Father Groeschel Column

The following is an excerpt from Father Benedict Groeschel’s May 11th homily at St. Patrick Cathedral in New York. Father Benedict was the main celebrant at a Mass that preceded the 21st Annual Ball for Life in Manhattan.

As I mentioned at the beginning this is a special Mass for those who are involved and active in the pro-life movement, which includes those of you who are attending the annual Ball for Life. As many of you know I have been working with Good Counsel homes, one of the beneficiaries of the ball, for many years. I will not be attending the ball, but for those of you who are, I extend my thanks to you in advance.

Recently the NY Times did an article about our community, The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, which I am a part of and whose members make up a fair amount of this archdiocese’s seminary. A number of men in our community will be ordained here in the cathedral tomorrow and we are very grateful to God for that.

But we were criticized in the newspaper because of our dedication to the truly poor and our philosophy to protect unborn human life. We were criticized for our assistance to the pro-life movement and our assistance to those who help women and children in need.

For those who don’t know Chris Bell and others who work on behalf of life, they offer assistance not only to help save the life of a child at risk of abortion but they also offer assistance in helping bring the child up. For 22 years I have served Good Counsel as its chairman of the board and I am happy to say we have assisted thousands, along with many other similar pro-life groups.

But how do we stand up in a culture that accepts abortion and speak out with a humble heart in order to let the culture know they are in error?

How do we let people know that abortion is the taking of an innocent human life?

How do we do such a thing?

It’s called standing up for the truth.

Our Divine Saviour says in the Gospel, "I am the Truth and the Light. Speak the truth and the truth will make you free."

He also calls his adversary the Prince of Darkness, the Father of Lies. And having been around the abortion struggle for many years I have seen a great deal of deception around this issue.

In fact many of us ourselves have been deceived when we have done things we regret or act in ways we know are wrong.

I suspect that many of the laws and regulations that are in place here in the United States that effect life and go against the Gospel and against the teachings of the Church, are rooted in deception.

Don’t be deceived!

Now the fact that you were born and are living your life, you know that practically no one plans or wants to be deceived but the fact is we are all vulnerable and through choices we make we become afraid.

This has occurred since Day One of Christianity, starting with the apostles. They ran away within a half hour of our Savior’s arrest in the garden. And all of them, except John, hid themselves when he hung on the cross.

We live in a world surrounded by deception, particularly in various political circles. Some of it is almost funny. My great uncle from Jersey City was such a loyal Democrat that he voted every year of his adult life right up to the age of 93. But he actually died when he was 66! In Jersey City All Souls Day actually occurred on Election Day, as the bodies of the dead suddenly appeared at the polling places, sometimes more than once!

It’s deception and the practice must be held up to the light of truth. When deception is held up to the light, it will fade, even in New York where we have full time, round the clock hype. Eventually deception will become obsolete.

And on Judgment Day when we go before the judgment seat of God and all who come in will gather, there will be no hiding, no lies, no deceit. There will just be our life as we have lived and there will be light.

Brothers and sisters, I offer this Mass for the deceased who have been deceived by this culture of death and for the victims of deception who have lost their lives.