Congregation reminded of the uniqueness of the individual, to ‘see Jesus in everyone’ at pro-life Mass

Maura Baker

Staff Writer

The twilight of Oct. 1 brought together people across the diocese in support of life. The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington, had its pews filled for the 2024 annual Pro-life Mass, organized by the diocesan Pro-life Office.

Bishop John Iffert celebrated the Mass, with Bishop Emeritus Roger Foys in choro, and concelebrated with priests from across the diocese — all having come together to reinforce the Catholic truth of the dignity of life from natural conception to natural death.

Earlier the same day, the Republic of Iran fired missiles upon the state of Israel, with natural disasters and armed conflicts worldwide at the top of many headlines.

Father Daniel Schomaker, pastor, St. Augustine Parish, Covington, and director of the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy, served as homilist for the 2024 pro-life Mass, and brought attention to these world events as a pro-life issue.

He began his homily quoting the 1996 film “Matilda,” “Everyone is born, but not everyone is born the same. Some will grow to be butchers, or bakers, or candlestick makers. Some will only be really good at making Jell-O salad. One way or another, though, every human being is unique, for better or for worse.” “It is that uniqueness that makes us so concerned about the preciousness of human life,” Father Schomaker said, “because we have been made unique. There is not now, nor has there ever been, nor will there ever be again in the history of the universe another you.”

“Think about that,” he continued, “There is only ever one you and that is true for every human being God has thought into being.”

Clarifying, Father Schomaker said that existence doesn’t begin at conception — but “at the moment God thinks of you, because it is from that moment God has loved you.”

Because of this uniqueness, “there has to be a dignity in every single one of us,” said Father Schomaker, “because every single one of us brings something new into the world.

During his homily, Father Schomaker recalled a child named Matthew — 24 weeks in utero when he died. When Father Schomaker entered the hospital room, Matthew’s grandfather, who was holding him, said to Father Schomaker, “Look, Father, he’s perfect.”

“That child is perfect because he had been made in the image and likeness of God, and he was unique,” said Father Schomaker.

“Every life is perfect, made as God has chosen,” he said, “which is why we uphold every life as having an innate dignity … the sad thing is, my friends, we live in a world that doesn’t like to recognize the dignity of the human person.”

“As most of you know, there is a conflict going on in the Middle East,” Father Schomaker brought to the congregation’s attention, “and as I was listening to the radio, I hear different sides rejoicing over this conflict — yet no one on the radio seems to be mourning the fact that one group of human beings is taking out after another, and unwilling to recognize the dignity that they each have.”

Towards the end of his homily, Father Schomaker brought up one of his favorite saints: St. Theresa of Calcutta.

“She did not care if you were rich or poor,” he said, “she did not care where you were from; She cared if you were in need.”

Father Schomaker continued, saying, “she was asked one time why she cared for everyone and anyone, and she said ‘I see Jesus in every human being … I serve because I love Jesus.’”

“This is our call, my friends,” he said, “to see Jesus in our neighbor. To see Jesus in our family, to see Jesus in our friends, to see Jesus in the stranger, to see Jesus in the one who might be classified as enemy. It is too easy to get pulled away from recognizing the dignity of every single person who exists on Earth, everyone we are called by the Lord to love. Even those who hate us.”

“Today,” Father Schomaker concluded, “as we come together to pray for life in every stage, from the moment of conception until natural death, let us love. Let us will the good of the other, and see Jesus in everyone.”