.- Cardinal George Pell of Sydney celebrated the Mass for Life this past Sunday at the Basilica of St. Mary, in honor of all women who are expecting.
The Mass was attended by more than 150 future mothers who received a personal blessing from the cardinal at end of the celebration.
"The Archbishop and Archdiocese are keen to acknowledge the wonderful gift of new life and the willingness of women to be the bearers of this life," said Chris Meney, Director of the Archdiocese's Life, Marriage and Family Centre. "All mothers-to-be are welcome no matter what their individual circumstances or whether they are in a relationship or not. We want to celebrate those women who have made the choice to have babies and show our absolute commitment to the defense and protection of human life."
The idea of a Mass for Life, which was first celebrated in 2008, came to Cardinal Pell during a visit to Seoul, South Korea, where he was the first international figure to receive the Mysterium Vitae Grand Prix Award from the Archdiocese of Seoul for his commitment to life. The award also highlighted his creation of a $100,000 fund for adult stem cell research in Australia.
It was in South Korea that the cardinal became aware of the Mass for Life celebrated by Korean Catholics, and he decided to bring the idea with him back to Australia.
