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October is Respect Life Month October 2nd, 2019
October is Respect Life Month! This year’s Respect Life theme is “Christ Our Hope in Every Season of Life,” helping us become engaged with building a culture that cherishes every human life.
It’s time for us to renew our commitment to defending those most vulnerable in our midst. There are many ways we can get involved in our parishes, and our own prayer lives.
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has prepared a number of excellent resources to share with members of parish communities. You can also read this year’s Respect Life Month Statement by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, of Kansas City in Kansas and Chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities.
Missionary Oblates JPIC continues to advocate that “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.” CCC 2270.
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has a strong commitment to pro-life issues and their website is rich with related information. Visit the USCCB Pro-Life Initiative
Prayer
Join us in praying for a greater respect for human life from conception to natural death:
“Father and maker of all,
you adorn all creation
with splendor and beauty,
and fashion human lives
in your image and likeness.
Awaken in every heart
reverence for the work of your hands,
and renew among your people
a readiness to nurture and sustain
your precious gift of life.
Grant this through our Lord
Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in
the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God forever and ever.
Amen”
–USCCB Prayer for Life–
Responding to Signs of Our Times in the Spirit of St. Eugene De Mazenod February 27th, 2017
Prompted by recent alarming executive actions by the new administration, the U.S. Provincial Fr. Bill Antone, OMI, on February 7 penned a letter to the Province inviting Oblates and Associates to reflect on the challenges of our nation today. The letter begins: “There are many contrasting voices in our nation these days.” It continues, “How can we be engaged?… These times call us to reflect deeply on how our Catholic faith and principles can shed light upon a myriad of questions we face concerning immigrants, ecology, economy, trade, human rights, race, patriotism, church unity, world order, checks and balances, war and peace.”
Early in his message Fr. Bill called on the JPIC office to “assist us, as appropriate, with some resources, reflections and suggestions for action.” Under our Oblate JPIC initiative of Human Dignity we work on issues that promote respect for God’s creation, recognizing that the dignity of the human person is rooted in his or her creation in the image and likeness of God. In this resource we hope to provide you with reflections and actions to encourage your solidarity with a few of these communities: migrants/refugees, trafficking victims and those whose lives are threatened.
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Read Fr. Bill’s full letter here. Solidarity with Refugees and Immigrants Today, more refugees are fleeing wars and persecutions than ever on record. According to UN data, 2015 saw the highest levels of displaced people in history, with 51% of this number being children. Click here for reflections and suggested actions on behalf of refugees and immigrants. Ending Human Trafficking Modern slavery, also known as human trafficking is ‘the illegal trade in people for exploitation or commercial gain.’ It is the second largest criminal activity today, second only to the illegal drug trade, and it is growing. Human Trafficking generates more revenue than Google, Starbucks, Nike and the NFL combined (International Labor Organization (ILO). Click here for reflections and suggested actions on behalf of human trafficking victims. Respect Life Inspired by Catholic Social Teaching, the Missionary Oblates JPIC Consistent Life initiative advocates for the dignity of all human life. We believe that life is sacred and should be protected in all stages. As a society, we lack a fundamental respect for human life. Click here for reflections and suggested actions on behalf of people whose lives are threatened.
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CMSM J/P Alert – October 2014 Issue October 30th, 2014
We would like to share the latest issue of the E-Newsletter of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM). If you would like to subscribe your email to receive this newsletter, please email Eli McCarthy PhD, CMSM Justice and Peace Director at emccarthy@cmsm.org
In This Issue:
- Syria / Iraq
- Palestine / Israel
- Ferguson
- Immigration
- Restorative Justice
- Climate Change
- Money in Politics
- Respect Life
- Ignatian Solidarity
- Interfaith Conference on Drones
- Ecumenical Advocacy Days
- Catholic Social Ministry
- Year of Consecrated Life
Click here to read more »
October: Celebrate “Respect Life” Month October 4th, 2013
The annual Respect Life Sunday Mass is October 6. This is an opportunity for Catholics throughout the United States to come together to worship, reflect and witness to the dignity of the human person. The 2013 Respect Life Sunday theme is Open Your Hearts to Life. Catholics are being invited to check with local parish and diocese for Respect Life Sunday and the month’s events and schedules. Program information materials are available in English and Spanish at http://www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/respect-life-program/
Peace & Life Connections Newsletter October 12th, 2012
From now on, we will be reproducing the Consistent Life “Peace & Life Connections” weekly newsletter on our website. If you are interested in more information, or in subscribing to the e-newsletter, please visit www.consistent-life.org/
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October is Respect Life Month
The Catholic Church in the U.S. designates October as Respect Life Month with a program in its parishes that includes distribution of a set of educational materials. Non-Catholics may find some of the materials suitable as well. Issues of abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty are normally covered.
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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Coerced abortion is one of many forms of domestic violence against women, and domestic violence also makes women more likely to seek abortions. Domestic violence can result from abortions as well, in the stressful aftermath. Feticide is itself a form of domestic violence – the strong committing lethal violence against the weak.
Coerced euthanasia is also itself a form of domestic abuse against the elderly. The very presence of euthanasia as a “voluntary” option can be pressure against the vulnerable, especially those already subjected to abuse.
We anticipate having more to offer on these points in future October issues. Anyone who has a specific resource or education on this point (or any other) can share it with us at weekly@consistent-life.org.
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World-wide Poverty
Today roughly 1.3 billion people—about one-fifth of humanity—live on what would be equivalent to a little over $1 in the United States.
As an illustration, consider the Indian district of Udaipur, where about half the population lived at this poverty level in 2004: most households living in such poverty owned a bed but more than 90 percent lacked a chair or table; none had indoor running water. The infant mortality rate was 10 percent—a striking fact for pro-lifers.
Such figures are discouraging, but we should also remember that more than half of humanity lived at roughly this level of poverty only about 30 years ago. If we have made genuine progress in the past in reducing poverty, why can we not do so in the future?
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No Exceptions
Long-time CL Endorser Dr. Karen Swallow Prior has written a piece called “No Exceptions: The Case for a Consistent Pro-Life Ethic.” Despite its title, the consistency does refer to abortion alone and not other issues, but it does refer to being consistent on abortion.
Dr. Karen Swallow Prior
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Quotation of the Week
October 2012 Respect Life Statement, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
“Faith Opens Our Eyes to Human Life in All Its Grandeur and Beauty”
“In addition to opening the door to abortion on request for all nine months of pregnancy, the Supreme Court’s decision eroded respect for human life and led to a growing acceptance of death as the “solution” to personal and societal problems.
Euthanasia and assisted suicide are now promoted as answers to declining health and disability. Human embryonic stem cell research, in which week-old embryos are sacrificed, is championed as a means to cure disease. To solve the problem of low fertility, many doctors create human embryos in their clinics, knowing full well that few embryos will survive to birth and the majority will be discarded or die. And the death penalty is still vigorously defended as the answer to violent crime.”
Issue #130 10.05.12; Consistent Life web page/ Join or Donate / Previous Issues / Index
