'The Gospel of Love'

Hundreds take part in Respect Life Sunday Mass and annual Life Chain

St. Rose of Lima parishioner Michael Dotson of Franklin holds a red and white pro-life sign supporting mothers that are experiencing crisis pregnancies during the Central Indiana Life Chain on Oct. 7 along North Meridian Street in Indianapolis. (Photo by Mary Ann Garber)

By Mary Ann Garber

Faith and love inspire us to help others, Father Stephen Giannini said in his homily for the archdiocesan Respect Life Sunday Mass on Oct. 7 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis.

And faith and love will help us end the culture of death in contemporary society, he said, through our dedication to pro-life prayers and service.

“You have accepted the kingdom of God like a child, an acceptance that is rooted, is founded, is anchored in love,” Father Giannini said. “The Lord embraces you and blesses you for your faithfulness to the Gospel of Love, the Gospel of Life.”

Father Giannini, vicar for clergy and parish life coordinators, formation and personnel, represented Bishop Christopher J. Coyne, apostolic administrator, as the principal celebrant of the archdiocesan pro-life liturgy.

“Each one of us … respects all human life,” Father Giannini said, “for God created us in his own image, and everyone is known to be precious and holy.

“We might have a special calling—a special place in our hearts—for babies in their mothers’ wombs or for the elderly or for those in prison or for refugees,” he said. “… But no matter whom we are or for whom we hold in a special place in our hearts, we love, we love all, for the Lord embraces all and blesses all who come to him.”

Sadly, Father Giannini said, some people—perhaps because of fear or hate or ignorance—do not love others who are innocent and vulnerable.

“Some of our sisters and brothers do not see how precious a child is in the womb,” he said, “how precious someone is who is ill, how precious are those who are imprisoned, how precious are those who are near the end of earthly life [and] awaiting the new life to come, how precious is every single human being to our God who is Love, our God who loves deeply and perfectly each one he has created in his own image.

“Empowered by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, a Trinity of love, so we love,” Father Giannini said. “There can be no other response than love. If we are to love the innocent, then we must love the guilty. It is God’s way. It is our way.”

At the conclusion of the Respect Life Sunday Mass, the archdiocese honored Our Lady of Perpetual Help parishioner Sandra Bierly of New Albany with the Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara Respect for Life Award and St. Michael parishioner Patrick Stutz of Greenfield with the Our Lady of Guadalupe Pro-Life Youth Award for their distinguished service to the cause of life.

“Today we honor Sandra Bierly and Patrick Stutz,” Father Giannini told more than 700 pro-life supporters who filled the cathedral.

“Those of you who know them know of their works and prayers in so many different ways,” he said. “… We honor them, yes, for what they have done, but most importantly for their love. Thank you, Sandra and Patrick, and all of you sisters and brothers whose love of the innocent and vulnerable—and the guilty and fearful—have drawn you to act … in God’s love.”

After the liturgy, Bierly, who is a retired teacher, said the Church’s international Year of Faith is a wonderful time for Catholics to renew their commitment to helping protect the sanctity and dignity of all human life from conception to natural death.

“People have to get back to the basics and realize that our life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are at stake,” she said. “If those become askew in any way, if we put life last or not at all, our whole country, our freedom, everything we have is at stake. We have to put life first.”

Patrick thanked Paula Richey, St. Michael’s youth ministry coordinator, for nominating him, and his family for raising him in the faith.

“I really appreciate all the support from my parish,” he said. “I feel very fortunate to have grown up in a [parish] community and family that appreciate life, and taught me that what is important is respecting human life.”

His father, John Stutz, said he is proud that Patrick “has taken the faith as his own.”

John and Michelle Stutz began teaching Natural Family Plannning classes in 2003, he said, which led them to participate in pro-life activities with their four children.

Following the Mass and awards ceremony, pro-life supporters joined the Central Indiana Life Chain, an ecumenical, one-hour prayer vigil along North Meridian Street in Indianapolis.

Father Paul Landwerlen, administrator of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Shelby County, took up his annual post near the cathedral and prayed the rosary while holding an “Abortion kills children” sign.

“We all need to get more involved and not give up,” Father Landwerlen said. “… I think we are accomplishing things.”

St. Mark the Evangelist parishioner William Sherman of Indianapolis, commander of the Bishop Chatard Assembly #427 of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, and other knights joined local members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Order of Malta and Knights of St. John for the Mass.

“This is part of our mission,” Sherman said after the Mass. “We primarily serve the Church on pro-life and other efforts that defend First Amendment rights. We feel strongly that life needs to be preserved from conception, and we do not mince words. … The knights take their faith very seriously, and take their beliefs out into the community.” †