SPRING 2015
Newsletter of the Office of Pro-Life Activities and Chaste Living • Diocese of Austin
Holy Week 2015: Much Movement & a Trip to Calvary by Mary Helen Russell
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o better serve the diocese, personnel follow Christ’s example of unconditional and entire offices are being realigned love. God does not put conditions on us in to implement the new pastoral plan order for us to be loved by Him. He loves us IN THIS ISSUE Encounter That Leads to Transformation. In whether we are physically disabled, mentally fact, on the third floor of the Pastoral Center challenged, rich, poor, sinners, etc. In truth, Parish Pro-Life it seems that everyone and everything around He continues to love us when we do not me is moving. love Him. He loves us regardless of what sin Committee Updates Fortunately, with all the cleaning out of we have committed. With God, there is no page 2 desks, files and bookshelves several useful unforgivable sin. items have found their way into my possession. Out on the sidewalk, one quickly learns Special Recently, one such item pertaining directly to that only the movement of the Holy Spirit Announcement the pastoral work of the newly named Office can change minds when it comes to matters About the Future of Life, Charity and Justice, turned out to be of life and death. If you spend enough time of Life Times quite providential! It was a DVD containing there, you will also find that it is a gracea seminar on sidewalk counseling given by filled gift of encounter to witness a divine page 4 Msgr. Philip J. Reilly of the Brooklyn-based appointment when God touches a woman’s Helpers of God’s Precious Infants, Inc. — the heart, inspiring her to believe that she can Voltée para Español very group our diocesan sidewalk ministry become a mother when she does not see was originally modeled after. Moreover, it how she could possibly bring a child into the came to me just as I was preparing for Holy world at this time. Week when, for the 13th year, a peaceful I witnessed this firsthand on Good Friday prayer vigil outside of an abortion facility when a couple turned around without keeping located within the diocese was planned for Good Friday. their appointment at the abortion facility. I smiled as they drove I attend the monthly prayer vigils when I can (and I am a in. He looked away. I gently waved my pamphlets, mouthing the trained sidewalk counselor); but for some reason, I was feeling a word, “Information?” as they left; and I smiled again. When she little uneasy about this year’s Good Friday prayer vigil. Maybe it rolled down the car window to take the pamphlets, all I could say was because of the recent incident occurring during the Lenten was, “God bless you,” (thinking “so much for all that training” as 40 Days for Life campaign (when a woman threw something at I had no other words). those who were peacefully praying) or maybe it was just because Then, when she answered back, “God bless you,” we both the vigil was to be held on Good Friday — a day of remembrance smiled and I knew the Holy Spirit had moved in her. Out on the and remorse for the taking of another innocent life. sidewalk we may be cursed, misunderstood or unappreciated; but, I had considered spending some of Good Friday “out on the if we are loving and kind in return, others will be drawn to our sidewalk” but after viewing the DVD, I knew I just had to be goodness and to the light of Christ in us. there. You see, during the seminar, Msgr. Reilly explained that This Easter season, let us remember that we are a people when we pray outside of an abortion facility, what we are really of the light called to bring the light of Christ into places of doing is going to Calvary. darkness — illuminating everyday encounters and leading all to It is easy to forget that Jesus Christ had no enemies at Calvary. transformation. Even while dying on the cross, he prayed for those taking His All this is possible because Christ is risen from the dead, life and asked God, His Father, to forgive them. We must try trampling down death through death and, on those in the tombs, to follow His example in our own lives. Before heading out to bestowing life! pray in front of an abortion facility, remember that we are not there to protest. We are going to be witnesses like those who Mary Helen Russell is the pastoral care coordinator of the Office of stood at the foot of the cross at Calvary. To do so, we must Pro-Life Activities and Chaste Living in the Diocese of Austin.