December 12, 2017

Annual Culture of Life Mass held Dec. 10 at St. Michael’s Cathedral

REGIONAL
Story and photos by David Martin

 

SPRINGFIELD — Massachusetts Knights of Columbus members say they are proud of their involvement in pro-life causes, hope others will join them to have respect for all life, and look forward to a future when they will win the battle to eliminate abortion and assisted suicide.

Many knights from throughout Massachusetts gathered to participate and worship during the annual Culture of Life Mass at St. Michael’s Cathedral in Springfield at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10. Nearly 50 people attended the Mass sponsored by the Massachusetts Knights of Columbus and celebrated by Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski.  

Bishop Rozanski said in his homily that Advent is a season of hope that encourages everyone to be the voices that speak up for the importance of life. He said life is a gift that God has bestowed to his children, just as they are a gift to others and the world by sharing the message of hope and life.

“As we thank God for the gift of life and for the many voices who speak out in the cause of life, remember that, as people of hope, we cannot be anything else but messengers of life itself in our world. This season of Advent, this season of hope, spurs us on to be those voices of life. Jesus calls each one of us to be his witnesses to life, to glory in what he has given to us and be grateful for all that we are,” said Bishop Rozanski.

Paul O’Sullivan, state deputy for the Massachusetts Knights of Columbus and his wife, Susan, brought up the gifts during the Mass. O’Sullivan said he was very grateful to Bishop Rozanski for his generosity of time, particularly during the Advent season, and his homily was very inspiring, so it was a joy for the Knights of Columbus to celebrate this Mass at St. Michael’s Cathedral. 

O’ Sullivan said it is essential for everyone to pray on a daily basis for the preservation of life.

“To pray to God that there will be a greater culture of life and also to give us the faith to know that it is coming, sometimes it is very difficult to remember, but we are going to win. We have to pray to make sure that we can keep the hope of our faith alive, that is why I think it is important,” said O’Sullivan.

William Donovan, Culture of Life director for the Massachusetts Knights of Columbus, said the Knights of Columbus has been the largest pro-life organization in the world. He explained that because of politicians’ present stance in matters of death of the elderly, namely assisted suicide, their motto was changed approximately 14 years ago to Culture of Life Society to protect life from conception until natural death.

Donovan said his organization worldwide has given away more than 850 ultrasound machines and is hoping to reach the number 1,000.

“If you show a woman and her husband or a woman and her boyfriend, that beating heart inside her, we have a strong belief that we’re going to be able to save that baby, and we are doing it every day,” said Donovan.

O’Sullivan said the Mass was the second of four Culture of Life Masses taking place in the state, including two upcoming Masses scheduled in the Fall River Diocese and the Archdiocese of Boston.

Bishop Rozanski posed for photos with Knights of Columbus members after the Mass.

For a video version of this story, tune into an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel” the Diocese of Springfield’s weekly television newsmagazine that airs Saturday evenings  at 7 on WWLP-22 NEWS