My dear brothers
and sisters in Christ:
In Chapter 10, verse 10, of the Gospel of St. John, we read these most encouraging words of Jesus Christ: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Amid all the heartaches, struggles and tensions that are a part of each life, every person has the comfort and consolation of knowing that Jesus constantly invites us to union with Him in the Most Holy Eucharist, elevating our daily lives to a transcendent, intimate relationship with Him. It is this relationship with Jesus that makes the beauty of human life, which God the Father created in His image and likeness, sacred in nature in every time and in every place, from the moment of conception until natural death. In his profound teaching on human life, the saintly Pontiff John Paul II wrote:
“Man is called to a fullness of life which far exceeds the dimensions of his earthly existence, because it consists in sharing the very life of God. The loftiness of this supernatural vocation reveals the greatness and the inestimable value of human life even in its temporal phase. Life in time, in fact, is the fundamental condition, the initial stage and an integral part of the entire unified process of human existence. It is a process which, unexpectedly and undeservedly, is enlightened by the promise and renewed by the gift of divine life, which will reach its full realization in eternity (cf. 1 Jn 3:1-2). At the same time, it is precisely this supernatural calling which highlights the relative character of each individual’s earthly life. After all, life on earth is not an ‘ultimate’ but a ‘penultimate’ reality; even so, it remains a sacred reality entrusted to us, to be preserved with a sense of responsibility and brought to perfection in love and in the gift of ourselves to God and to our brothers and sisters” (Evangelium Vitae, March 25, 1995, paragraph 2).
Continuing the Church’s strong pro-life stance, Pope Benedict XVI, of beloved memory, addressed these words to the members of Italy’s pro-life movement on May 12, 2008:
“It is necessary to witness concretely that respect for life is the first form of justice to apply. For those who have the gift of faith this becomes a mandatory imperative, because the disciple of Christ is called to be increasingly a ‘prophet’ of a truth that can never be eliminated: God alone is the Lord of life. Every person is known and loved, wanted and guided by him. Here alone lies the deepest and greatest unity of humanity: in the fact that every human being puts into practice God’s one plan, originates in God’s same creative idea. One thus understands why the Bible says: whoever profanes man, profanes the property of God (cf. Gn 9: 5).”
The tragedy that befalls us is when this life is scarred by violence, hatred, prejudices and grave acts of inhumanity. The sanctity of life is wounded each time a person denigrates the worth of another person, especially the precious, innocent child in the womb, the sick and the disabled, the aged made to believe that they are burdens upon society. At the same time, we must be forever mindful of those in troubled or unexpected pregnancies. They must find in the church a caring home, the help and assistance they need to welcome their children, to never feel abandoned or isolated. Kindness, charity and understanding must be united in one voice of support. This also must be said to all who seek the church’s assistance especially through our charitable agencies and the good works of our parishes: the poor, the immigrant, the lonely and forgotten, any who need the hand of the Good Shepherd. As the child is loved, so must all peoples be loved. These persons are not burdens upon society, but rather sisters and brothers giving us the opportunity to be their Simon of Cyrene as we help them carry their crosses.
So it is that every October we observe Respect Life Month to proclaim in charity and in truth that all life is sacred from the time we are formed in our mothers’ wombs until God calls us home according to His will. In his homily on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15, 2025, Pope Leo XIV delivered this beautiful message:
“Brothers and sisters, when in this life we “choose life” (Dt 30:19), we are right to see in Mary, assumed into heaven, our own destiny. She is given to us as the sign that the Resurrection of Jesus was no isolated event, no mere exception. In Christ, we, too, can “swallow up death” (cf. 1 Cor 15:54). To be sure, it is God’s work, not ours. Yet Mary is that wondrous union of grace and freedom, which urges each of us to have trust, courage and participation in the life of God’s people. “He who is mighty has done great things for me” (Lk 1:49): may each of us know this joy and proclaim it with a new song. Let us not be afraid to choose life! It may seem risky and imprudent. Many voices whisper: “Why bother? Let it go. Think of your own interests.” These are voices of death. But we are disciples of Christ. It is his love that drives us — soul and body — in our time. As individuals and as the Church, we no longer live for ourselves. This — and only this — spreads life and lets life prevail. Our victory over death begins here and now.”
Mary’s acceptance of the child conceived in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit rightly joins this Respect Life Month to celebrating also the Month of the Most Holy Rosary. As I have written previously, the mysteries of the rosary weave together Mary’s life and the life of her Son, Jesus Christ. With each passing year, Mary’s life becomes one with her Son’s life; so much so that at Golgotha, His sufferings are her sufferings; His forgiveness of those who have led Him to His cross is her own act of mercy toward her Son’s executioners. The courage of the crucified One is the courage of Mary. St. Ambrose writes of her: “His mother stood before the Cross, and, while the men fled, she remained undaunted… She did not fear the torturers… His Mother offered herself to his persecutors” (De institutione virginis).
