PROVIDENCE — On Saturday, Oct. 5, the Diocese of Providence hosted its Human Life Guild Day. Occurring annually during Respect Life Month, Human Life Guild Day is one of the diocesan events dedicated to educating and supporting the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception to natural death.
Organized by the Office of Family and Life Ministry, the day also honors local Catholics who have accepted the invitation to be ‘People of Life’ and have an unconditional commitment to human life, promoting and defending human life at every stage, in every condition, through thought, word, deed and prayer.
Bishop Emeritus Thomas J. Tobin celebrated Mass at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul. In his homily, Bishop Tobin emphasized how abortion is a violation of humanity’s most fundamental right.
“Indeed, respect for life, I believe, continues to be the great moral challenge of our time. We know, of course, that it is a cultural struggle, and a political battle … but the bottom line is that it’s also a spiritual battle,” he said. “The battle on behalf of human life is a battle between good and evil, between right and wrong.”
After Mass, several local Catholics were honored with the Human Life Guild Award for their zeal, compassion and caring in supporting life at every stage. This included two local youths, Isabella Cerbo and Andrew Geiser. Cerbo, a parishioner at St. Joseph Parish in West Warwick and a student at The Prout School, was honored for her pro-life activism, including helping to establish a pro-life club at her school.
“It’s really an honor to work for the cause and to save lives, because every life is a gift from God,” Cerbo said. “It’s so important to protect those who can’t protect themselves.”
Geiser, a parishioner at St. Luke Parish in Barrington and a student at St. Luke STEAM School, is known among classmates and teachers for being well-versed in current political and social issues, and for his passion for the pro-life cause. He frequently donates much-needed items to St. Gabriel’s Call, a program of the Life and Family Ministry of the Diocese of Providence, which supports mothers in need during pregnancy and beyond with free and confidential services as well as baby items like diapers, toiletries, clothing, gift cards and more. He also donates food and clothing to local organizations dedicated to helping the poor.
“It was quite an honor. I find life [issues] quite important, and I thank all the people who have set up this good foundation,” said Geiser.
For many present, the biggest issue facing the pro-life movement is education.
“I’m very much surprised by how many Catholics don’t think of abortion as being the killing of a human being,” said Denis Coffey, one of the awardees. “I just think they’re either afraid to recognize that it’s human life, or they just want to put it in the background; it’s too horrific.”
“There’s obviously a lot of education that needs to be done,” said Lisa Cooley, director of the Office of Family and Life Ministry. “People are not being informed when they’re going to vote.”
She believes that the best way to further the cause for life is for faithful Catholics to become educated on the arguments and talking points on both sides of the abortion debate, as well as find opportunities to contribute in support of life.
“There’s so many things they can do, from small to big,” she concluded.
The award ceremony was followed by two presentations, the first of which was given by Father Christopher M. Mahar, Ph.D., S.T.D., pastor of St. Augustine Parish in Providence. Father Mahar spoke to his 2023 book, “Finding God in Suffering,” focusing on the theological aspects of suffering as explained by Catholic teaching, with an emphasis on the mysterious truth that “even in suffering, we can find love.”
Victor and Monica Bergeron presented the second talk, “Hope for Infertility, A Catholic Approach.”
Monica is a fertility care practitioner, and Victor received his master’s degree in theology from Providence College. They spoke to the Catholic view of natural family planning and infertility as well as explaining in-vitro fertilization alternatives that align with Church teaching on sexuality and life issues.
