The Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand has strongly encouraged delegates at a pro-life conference to recommit themselves to defending life, the family and all Christian values.
Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa was the main celebrant at the opening Mass of the “Go Forward in Hope” international pro-life and family conference in Auckland in late March. The conference was organised by Family Life International.
Among the concelebrants at the Mass, celebrated at St Michael’s church, Remuera, on March 23, was Auckland Bishop Emeritus Bishop Patrick Dunn.
In his homily, Archbishop Rugambwa said that Pope Francis keeps in prayer all those “who carry on the mission of the Church that Jesus Christ founded, therefore including you and all those who defend . . . human life from conception to natural death and all those who defend the family, the family as an institution according to God’s intention from the time of creation. ‘Male and female he created them in his own image’ (see Genesis 1:26-31)”.
The archbishop listed several characteristics of life in the modern world that are troubling. These included the reality that “people are rejecting God and abandoning the faith” . . . “authorities at local, national, regional and international levels, are showing their intention to wipe away Christianity, especially Catholicism, from the face of the earth” . . . “political, academical, legislative and economic powers are excluding faith and reason in their deliberations and activities” . . . “some Catholics start to yield to ideologies – ideologies opposed to the culture of life, while calling on the Church to abdicate from her vocation to defend Christian morality, human life and even family”.
In such a world, there is much confusion, Archbishop Rugambwa said.
“There is no doubt brothers and sisters that efforts to defend and promote human life and family should be intensified in spite of all the obstacles and manipulations in all forms, especially in lies,” he said.
“Aware of all that is happening at this time in history,” he added, “we cannot close our eyes before the aggressive phenomenon opposed to life and family. As people of faith in Jesus Christ, . . . we are called to uphold Catholic doctrine on life and family, showing that the enemy of the truth is wrong.
“Today, more than ever before, this task is extremely difficult. This conference, therefore, is giving us an opportunity to sharpen and strengthen our readiness to make [a] defence to anyone who demands from us the reason for the hope we have and the faith we have. (see 1Peter 3:15)”
Referencing the first reading from Isaiah 40:28-31, the archbishop said that when the chosen people were struggling in exile, they “had to deposit all their hope in God who could renew their strength and make them strong”.
“At this conference therefore, we are invited to reinforce our confidence in God. We are invited to look to him during these difficult times we are living through. He will strengthen us, he will renew us. Therefore, we cannot give up and we cannot yield to our fatigue,” Archbishop Rugambwa said.
The archbishop encouraged those at the Mass to abide in Jesus Christ, the risen Lord.
“What is required of us is to be truly in communion with him, because just as the branch cannot survive without the vine, we can do nothing without him. (See John 15:5)
“Our relationship with him is therefore essential for us to be productive and to succeed. Therefore, by our hope totally deposited in him, we can rest assured that we will continue to defend and to spread his teaching and the teaching of the Church that he, himself, founded.”
The archbishop said that, “at this conference, our bearing fruit will consist of our recommitting ourselves to defend life, to defend family and all Christian values”.
The apostolic nuncio reminded the congregation to take heart because “Jesus is the one who takes the initiative in all that we do. . . . He chose us and appointed us so that we will go and bear fruit”. (See John 15:16)
Photo: Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa celebrates Mass at St Michael’s church, Remuera.
Amen