Respect Life

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ANNUAL EVENTS

Respect Life Program: Parishes in the Diocese of Orange participate in this year-round, nationwide effort to help Catholics understand, value, and become engaged with building a culture that cherishes every human life. The U.S. bishops produce materials each year to assist you in these efforts. These resources may be downloaded, printed, and reproduced for use in your parish, school, or ministry
to help build a culture of life. They can also be adapted for either in-person or virtual use. Consider ordering the beautiful Prayer Cards for your parish.

Respect Life Month (October): 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 is “Living the Gospel of Life.” Parishes are invited to host a ministry fair and/or 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.

Specifically, consider mentioning the following particular issues of focus:

Walking with Moms (and ALL) in Need: There are so many people in need in our parishes and our neighborhoods, including pregnant and parenting moms. As Pope Francis reminds us, our parishes need to be “islands of mercy in the midst of a sea of indifference.” Everyone in the parish community should know where to refer anyone in need, whether a pregnant woman, a homeless man, a victim of domestic violence, an elder in need of accompaniment, a family in need of food.

  • Walking with Moms (and ALL) in Need is a year of service where Catholic parishes and communities “walk in the shoes” of local pregnant and parenting women and all who are in need. We want to be ensure that everyone knows how to help moms in difficult circumstances and to make good referrals and accompany anyone who comes to us in need. While not trying to turn Catholic parishes into pregnancy centers or social service agencies, we can support local centers and other agencies where they exist, and we can
    also find and share other resources with those in need. And where there are resources missing, we can create our own, based on the gifts of the parish community!
  • We hope you and your parish will join us in this effort. More on the national campaign at walkingwithmoms.com. We are already blessed with abundant resources which you can find in the soon-to-be-updated Diocese of Orange Catholic Directory as well as the LJP Resource Booklet: English / Español. One of the goals for this year of service is to update and find new local resources that you might discover in your area which help our parishes to walk with those in need well. For additional questions and/or to suggest additional resources, please contact Greg Walgenbach, Director of Life, Justice & Peace, at [email protected].

Lenten CRS Rice Bowl and 40 Days for Life: During Lent, our Diocese encourages parishes and individuals to observe forty days of prayer for an increased respect for the life and dignity of every human person. Parishes and individuals are encouraged to participate in CRS Rice Bowl program of formation and prayer around global solidarity as well as finding ways to offer personal prayers, sacrifices, and participation in peaceful prayer vigils outside of abortion clinics.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND OUR DIOCESAN GUIDELINES FOR CATHOLIC PRO-LIFE OUTREACH FOR A CATHOLIC, CHRIST-CENTERED APPROACH TO PRO-LIFE MINISTRY!

FAVOR DE CONSIDERAR NUESTRAS DIRECTRICES PARA ALCANCE COMUNITARIO CATOLICO PRO-VIDA, PARA UN MINISTERIO PRO-VIDA CATOLICA, CON CRISTO AL CENTRO.

PRAYER

EDUCATION

PASTORAL CARE

ADVOCACY

For more, see the following advocacy issues:

Respect Life