Catholic Bishops mark Respect Life Sunday with a letter to parishes

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops are marking Respect Life Sunday, 14 October, with a message to its Catholic community on the preciousness and fragility of life.

The Bishops have written a letter to the Catholic community and provided resources to be shared at Masses during the weekend.  In their letter, they express their awareness of the pain and grief felt by those who have gone through the experience of either being unable to have a child or dealing with the death of a child.

“When grief or loss or regret come between a parent and a child - or the hope for a child - we see human nature itself express her pain and anguish.”

This weekend, in the spirit of Pope Francis’ call for a ‘revolution of tenderness’, the Bishops invite parishioners to share their stories and to listen to others who have experienced loss in the hope of encountering afresh God’s healing love.  

“May we continue to build parishes where doors are open and all are made to feel at home.”

Prayers for intercession and a poem was provided among the resources sent to each parish centre.