WelCom August 2021
New Zealand’s Catholic bishops have approved a change in name for the annual Respect Life Sunday, promoted each October by the Catholic Church in New Zealand, to Support Life Sunday.
Support Life on Sunday 10 October this year, has the theme: Honouring and Supporting Health Carers. The theme is timely, given the frequency of acknowledgements Pope Francis gives to carers of all kinds, but especially health-care workers, in the context of the pandemic.
Secretary of the NZCBC, Bishop of Hamilton Stephen Lowe, says, ‘Support Life reminds us we are called to uphold the dignity of all life and be active in the practical work needed to support people facing significant life decisions.
‘Many Catholics are uneasy with the recent legislative changes to euthanasia and abortion. Coupled with the continuing threat to life posed by Covid-19, we are being told people want new ways to respond to threats to life.’
The Catholic focus needs to move beyond political debate or legal argument and extend to active, practical support for people facing a range of life challenges at the beginning of life, throughout life, and at the end of life, Bishop Lowe said.
The Nathaniel Centre will prepare a range of parish resources on how to work more actively to support people’s lives, especially in healthcare.