially about human life”, Archbishop John Bathersby of Brisbane has said in his Advent pastoral message to the archdiocese.
Archbishop Bathersby’s message came as Pope Benedict XVI called Catholics around the world to participate in a prayer vigil, Nascent Human Life, for unborn babies on the eve of the first Sunday of Advent, November 27.
The Pope was to celebrate the vigil in St Peter’s Basilica.
The archbishop has thrown his support behind the Pope by sending out a request to parishes throughout the archdiocese to participate in the prayer vigil.
In his Advent pastoral message for 2010, Archbishop Bathersby warns of the dangers posed to society by the current attitude to human life.
“Once human life is considered merely something that can be accepted or rejected depending on our own comfort, there is nothing to stop violence from being directed not only at the innocent beginning of human life, but also at children and old people, which we see all too often in our media and movies,” he said.
The archbishop also highlighted recent pro-life comments made by Pope Benedict while visiting the United Kingdom and Spain.
“Recently on a visit to Scotland and England the Pope warned us about the evils that are present in a godless society,” he said.
“He warned us again in Spain about the evil of abortion despite the dignity of each and every person.”
Catholics must be determined to protect life at every level “instead of casually accepting attacks on life through abortion, surrogacy, the use of embryonic stem cells and the promotion of euthanasia, all for our own selfish benefit”, Archbishop Bathesby said.
“Once again it is time for Catholics to listen to the Church’s teaching, especially about human life, which is the very centre of our lives, not picking and choosing what we want, but what God wants and the Church does too.
“Sadly too many of us are ready to follow the world and forget what God and Jesus Christ want.”
Archbishop Bathersby, in his conclusion to the pastoral letter said, “During Advent all of us need to reach out to Jesus who entered this world as a child in a manger.
“Surely in this season of Advent we can recognise His entry and walk in His footsteps, just as our brand new saint, Mary MacKillop, walked in His footsteps to make Jesus and His vision the very centre her life, and ours also.”
Pope Benedict’s call to Catholics around the world to join a prayer vigil for unborn babies was made after midday Angelus in St Peter’s Square on November 14.
“The season of preparation for Christmas is an appropriate time for invoking divine protection over every human being called into existence and for thanking God for the gift of life we received from our parents,” the Pope said.
The Vigil, Nascent Human Life, will include prayers for the overturning of laws that permit the destruction of innocent lives, and for the healing of those who have acted against innocent human life.
The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments and the Pontifical Council for the Family collaborated in creating an outline for the vigil.
Resources for parishes, organisations and individuals wishing to take part in the vigil are available at http://www.usccb.org/prolife/papalvigil/index.shtml
See CENTREPOINT, Page 9, for Archbishop Bathersby’s Advent Pastoral Letter
