Respect Life Month

Message from Most Reverend Thanh Thai Nguyen
Auxiliary Bishop of Orange in California

Greetings and thank you for your ministry in service of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! As you are well aware, October is Respect Life Month in the Diocese of Orange as throughout the U.S. I am appreciative of all the good activities happening in parishes throughout the Diocese to uphold the life and dignity of the human person and the common good. I write to commend to you some opportunities to highlight this work in a special way during October. One way that we do this is through the Pennies from Heaven/Walking with Moms Campaign, a collection for local pregnancy centers, shelters, and clinics we support, which is held at most parishes on the first Sunday of October.

Parishes are invited to host a ministry fair and other activities in which the beauty of our Catholic teaching on
life from conception to natural death can be shared with greater numbers of parishioners. In addition, special
resources for students, parents, teachers, schools, and youth ministry for a Respect Life Week are available.
Themes include Forgiveness and MercyPost Abortion HealingHuman TraffickingMental HealthAdoption, and Racism.

Please consider preaching on the protection of life, from conception to natural death, and the dignity of the
human person, before or during the month. Specifically, consider mentioning the following particular issues of
focus:

Abortion (Beginning of Life) | Assisted Suicide (End of Life) | Foster Care | Homelessness | Human Trafficking
| Migration Ministry | Care for Creation | Death Penalty | Racism

Further information on each issue can be found on the Life, Justice & Peace’s landing page at Life Justice Peace.


October is Respect Life Month! Each year in October, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops launches a
new theme for the year to help Catholics understand and honor the dignity of every human person. This year’s
theme, since it is his year, is “St. Joseph, defender of life, pray for us!”

RESPECT LIFE MONTH RESOURCES FROM USCCB

  • Every parish receives a Respect Life packet, additional materials are available here, including:
  • 2022 Poster and Social Graphics (English/ Spanish)
  • 2022 Resource Summary (English/ Spanish)
  • 2022 Prayer Card (English/ Spanish)
  • 2022 Action Guide (English/ Spanish)
  • Bulletin & Pulpit Announcements, Intercessions, Homily Helps

WALKING WITH MOMS COLLECTION (formerly Pennies from Heaven)

Since 1994, the Diocese of Orange has been collecting funds to support local Respect Life shelters, clinics, and centers that give immediate and long-term care to Orange County women, men, and families in crisis. This collection is one substantial way that our diocese promotes a culture of life in our community. These donations also serve as an opportunity for parishioners to participate in formation around life issues and practical efforts to help our neighbors affected by threats to the life and
dignity of the human person. To view more information, click here.

More on the Walking with Moms Intiative here.


Please click here to view the following Spanish and English prayer cards:

  • Sts. Anne & Joachim- patrons of parents
  • St. Benedict Joseph Labre- patron of the homeless
  • Servant of God: Dorothy Day- for healing from abortion
  • St. Jerome Emiliani- patron of orphans
  • St. John Paul the Great- for the sick, elderly and dying
  • St. Teresa of Calcutta- for encouragement to participate in public life (this card is in English only)

RESPECT LIFE WEEK MATERIALS


Respect Life Week is an amazing week-long celebration of what makes us Catholic; a total appreciation for Life
from conception to natural death. Check out the Respect Life Week materials from our colleagues in the
Archdiocese of Los Angeles. On this page, you will find resources for students, parents, teachers & youth
ministers. Parishes are also welcomed to use this resource for their ministries. To view
free lesson plans on the following topics, click here.

Topics for 2018-2019: Immigration, Abortion, Assisted Suicide, Marriage, Environment, Loneliness

Topics for 2019-2020: Overcoming Polarization, A World Without Abortion, Restorative Justice/Death Penalty,
Preferential Option for the Poor, Celebrating Special Needs


OneLife LA 

  • Click here to view event information including the video, registration, time, speakers and other resources
  • It is important that we encourage everyone to register on the website. Organizers want to have an accurate account of who will attend. If you are taking names at the parish, you can register a group (parish) on the website
  • Bulletin/Pulpit Announcements are attached here. Feel free to adapt to your school or parish needs
  • Archbishop Gomez has written a prayer for OneLife LA that can be shared far and wide. Attached is a plain document with the prayer in both English and Spanish for use in whatever way is helpful for your parish or school

The Caring for the Whole Person Initiative is a new comprehensive approach to caring for the sick and dying spearheaded by Catholic healthcare, the Catholic Church, community healthcare providers, and public health leaders. This effort seeks to remake how our healthcare system addresses death and dying and lays out a vision for a network of care that addresses both the physical and spiritual dimensions of care.

In 2018, the Diocese of Orange spearheaded the first local conference of its kind as part of the larger statewide Caring for the Whole Person Initiative, a collaborative project of the California Catholic Conference and the Alliance of Catholic Health Care. This day- long summit was open to professional care providers, community health leaders, parish volunteers, and clergy. Speakers included Ira Byock, MD, Megory Anderson, PhD. and Most Rev. Kevin Vann, Bishop of Orange. To view a few recordings and material presented on this day, please click here.

As a continuation of the Caring for the Whole Person Initiative, our Diocese of Orange has been hosting the following event at various parishes: Care, Prepare, Connect. The event consists of a showing of a brief but powerful film called End Game, a panel discussion that address’s questions about suffering and end of life ethics, accessing quality care, discussions about Advance Care Planning, and accompaniment and caring pastorally in our parish communities. The event models conversations about care and helping every person to know that they are loved, wanted, and worthy through the end of life’s journey. To view more about this event and who we partner with, please click here. To host this event at your parish, please contact our office.

The following list of parishes have hosted a Care, Prepare, and Connect:

  • Christ Cathedral Parish
  • Christ Our Savior
  • Blessed Sacrament
  • Mission Basilica, San Juan Capistrano
  • Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
  • Our Lady Queen of Angels
  • St. Cecilia
  • St. Edward the Confessor
  • St. Irenaeus
  • St. Joachim
  • St. John the Baptist
  • St. Joseph
  • St. Timothy
  • St. Bonaventure
  • St. Boniface (Spanish)
  • Holy Family

Whether you are a foster parent or an adoptive parent, opening your heart and home to a child is a wonderful and life-changing experience for parent and child alike.

To learn more about our Foster Care Campaign please visit: Adoption & Foster Care

To schedule Mass announcements and a resource table at your parish, please contact our office at (714)282-3058.

The Need, The Solution Flyer- English | Spanish

Foster Care poster (here)