Welcome to 2009
How about we Catholic Americans dedicate the New Year to fostering life:
America has a strong tradition of respect for the individual, for human dignity and human rights. I gladly acknowledged this during my previous visit to the United States in 1987, and I would like to repeat today the hope I expressed on that occasion: “America, you are beautiful and blessed in so many ways… But your best beauty and your richest blessing is found in the human person: in each man, woman and child, in every immigrant, in every native-born son and daughter… The ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenceless ones. The best traditions of your land presume respect for those who cannot defend themselves. It you want equal justice for all, and true freedom and lasting peace, then, America, defend life! All the great causes that are yours today will have meaning only to the extent that you guarantee the right to life and protect the human person.”
John Paul II the Great, Denver Stapleton Airport, August 12, 1993 quoting from his own Departure Speech in Detroit, 19 September 1987.
Given our incoming administration, we are going to need all the dedication and fortitude we can muster.
