The Shrine and Parish Church of the Holy Innocents in Manhattan offered its annual pro-life Mass the morning of Monday, December 29, with the homilist telling the faithful that the Christ Child “draws his heart and our hearts together… And what we notice is that the feast of Christmas is surrounded by the feasts of martyrs.”
More than 250 people attended the Mass on West 37th Street, which was followed by a rosary procession from the church to an abortion clinic on Second Avenue, where there was more praying by clergy, nuns, and the laity.
Homilist Father Fidelis Moscinski, CFR, noted to the congregation that Sunday, December 28, was the feast day of the Holy Innocents, the baby boys massacred by King Herod, and that it comes days after Christmas as a solemn remembrance of these first martyrs for Christ. The liturgy’s Gospel reading from Matthew recounted the massacre. Archdiocese of New York Auxiliary Bishop Peter Byrne was the Mass’ principal celebrant.
“The truest adoration that we can give to God is the witness of martyrdom. They (the Holy Innocents) would say to us: ‘Witness the love of Christ, witness the truth of Christ, and witness the compassion of Christ,'” the priest said. “And for us in the pro-life movement, we know that this is programmatic for our activity; this is what we do day in and day out.”
“With respect to women in crisis pregnancy, we have to witness the love of Christ, the encouragement, the charity of Christ. For a world that has turned its back on the truth of the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception, we need to witness the truth that each of us is made in the image and likeness of God. Our lives are precious and holy to him, and that we have a destiny in heaven,” Father Moscinski, a prominent pro-life advocate, said.
Based in the Bronx with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Father Moscinski has served time in jail related to his opposition to and protest against abortion.
A witness of prayer
Upon returning to Holy Innocents, the procession participants joined some of the faithful who had stayed at the church for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Bishop Byrne led the Prayer of the Faithful and offered the benediction. The intentions included the protection of unborn babies.
Billie Lee, 55, is a parishioner of Queen of Angels Church in the Sunnyside area of Queens. She was among the faithful who attended the Mass and participated in the procession, which included an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas and unborn babies.
“I just wanted to help support the pro-life movement here in New York; this is my first time attending this annual Mass,” Lee told The Good Newsroom moments before the procession began. She said she had been drawn to the pro-life cause more and more in recent years.
Sister Elena Marie, SV, assistant director of the archdiocesan Respect Life Office, while walking to the gathering’s reception in the parish hall, told The Good Newsroom, “This Mass and procession offers a moment each year when we come together as a community, religious communities, and faithful lay people who really have a heart for life. And in a special way, on this day, under the patronage of the Holy Innocents, to be able to gather together and pray and witness with the joy of Christmas in our hearts… On the way back, we sang Christmas carols.”