Archbishop of Sydney

Mass For Pregnant Women

St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney
Mt 16:13-30; Rom 11:33-6; Isaiah 22:19-23

By + Cardinal George Pell
Archbishop of Sydney
24/8/2008

The regulations in the Catholic Church state that the readings used at a Sunday Mass are those set down by the Church and the same everywhere throughout the Catholic world.  Actually, so I believe, a number of Protestant churches now also follow the same cycle.

This means that the readings today are not the most suitable for a special Mass for pregnant women as the gospel from chapter 16 of St. Matthew contains Christ’s promises to Peter designating him as the rock man, the foundation of the Church, with the power to bind and to loose.

But the first part of the gospel passage can be used to approach one aspect of Christian teaching on marriage, family and children, which is that family love does not come first.  God comes first and love for God, usually expressed by following his commandments, is the first priority.  To put this in another way, we are not permitted to sin, not permitted to commit crimes to help or protect our family.

Today’s gospel passage begins with Peter’s confession of faith in response to Jesus’ question on what people are saying about him.  “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” were the words he used.  Peter replied that Jesus was the Christ, not a family name from Joseph his foster father, but a descriptive term meaning the anointed one, the Messiah, who was anointed with the oil of chrism.  Peter went further describing Jesus as “the Son of the living God”.  The exact meaning of that phrase is still discussed, but we Catholics follow the definitions of the great councils of bishops of the early Church and accept Jesus as true God and true man, the equal of the Father and the Spirit in the one God head.

Family duties of parents to children and children towards parents are not suppressed, but enhanced because they are part of our Christian obligations.  “Honour your father and mother” is one of the ten commandments and those who leave a place in their hearts for God will hear him calling them to family love and to fulfil their family obligations.

In the Jewish dispensation of the Old Testament, children were regarded as wonderful blessings from God, especially for the mother.  The word “Eve” means mother of the living, while Sarah and Rachel begged God for the gift of a child.  Today attitudes vary throughout the community and we find some uncertainty and confusion.

Early last year Pope Benedict wrote “every child who is born brings us God’s smile and invites us to recognize that life is his gift, a gift to be welcomed with love”. 

So we have introduced this Mass, which we hope will become an annual celebration because every pregnant woman and her baby deserve to be honoured and loved.  Every child is precious no matter how he or she was conceived, because every child is God’s child and is loved eternally by Him.

I can remember the time when a statement which was obviously true and accepted by everyone was called a “motherhood” statement.  People don’t seem to use this terminology much today, although a large majority of the population are still in favour of babies and children.

I believe part of the Catholic Church’s vocation or task in the wider community today is, to use Pope Benedict’s words again, “to build a climate of joy and confidence in life, a climate in which children are not seen as a burden, but rather as a gift for all”.

So the Christian community thanks and honours all mothers for the gift of their children, for your generosity and love.  Our world needs babies and we need to work consistently to foster a climate of joy and confidence where the gift of children is appreciated and welcomed.

We acknowledge the many challenges young families face in welcoming and raising children; job uncertainty, the high cost of housing especially in Sydney, the pressing need often for two incomes, the isolation and separation from extended family caused by people travelling to new parts to find jobs.

It is useful to remember that Mary, like her son Jesus, had a goodly share of difficulties.  At one stage Joseph was planning to divorce her because he knew he was not Jesus’ father.  She gave birth in a stable, away from home and soon afterwards she was a political refugee in Egypt with her husband and son.  She knew what difficulties were.

Our society also is not strong in its hope for the future, because this is connected with the willingness to bring children into the world.  The “baby boomer” generation was not expected and followed on the 50,000,000 deaths of the Second World War.  I saw a similar outpouring of hope in Cambodia after the overthrow of the tyrant Pol Pot; children were everywhere.

Some years ago this topic was discussed in preparation for my annual Pentecost statement.  The Year Twelve leaders could see no connection between hope and new life, but the older leaders from the parishes acknowledged that a low birth rate indicated a diminished confidence in the future.

Children of course are not only a gift for society but are good for their parents, taking them out of themselves as they serve their children and put them first.  Children provide a school for unselfishness for their parents.

Children, when this is possible, are an essential part of the traditional Catholic understanding of marriage.  This is evidenced by the fact that a clear refusal by a spouse to have any children is one ground for a Church annulment or declaration that a marriage is null and void.

Catholic teaching does not require any minimum number of children, nor the maximum number as such decisions depend on the parents, who are encouraged to use natural family planning methods to regulate the number of births.

A final word to young couples to have confidence in their ability with God’s help to build a lasting marriage and provide a sound environment for their children.  With so much marriage breakdown in society, the confidence of the children of such marriages can be shaken.  But with God’s help, patience and wise decision making, solid progress can be achieved.

I conclude by asking you to pray for all mothers-to-be and children, the focus of today’s Mass, and for the fathers whose role is vital.  May God be with you all.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.