Bishop Urges Diocesan Faithful To Respect And Defend All Human Life

“In all its phases and at every age, human life is always sacred and always of quality; and not as a matter of faith, but of reason and science.” – Pope Francis

Bishop Charles C. Thompson concelebrated Mass with several diocesan priests on Oct. 10 as part of the annual Respect Life Celebration. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops designated October as Respect Life Month, and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Evansville organized and hosted the celebration, which also included dinner and a presentation by Dr. Joseph C. Atkinson following Mass. 

Bishop Thompson began his homily with the comment above from the Holy Father. He reminded those in attendance that Catholics’ persistence in upholding the sacredness of life and dignity of the human person far pre-dates the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion in the U.S.

“Catholic social teaching outlines the focus of our mission in what it means to authentically respect life,” he said. “As part of the ‘Catholic Both/And’ ethos of our witness, true respect and defense of life must consistently seek to preserve all aspects of life and creation as created in the image of God.”

Bishop Thompson went on to note that the level of persistence in defending life demanded by Catholic social teaching inevitably asks the faithful to be willing to sacrifice – and even suffer – for what is right and just. “It demands justice tempered with mercy,” he added, “Courage balanced with compassion, rights weighed in the context of responsibility and truth in the spirit of charity.”

He also challenged those at Mass to embrace the concept of New Evangelization that calls for our own conversion. “We cannot give to others what we do not have,” he noted – asking all to never grow weary of seeking Christ in others, and in doing so remain persistent in the defense of life and human dignity.