By Dennis Kellogg
Director of Communications
Bishop Emeritus Fabian Bruskewitz of the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln received a special award for his leadership and support of the pro-life cause Jan. 31 in Omaha.
Nebraskans Embracing Life presented Bishop Bruskewitz with its Lifetime Achievement Award during its 50th annual Celebration of Life event at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Omaha.
Past winners of the group’s Lifetime Achievement Award have included Dr. Thomas Hilgers of the St. Paul VI Institute, and Martin Cannon, Thomas More Society senior counsel.
Bishop Bruskewitz delivered the keynote address for the evening. He shared several stories of people he met who were forced to deal firsthand with the horrors of abortion. They included nurses in a hospital in London and a secret society in the Netherlands formed to relay information about doctors who could be trusted to protect life at all stages. Bishop Bruskewitz also told about a scandal he encountered in Milwaukee involving the improper disposal of the bodies of aborted babies.
Bishop Bruskewitz concluded his remarks referencing something a priest friend of his would say to him. The priest would tell him when we stand before God on the Day of Judgment, God will ask us “Where are your scars?” If we answer we don’t have any scars, God will say, “I put you on Planet Earth for all those years and you didn’t find anything worth fighting for?”
“I would exhort you, as I don’t think I have to, let us fight for God,” Bishop Bruskewitz said. “Let us fight for life and in that give God His glory, for He will reign forever and ever.”
Bishop James Conley, who succeeded Bishop Bruskewitz in the Diocese of Lincoln, delivered a recorded tribute focused on his predecessor’s pro-life accomplishments, including winning the Cardinal von Galen Award from Human Life International in 2013. The award honors someone with an untiring effort to defend human rights and life.
“Throughout his priesthood, he has demanded justice for the unborn,” Bishop Conley said, quoting from his own column in the Southern Nebraska Register more than a decade ago. “Bishop Bruskewitz thinks clearly and precisely, and he expects others to do the same. If a hospital, or university, or a political leader claims a Catholic identity, Bishop Bruskewitz expects them to act like a Catholic person, or a Catholic institution. Bishop Bruskewitz, like Cardinal von Galen, has never feared persecution, or rejection, or even mockery. He’s stood for the truth and most especially for the unborn – because that’s what the Lord asks all of us to do.”
Bishop Conley said while Cardinal von Galen is often referred to as the “Lion of Munster” for his strong advocacy for an end to Germany’s culture of death at the time, he calls Bishop Bruskewitz the “Lion of Lincoln” for his longtime commitment to the pro-life cause.
“I pray regularly that I might be the same kind of witness to the dignity of human life that Bishop Bruskewitz is,” Bishop Conley said.
The Celebration of Life event included a Rally for Life featuring speakers from pro-life and pro-family organizations with updates on their work. All urged Nebraskans to work to defeat the current petition drive to place before voters the addition of a right to abortion in the state constitution.
Nebraskans Embracing Life Awards were also given to Elijah Fick (Anne Marie Bowen Memorial Scholarship Award); Megan Mastro (Gabriel Award); Lois Coyne (Bob and Rita Gradoville Award); and Terri Cunningham-Swanson (Peter Bataillon Award).
Nebraskans Embracing Life is encouraging all to pray the 54-Day Novena for Life Feb. 14 (Ash Wednesday) through April 7 (Divine Mercy Sunday) for the “conversion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and protection of life in Nebraska.” More details are available at 54DayNovenaforLife.com.
Watch Bishop Bruskewitz’ remarks from the event and Bishop Conley’s tribute video on our Catholic Diocese of Lincoln YouTube channel.
