When God saw that his creations were good, he commissioned our ancestors to “be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen 1:28). From the first moment of our lives, we are each given the responsibility to live in accordance and in imitation of our Creator.

With sin entering the world, death soon followed. As the antidote, Christ gave us his lifeblood so that we might be restored in grace, God’s life within us.

In this issue of The Catholic Miscellany, we discuss many life issues. Some of those are about including people with disabilities in our parishes and organizations; what to do when you feel distant from your spouse; a new prayer apostolate for clergy; continuing our series on the Real Presence; and learning about domestic violence awareness.

It is our responsibility to protect and preserve the lives of our brothers and sisters. May they also be given the opportunity to participate in life, to enjoy the great gift of existence from conception to natural death.

We pray that all in authority in our nation and world respect the life of every individual, informed of their dignity as one created in the image and likeness of the Giver of Life himself. Let us also be mindful of our lives and strive to use our talents and the years we have been given on earth to know, love, serve and build up the Kingdom of God — with every breath we draw and with every beat of our hearts. 

In Christ’s love,

Most Rev. Jacques Fabre-Jeune, CS

Bishop of Charleston