With the assisted suicide debate continuing with great intensity in Parliament, this year’s Day for Life, celebrated jointly with the episcopal conferences of Ireland and Scotland, falls on 15 June with the theme Hope does not disappoint: Finding meaning in suffering.

In a video interview on the subject, Archbishop John Sherrington, our Lead Bishop for Life Issues, explains how Christ accompanies us in our suffering and, while he understands that this is difficult for non-believers to understand, this can give it a redemptive quality.

Speaking about the relevance of this year’s theme to the wider debate, Archbishop Sherrington said:

“What we want to offer into the debate, as Catholics, is that Jesus Christ is with us in the midst of our suffering.

“Now, I know that the non-believer will find that difficult, but perhaps it’s the implication that Christ is with us and the way that Christians support one another in suffering, particularly following the model of Jesus and the Good Samaritan, that can help us to be that presence of Christ to others in the midst of suffering.”

He added: “As Christians, we can find a deeper meaning to doing that [helping sick people] because Christ suffered with people. He was always present to the sick, He was with the dying, and He suffered.

“He entered into their suffering because compassion means to have passion with another person, to enter into suffering and be present to them. So as Christians, we believe that Christ is present to the sick and can give consolation.”

Thus, Archbishop Sherrington said, the theme of this year’s Day for Life has people at its core, because Christ’s example inspires us to support our loved ones:

“Human compassion, human presence to another person is at the heart of this theme that hope does not disappoint.”

Archbishop Sherrington said that caring for suffering people is not purely a physical act, but that it also has spiritual and emotional components:

“You mustn’t underestimate the presence of ‘family’ to a person who’s suffering, that consolation that their presence brings, the consolation of the nurse that wipes the brow of the person who’s suffering… that brings relief.

“And that can be also a sign of hope. So there’s physical consolation, but there’s also spiritual consolation because Christ has united himself to this person in their suffering.”

Archbishop Sherrington finished by explaining the importance of the three Bishops’ Conferences working together:

“The three Conferences working together is a sign of hope because we’re all united in consolation and suffering. We know between our countries there can be conflict and division. Working together helps to overcome that.

“The final message is that hope does not disappoint. To place our trust in Jesus Christ, to know that He walks at our side, that He’s with us in the sacraments, and He’s present with us in those who care for the sick and the suffering, like the Good Samaritan. He’s present with us, can give consolation, and in that way we can contribute to this renewal, this restoration of heaven and earth, as part of Christ’s redemption.”

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