Pro-life message: Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt speaks to Geibel Catholic students
CONNELLSVILLE – Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt let students at Geibel Catholic Middle-High School know the work they do for the pro-life movement is significant. “If you are missing, then an essential part of the grand mosaic that God designed is missing. Each of you is important,’ said Brandt, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg.
Brandt spoke to the students as he celebrated a pro-life Mass Thursday morning at the Connellsville school. The event took place two days after Brandt and about 50 students from Geibel joined people from around the country in participating in the 35th national March for Life in Washington, D.C., which protests the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.
Brandt was one of about 40 bishops on Monday who concelebrated the Mass that opened the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. It’s called a vigil because many of the youths who attend stay in the basilica overnight before joining the march the next day. Cardinal Justin F. Rigali of Philadelphia, who is chairman of the U.S. bishops’ committee on Pro-Life Activities, was principal celebrant. An estimated 7,000 people attended.
Brandt also concelebrated a Rally for Life and Youth Mass Tuesday morning at the Verizon Center in downtown Washington before the March for Life began.
The event was sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington and celebrated by Washington Archbishop Donald W. Weurl, former bishop of Pittsburgh. About 22,000 attended the Mass.
Brandt told the students at Geibel Thursday that seeing them reminded him of the youths attending both those Masses in Washington. And he used one of the domes in the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception to make a point about the pro-life movement.
Brandt explained how 2.4 million pieces of colored glass in the dome were used to make up four pictures in the life of Jesus Christ.
Created by Italian craftsmen, the scenes included the Annunciation, the Nativity, the wedding at Cana and the Transfiguration.
“Each one of these has a profound lesson for the cause of the culture of life,’ Brandt said.
He referred to the Annunciation during which an angel tells Mary she is to become the mother of Jesus.
“Mary said yes to the angel and yes to life,’ said Brandt. “We are like Mary – called to say yes to life in so many ways.’
In the Nativity, Brandt explained that Jesus “let himself become powerless and dependent on others as a human embryo.’
Jesus performed his first miracle at the wedding at Cana when Mary asked her son to help the bride and groom and he changed water into wine.
“Mary turned to the servants and said ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Mary trusted completely in the Lord,’ said Brandt. “Even when we think our wine is running out and think we have no more strength … the Lord tells us to keep going because, as Mary taught us, nothing is impossible with God.’
In the Transfiguration, Jesus’ divinity is revealed to his apostles Peter, James and John, showing through his humanity. And Brandt said, “All bodies created by the Lord are sacred, even the embryos of unborn children are sacred.’
Brandt noted that each piece in the mosaic is important because they work together to create the pictures on the beautiful dome.
Likewise, the students’ work in the pro-life movement is important.
“God uses the humble, the weak, people like us to accomplish his grand design to bring about a culture of life in our country,’ he said.
After the Mass, Brandt, who has been to the March for Life many times, talked about the participation by youths and young adults.
“When you marched, if you looked around you, the majority were young people. I’d say 75 percent – there was a tremendous turnout at the march,’ said Brandt. “It’s something they’ll never forget.’
He noted the March for Life tells people, “We’re not alone. We’re not going away. We’re here to stay until our job is done – repeal of Roe vs. Wade.’
Brandt was assisted Thursday by the Rev. Daniel Blout, president of Geibel, and the Rev. Alan Polczynski, coordinator for Episcopal ceremonies.
Students who participated included: altar servers Steve Andursky, Nelson Gaydos, Frank McGrogan and Ed Spotts; ministers of hospitality Anna Fiano, Brittany Jordan, Ryan Kossol and Chris Nickelson; lector Julia Vidonish, intercessor Bill Jenkins, gift bearers Meredith Palko and Michael Laick, extraordinary ministers Diana Boyer, Ed Spotts and Sarah Guynn and cantors David Mahokey and Morgan Ghinassi.
Principal Vincent Mascia commented on the pro-life activities the Geibel students experienced this week in saying, “I think it’s an amazing experience for them. They need to be aware of these issues.’
At the end of the Mass, Mascia called attention to Blout, who is leaving Geibel after seven years.
Blout, who also serves as president of Greensburg Catholic, will become administrator of St. Joseph Parish in New Kensington.
Blout told the faculty and students he considered his years at Geibel a precious time in his ministry.
Afterwards, Blout, a native of Masontown, said he’ll miss the people at Geibel and noted, “The students and their families are down to earth, good, faithful and hardworking – typical of the culture of this area.’