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 Mercy, Post Abortion Healing, Human Trafficking, Mental Health, Adoption, 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:
- Action Guide
- Leaders’ Toolkits (Catholic Education, Clergy, Faith Formation, Media Kit, Youth Ministry)
- Novena
- Poster
- Prayer Card
- Reflection
- Graphics
- Homily Connections
- October Word of Life
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 is a joint project of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’s Department of Catholic Schools and the Office of Life, Justice and Peace. During this week, students look at current issues like, Adoption and Foster Care, Post-Abortion Healing, Immigration, Racism and Mental Health & Addiction through the lens of our Catholic faith. Students are invited to understand why we believe in what we do and what we can do to build a Culture of Life right where we live.
Through curriculum, prayer and service, students in grades PK-12 will have the opportunity to reflect on the infinite love of Christ for every person. RLW is a cross-curricular program. Teachers, campus ministers, administrators and parents are encouraged to work together to make the week meaningful and impactful for our students. Parishes are also welcomed to use this resource for their ministries. To view free lesson plans on the following topics, click here.
- Click here to view event information including the video, registration, time, speakers and other resources
You can register [https://onelifela.org/register-2] your parish group, as an individual, or to volunteer. - 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: Sample Bulletin Announcement
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.
Caring for the Whole Person
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)