Father Stephen's Weekly Message

Continuing our reflection during this Respect Life month, let us focus on yet another area that we often don’t readily associate with being a threat to life: violence. Violence to persons, whether it be from war or terrorism, gang or drug related violence, mass shootings in schools, workplaces or shopping venues, or domestic violence, threatens the gift of life. Often such violence begins with a lack of respect for one’s self on the part of the perpetrator. If I don’t value my own life, how can I value the lives of others? Having a healthy self-image and self-respect goes a long way in decreasing potential violence against another. Click the title to read more.

In last weekend’s column, I mentioned October as being “Respect Life” month and noted that the protection of life in the womb is foundational to all other rights we have as human persons. Once a person is born though, he or she becomes vulnerable to other threats against his or her life. As we progress through this Respect Life month, I’d like to focus on some additional threats to life besides abortion that we may not always think of, so that we might be attentive to them as we seek to respect and protect all life from womb to tomb. Click the title to read more.

The month of October brings two important Catholic themes to our attention. It is the month of the Rosary and Respect Life month. October 7th is the traditional day which honors Our Lady of the Rosary. Click the title to read more.

When I was young, my mother often used the phrase tempus fugit “time flies”. It is a phrase that is so true, and as I have discovered becomes even more true as we age. In just a few days, I will have been with you here at St. Mary’s for three months already! Where has the time gone? I thought I’d use this marker of time as an occasion to provide a little update on things since my arrival on July 1st.    Click the title to read the full message.