In 2017, the Diocese of Hong Kong dedicated May 31, the feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to Pro-Life Day. In 1995, Pope St John Paul II promulgated the encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, [The Gospel of Life] where he proposed that each country chose a special day to celebrate a Day of Life “to foster in individual consciences, in families, in the Church and in civil society a recognition of the meaning and value of human life at every stage and in every condition” [85].
This year will mark the fifth celebration, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the diocese cannot organise different kinds of activities as usual. The Diocesan Pastoral Commission for Marriage and the Family will sponsor two Masses in the last weekend of of the month the unborn whose lives were terminated due to induced or spontaneous abortions. Afterwards, a priest will lead prayers for the unborn dead and lay flowers for them in front of the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The commission also dedicated a Mass on Pro-Life Day.
Why Our Lady of Guadalupe? In 1531, Our Lady appeared as a pregnant mother—bearing Jesus in her womb—wearing a gown fastened by two tassels tied high at the waist like other pregnant women of the time. Human sacrifice was common in Mexico at the time, and some were babies. Her apparition brought about the conversion of eight million people in just seven years and halted the culture of human sacrifice. Therefore, Our Lady of Guadalupe is honoured as the Pro-Life patron.
St John Paul spoke of Our Lady as the “Star of Evangelisation.” She bore little Jesus and shared the new life given by Jesus with us. Therefore, we should also respect, protect and nurture life. Only by respecting life can we have life. Our Lady of Guadalupe leads us to Jesus and to opt for life amid the current culture of death.
However, protecting life is not only about the birth right of babies, but also about human dignity, because lives are given by God. When we endeavour to defend dignity, battle against discrimination, and care for the poor, the weak and the marginalised in the society such as migrants, the unemployed, the sick and the elderly, we are protecting life.
Life is sacred. It is a gift from God. In many general audiences, Pope Francis has emphasised that all stages of human life must be protected, safeguarded, and served: from conception to old age. Lives must not be destroyed when facing illnesses and pain.
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Evangelium Vitae [25 March 2020], Pope Francis further stated, “It is a matter of acting on a cultural and educational level in order to transmit an attitude of solidarity, caring and welcome to future generations.”
Our Holy Mother visited her cousin, Elizabeth, who had fallen pregnant in her advanced age [Luke 1:39-56] to support and care for her—the example of putting Evangelium Vitae into practice par excellence. SE
