Letter from the Pastor
-
October 3, 2021The first Sunday in October is always Respect Life Sunday. It is a Sunday set aside by our bishops to emphasize that we as a country are called to respect all human life, especially the unborn.
Once again this year from 2:00-3:30PM on the corner of Rte. 59 and Middletown Road, the 29th Annual Rockland County Life Chain will take place. It is a silent witness to the sanctity of human life, most particularly the life of the unborn. I encourage you and your family to participate by simply standing there and be a Living Witness to Life.
For 49 years, and countless of innocents being killed, abortion has been legal in our country. There is now a real push to “codify” Roe v. Wade, which would mean passing a law through Congress that would affirm a pregnant woman’s “right” to an abortion without undue interference from state or local laws. We are now seeing in certain States the protection of the unborn and the challenge to Roe v. Wade.
We are also seeing great dishonesty, false claims, downright lies in the defense of abortion. We see how the discussion leaves “science” very quickly, and goes right to an emotional level, claims of rape and incest being the reason to allow abortion. What is interesting is that less than 1% of reasons given for abortion are rape, and less than ½ % for incest (Guttmacher Institute), while 74% of abortions are simply that the child is not wanted.
Abortion has always been and will always be the scourge and embarrassment of our country. And once again the fight for life is very real. The topic of abortion will always deeply divide our country, which is certainly the sign that there is something terribly wrong and evil about it. After 49 years, one would think it would settle down, but it hasn’t and never will.
Sadly, our President is not only pro-choice, he is pro-abortion, and there is a grave difference. We have to pray for him and the other politicians who have abandoned the truth of science, reason and God, for political expediency. As Catholics we must stand together and fight for the life of the unborn, as Catholic people we can’t be anything else but pro-life. It is the fundamental social problem we face as a nation. One can argue many of our social ills come down to this sin of abortion. Why? If and when we don’t respect the life of the most vulnerable among us, the most innocent of us, then none of us have the security or protection of life.
Unwanted or unexpected pregnancy can be a difficulty, and not to be dismissed but many think the quick solution is death, but the child is innocent, and death is never a solution to a problem.
Our Nation will never be at peace, until the day abortion is outlawed, until the day we realize that abortion is never a solution. Not that it will ever happen, but I just wish people would be honest enough to call a thing as it is. Once we all agree and admit to one another that we as a country are encouraging the “right to murder” then perhaps things will change. Until then, let us pray and offer penance for the lost and confused.
Blessing of our Choir
Why do we sing? St. Augustine wrote, “Singing is for one who loves.” There is also the ancient proverb: “Whoever sings well prays twice.” Generally people like to sing, the singing voice is the body’s musical instrument. Singing has always been an important part of the worship of God.
Great importance is attached to the use of singing in the celebration of the Mass. The Sacred Music used at Mass is to be different than what is heard in the world. Since ancient times, chanting is common among all religions. Therefore, the uniquely Catholic Gregorian chant holds pride of place musically in the Mass. The role of music is to serve the needs of the Liturgy, to lead us in sung prayer, never to dominate, or entertain, or draw attention to itself or the musicians. Mass is never to be a concert. The over amplification and the impression of a performance are two things that must be always avoided.
Sacred music unites us in the prayer, and must be conducive to praying the Mass. Sacred Music needs to be marked by expressive beauty.
So we thank our Choir and encourage our parishioners, if you like to sing, consider joining the choir, talk to Mark our Music Director after any Mass. And we thank the Choir for their ministry.
