October 2025

Recently, as I walked into church to celebrate Mass, the pastor excused himself for a moment as he rushed across the parking lot to greet a young family. “New baby,” he said in explanation. As I watched, a young family slowly unpacked themselves from the car, Dad carried a covered car seat.

“I just had to check on the newest member of the parish,” the priest said, as Dad smiled and lifted the light blanket shielding the newborn from the sun and breeze. She was barely two weeks old and had come early. “We’re having a good morning this morning,” Dad said.

As the pastor’s eyes widened and he cooed over the tiny baby (whose crop of black hair was as large as she was) a knot of people gathered. A neighbor leaned over the baby carrier, took a pronounced whiff and proclaimed, “new baby smell.” Another asked the four-year old in the family how she liked being a big sister and teased an answer out of the shy, dimpled child. The oldest boy slipped out of the front seat carrying two boxes of donuts to share after Mass. He was quiet and blushed a little from all the attention his family was receiving.

A couple of older women from the parish were especially attentive to the mother of the new baby, cooing over her with “Dears” and “Loves.” They took her hands and patted her arms tenderly, making over her as they led her across the parking lot toward the open doors of the sanctuary. After Mass I learned that this mother suffered Eclampsia during pregnancy and postpartum depression that had been a cause of great concern for her husband and her parents. The church gathering was caring for this one who had suffered bringing this new child into the world.

As I celebrated Mass, my eyes and thoughts drifted repeatedly to this little family. The father cuddled his little “bean” against his heart, tucking her vulnerable head beneath his protective chin. The flesh of his cheek pressed against her crown and hair. Contact. Devoted, human, reassuring, loving contact was what the day called for, and what this little family received from this church community to whom they were clearly dear.

As we left Mass and shook hands that day someone nodded to the new father saying, “There’s the picture of a happy father.” This simple sentence summed up the gratitude and relief that everyone felt to see this new life come safely into the world and the risk and difficulties experienced receive tender care and begin to recede.

Humanity flourishes when each child born into the world is so cherished and warmly received. Holiness abounds when we revere the elderly, value human life regardless of ability or dependence, and regard every moment of life as a moment for the building of friendship and loving relationship. When we realize that we are gift to one another and, for love of Jesus, hold each of his dear ones close in community, we image the Divine, Trinitarian, love that is the source of every life and the origin of creation.

We celebrate October as Respect Life Month. It is a month dedicated to our aspiration to see as God sees, value as God values and love as God loves. This month we pray that tenderness and care may be at the heart of every Christian and the organizing principle of every community. They will know we are Christians by our love.

P.S. On the same morning that I witnessed this little icon of respect for life in a Catholic community, the parish announced that ushers would lock the street-facing doors as Mass began for the protection of those attending. Later that morning, a shooter ran his car into the Church of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan, set the building on fire, and shot worshipers. This is only the latest in a chain of acts of violence against religious targets.

I beg you, please do not allow events like these to discourage us from gathering for worship and to practice the art of being caring community to one another. Isolation is part of the mix of factors that drive these men toward terrible acts of violence. Let us not let violence drive us toward the contagion of isolation. Our life together as community in Christ is an aid to happiness, an antidote to isolation, a stance against the corruption of violence, and an opportunity to respect and cherish one another and the life God shares with us. May this peril drive us into the arms of God and community, rather than discourage us from the way of love.

+Bishop John Iffert