Days until we Walk for Life on January 25, 2025

cordi-241x300This week’s Catholic San Francisco has the transcript of the great homily given by San Francisco’s Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone at Mass before the Walk for Life West Coast. Our good shepherd, joined by 17 concelebrating bishops, and a St. Mary’s Cathedral packed to overflowing with the faithful, hit it out of the ballpark. His Excellency’s words have been noted far and wide.

Here is the beginning of the homily, but be sure to read the whole thing.

“As has happened every year now for a very long time at these events, the gathering of all of you here today bears witness to the youthfulness of the pro-life movement. Yes, the pro-life movement is young, vibrant and growing in strength. Thank you, young people, for your witness and your presence here today!

I would invite you, though, to look around and notice those who are your elders here in this church. Yes, those who are older than you – shall I say, those who are more well-seasoned in life? They are the first generation of pro-lifers. It is no understatement to say to you, our beloved young people, that you are here today because of them. Not all of them share the same story as to how they have arrived at this point in their lives; their lives have taken different paths, but converge here on the truth of the sanctity of human life. Some have gotten here by way of conversion. We celebrate today the story of a famous conversion, indeed, the most famous conversion in the history of the Church: that of St. Paul. St. Paul, of course, is the ideal example of the literal meaning of the word “conversion.” He turned around, did a 180, and so used his extraordinary gifts of learning, rhetoric, and physical and spiritual stamina to proclaim the Gospel and build up the Church rather than tear it down. Like him, those of you who have come to the pro-life movement by way of conversion provide an indispensable service to Christ that no one else can. You champion the cause of human life simply by sharing your stories of how you have been harmed by the culture of death, even participating in it yourself while you still had the scales over your eyes duping you into believing that you were doing good…”

You can also listen to a recording of the homily here.