It was standing room only inside St Mary’s Cathedral on Sunday, as thousands gathered for a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP to mark the Third Sunday of Lent and the Day of the Unborn Child.
Archbishop Fisher said the Mass, which was concelebrated by Cardinal Mykola Bychok CSsR, Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay and Bishop Danny Meagher, as well as many other Sydney priests, was an opportunity to “pray for the most vulnerable members of our community—the old and infirm, the unloved and forgotten, especially the unborn and unseen.”
These vulnerable are even further endangered by a bill currently before NSW parliament that was aimed at “requiring Catholic hospitals to provide abortions, at compelling pro-life health professionals to perform or refer for abortion, at enabling nurses to prescribe abortion drugs, and at removing reporting requirements so no data on abortion can be collected and published,” the archbishop noted.
“It’s an assault not just on life in the womb but on the consciences of health professionals, church providers of healthcare, and the whole community.”
A prayerful procession to NSW Parliament House followed the Mass, with those gathered hearing a powerful address from Cardinal Bychok.
His Eminence echoed Archbishop Fisher’s concerns about the NSW bill, warning that “if passed, this could mean that doctors and nurses with moral convictions may be forced to choose between their profession and their faith, between their livelihood and their conscience.”
Cardinal Bychok also spoke of the impact the “national tragedy” of abortion has had on Australia, which has claimed an estimated 5.5 million unborn Australian lives since the liberalisation of laws in the 1970s.
“This means that over 5.5 million unborn Australians have been lost to abortion. If they had been given the chance to live, they would now be parents and grandparents. Our nation is missing over 10 million people—10 million souls who would have contributed to our economy, our society, and our families.”
“A nation that fails to value life ultimately undermines its own future,” His Eminence said.
His Eminence also took the opportunity to other victims of injustice—those suffering in the Ukraine, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and all other places affected by war, and urged those gathered to “pray fervently for a just peace in Ukraine, for reconciliation in the Middle East, and for an end to violence wherever it exists.”
Concluding his remarks, the cardinal called those gathered to be people of hope.
“Hope is what brings us here today. Hope is what has led millions across the world to stand up for life. Hope is what will inspire the next generation to defend the unborn with even greater courage.
“As we journey through this time, let us remember that we are pilgrims of hope, especially as we celebrate the Jubilee Year 2025.
“The Jubilee is a time of renewal, a time to restore what has been lost and to rebuild a culture of life. It is a time to proclaim boldly that every life is precious, and that God’s mercy is greater than any darkness we face.
“As pilgrims of hope, we trust that the Lord is leading us forward and that through faith, prayer, and action, we can transform our society into one that cherishes every human life.
“The culture of death may seem entrenched, but we are called to be the light that breaks through this darkness. Each child saved, each mother supported, each person whose heart is changed is a victory. We must continue to be the hands and feet of Christ, offering compassion, support, and love to those facing unplanned pregnancies.”
The Day of the Unborn Child is held annually on the Sunday closest to the Solemnity of the Annunciation, and this year coincides with the 30th anniversary of the release of Evangelium Vitae, St John Paul II’s important encyclical on the value and inviolability of human life.
It also marked a handover of the event’s organisation from Family Life International to the Archdiocese of Sydney. Family Life International, under the faithful leadership of Paul Hanrahan, has coordinated the event for the past 25 years.