Golgotha sadly is relived again and again, and the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary become the lives of so many suffering sisters and brothers whose lives have been lost in war; violence on our own city streets’ attacks upon our innocent people, children and young adults in schools, colleges, universities and special events. The woman who stood beneath the cross, now, with a mother’s love, stands with us and intercedes on our behalf before her Son, beseeching Him that we may “have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Mary’s love for the life of her Son is the very same love she has for every person, who is God’s noblest creation, every person is His child. As Mary did not flee the scandal of Calvary, we cannot flee from our responsibility to create a culture of life. To be pro-life does mean at times to embark upon a road less travelled, to speak with the humility of Jesus and the humility of His mother.
In his post-synodal exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis, of beloved memory, emphasized the magnificence of every human life, beginning with the child received into the world by loving parents:
“Children, once born, begin to receive, along with nourishment and care, the spiritual gift of knowing with certainty that they are loved. This love is shown to them through the gift of their personal name, the sharing of language, looks of love and the brightness of a smile. In this way, they learn that the beauty of human relationships touches our soul, seeks our freedom, accepts the difference of others, recognizes and respects them as a partner in dialogue… Such is love, and it contains a spark of God’s love!” (paragraph 172).
This unconditional love for the child begins at the moment of conception. With unambiguous clarity, in the same post-synodal exhortation, Pope Francis upheld the right to life of every child in his or her conception: “… if the family is the sanctuary of life, the place where life is conceived and cared for, it is a horrendous contradiction when it becomes a place where life is rejected and destroyed” (paragraph 83). And this protection of God’s gift of life is extended throughout the entire spectrum of human existence; for again our Holy Father stressed that: “The family protects human life in all its stages, including its last” (ibid.) Yes, “including its last!” At times the end of life can be so painful, not just physically, but spiritually and emotionally. When upon coming to life’s end, a person believes no one cares, there will be no memory of who they were, nor will they be remembered in prayer. We cannot allow this sadness to prevail. Our elderly must be revered and loved, and told again and again that their names have been inscribed in the heart of Christ. In faith they can never be alone because Jesus is forever present.
It is truly baffling, and yes, heartbreaking, that the need for Jesus Christ and the acknowledgement of His gift of life have yet to reach all leaders of governments and nations. Upholding life in all its stages presents the opportunity to return to society its heart and soul, its very essence: the human person. This is a duty from which we should never withdraw. Like Mary, we, too, say: “Thy will be done,” and allow the Lord to work through us in our mission to proclaim the dignity of every person! In his homily of May 18, 2025, for the Mass celebrating the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV emphasized our need for placing Christ at the center of all we do:
“We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: Look to Christ! Come closer to him! Welcome his word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: in the one Christ, we are one. This is the path to follow together, among ourselves but also with our sister Christian churches, with those who follow other religious paths, with those who are searching for God, with all women and men of good will, in order to build a new world where peace reigns!”
My sisters and brothers, how many wars can we survive, how many terrorists’ attacks and threats to our children must we endure, how many more violent outbursts claiming lives can we tolerate? How long will the Truth of the Gospel and those who proclaim it be intimidated, threatened and even die? Enough is enough!
How very true the words penned by Pope St. John XXIII in his April 11, 1963 encyclical letter, Pacem in Terris:
“The world will never be the dwelling place of peace, till peace has found a home in the heart of each and every man, till every man preserves in himself the order ordained by God to be preserved. That is why St. Augustine asks the question: “Does your mind desire the strength to gain the mastery over your passions? Let it submit to a greater power, and it will conquer all beneath it. And peace will be in you—true, sure, most ordered peace. What is that order? God as ruler of the mind; the mind as ruler of the body. Nothing could be more orderly” (paragraph 165).
In youth, there usually has been enthusiasm, adventure, resilience and a true zest for life. But now in contemporary times we are dousing these positive youthful beginnings of life with continuous, irrational tragedies surrounded by an environment in which violence has become commonplace. As a diocesan family let us: Pray for Peace, Pray for a Culture of Life, especially for our Youth, Pray the Rosary! Mary Queen of Peace, Pray for Us!
Invoking the intercession of Mary, Our Mother, and St. John Fisher, our diocesan patron, assuring you of my prayers and begging a remembrance in your good prayers, I remain
Sincerely yours in Christ,
The Most Reverend
Salvatore R. Matano
Bishop of Rochester
