|
Culture of Love and Life- Tribute to Dr. William E. May |
Tribute
to Dr. William E. May
By Fr. Joseph Rogers
September 20, 2008
The first annual
"William E. May Award for Promoting Ethics and the Human Person”
was
presented to
Dr. May in the Annual Conference of the Culture of Life Foundation.
Dearest Dr. May –
Greetings ın Christ! As you receive this note I will be offering
Mass for you and your intentions at the Church of St. John in
Ephesus. I am sorry not to be at the banquet in person but
assure you that – if I were ın Washington – I would have had a
friend buy me a ticket.
Dr. May – we first met almost ten years ago at the John Paul II
Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. At the time I was
a lay student working at a consulting firm but discovered that I
was soon able to make some basic distinctions in moral theology:
natural law – good – proportionalısm – bad – “barbequing a baby”
– never permissible . . . even if it could save the world –
“choosing and otherwise willing those and only those goods which
are compatible with a will toward integral human fulfillment” –
always the right option.
But more than a new vocabulary which proved to be very helpful
in seminary – what I received from you – what your students have
witnessed for decades in classrooms in America India Australia
and Rome – what I still see in your eyes and sense in your heart
today – is your passionate love for Christ and His Church.
The words of the First Letter of John seem to capture the
deepest purpose of your work:
What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have
seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our
hands concerns the Word of life -- for the life was made
visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you
-- the eternal life that was with the Father and was made
visible to us . . . We are writing this so that our joy may be
complete.
Dr May – you have spent your life defending life. You are a
witness to life. You have taught us what you first have heard
and seen and looked upon – what you have touched with your own
hands – what the Lord gave His own life for – what completes
your joy and His: humanae vıtae – human life. You have dedicated
your life to building a culture of life. You have prepared
countless hearts and minds to cooperate in building this
culture. . . . And you have fought for this culture: in times
marked by confusion and division you have made clear the
teaching of the Church and defended Her Magisterium. Dr. May
thank you for defending and honoring human life with "all your
heart and soul mind and strength" -- thank you for helping the
Church express Her love for every human life.
You are one of a special group of Catholics who has paved the
way for the “John Paul II generation” . . . and now the
"Benedict generation". With St. Paul you have fought the good
fight . . . you have run the race. If it were a practice for
laymen to take a second name as professed members of religious
congregations often do . . . I am convinced that your name would
be William of Human Life. As a former student and now priest of
the Church of Washington I can tell you that your insights –
your presentation of the Church's teachings – your love for
human life, for the unborn, for crisis pregnancy moms, for the
elderly and handicapped (but not your jokes) make it into many
homilies and pass frequently through the cleansing walls of the
confessional and into the hearts of the faithful. You have
taught us well. Thank you.
We all know that the award which bears your name honors you as
well as your wife Pat. We join you ın honoring her: (applause).
Thank you Mrs. May for your witness to life - and
congratulations to you both for having recently celebrated your
50th wedding anniversary. You have been faithful to God's first
command and blessing: "be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth
and subdue it." The earth is subdued in love; by love; for love;
and we all thank God for having witnessed your love for one
another and your children. You have helped our hearts understand
love, and what it means to love. "Cor ad cor loquitur." In a
word, together you have helped us be more human. I can thınk of
no greater witness of which our society is in so desperate need.
Lastly, I would like to turn to one of the great heroes of your
life and ours. The Servant of God John Paul II once said quoting
Dostoevsky: “In the end beauty wıll save the world.” Life is
beautıful. And human life is worth saving. Dr. May you have
lived a beautiful - a very human life - and you have helped make
know the beauty -- the Splendor of the Truth -- that makes all
thıngs new. Thank you - and may God bless you.
Sıncerely in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Father Joseph Rogers
Archdıocese of Washıngton
Ephesus (Turkey) Sept 20 2008
This page is the work of the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and
Mary
