Last night, we had an amazing 3rd Annual Pro-Life Dinner! This year, we focused on the reality of Human Trafficking in our world and in our community of Savannah-Chatham County. The evil of slavery still abounds today. Tragically, lives are destroyed and damaged.
Jose Gonzalez, President of Savanah Working Against Human Trafficking (SWAHT), came to be with us to give us his experience and tell us about his work and how we can assist.
We, as Christians, must stand up for the dignity of human life at every stage of existence! Being Pro-Life does not mean simply being anti-abortion or against the death penalty. It means being for Natural Family Planning, assisting young women in crisis pregnancies, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving drink to the thirsty, helping the migrant workers in our diocese, supporting and volunteering at the Social Apostolate, caring for the elderly and sick, visiting those in prison, etc…. As Catholics we build a culture of life from beginning to end. Our God is a God of the living and he wants every one of His children to live an abundant life!
October is a month dedicated to promoting the dignity of life. This is why we host this Annual Dinner. We want to raise awareness of all the different facets of the Catholic teaching on the dignity of Human Life. If you were unable to attend, please mark your calendars for next year – the first Saturday of October!
Our Lady of the Rosary
On Wednesday, October 7th, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. This feast, formerly called the Feast of the Our Lady of Victory, commemorated the Battle of Lepanto, October 7, 1571, at which an overmatched navy of the Holy League (a combination of naval forces from Catholic kingdoms throughout Europe) defeated the navy of the Ottoman Empire and saved Europe from a Muslim invasion and denying the Ottomans control of the sea in eastern Mediterranean. Knowing of the distinct disadvantage of the Christian forces, Pope Pius V asked all Christians throughout Europe to pray the Rosary for our Lady’s intercession and for victory. The Christian forces won the day and crippled the Ottoman navy which never recovered.
If you want to read a great telling of the story, pick up G.K. Chesterton’s poem, Lepanto. There is a publication from Ignatius Press of this book that has explanatory notes and a commentary which are both helpful in the reading of the poem.
The Rosary is a beautiful contemplative devotion to pray and make a part of your daily life! I encourage each family and parishioner to pray this prayer daily and reflect on the mysteries of the life of our Lord and our Blessed Mother each day! If you can’t say a full 5 decades at the beginning, start with saying one decade!
May the Lord bless you and your families abundantly this week!
~ Fr. Daniel F. Firmin