Milwaukee archbishop prays that jurists will respect all human life

Published: 2007-10-02

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The belief that God created humanity with a special dignity is a cornerstone of Judeo-Christian tradition and has shaped the United States since its founding, said Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan at the 54th annual Red Mass in Washington. And he prayed that belief would inspire jurists and government officials to recognize "the innate dignity and inviolability of every human life." In his homily at the Sept. 30 Mass, Archbishop Dolan quoted the nation's second president, John Adams, who spoke of the "true map of man" as consisting of "the dignity of his nature, and the noble rank he holds among the works of God." That is "a map whose paths can only be walked with a reverence for life, a respect for others, a grasp of virtue and a responsible civility," the archbishop said. The chief justice and five U.S. Supreme Court justices were among the 1,200 people in the standing-room-only crowd at St. Matthew Cathedral for the Mass, which seeks God's blessings and guidance on the administration of justice.

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