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March Pro-life Ministry: Paths toward Peace
Proclaiming a consistent ethic of life calls us to work in many areas of pro-life ministry. The "big" issues that most frequently come to mind are abortion, doctor assisted-suicide, and the death penalty. War is rarely mentioned.
Perhaps because we live in America, we can only glimpse how war destroys lives, families, homes, cities, and the earth. Portraits of grief and images of rubble produced by an enemy's attack shock our sensibilities, but don't always directly touch our lives. Safely at a distance from the killing and destruction, we are not always motivated to oppose war and promote peace as an important pro-life issue.
I have been particularly moved by the recent images of Pope Francis' peacemaking pilgrimage to Iraq. Yet, even as I was watching a video of the beautiful Mass in Erbil, my news feed filled with reports of the missile strikes against Saudi Arabia and then the retaliatory bombings in Yemen. Our prayers for an end to war are urgently needed.
This month, there are so many opportunities to engage in pro-life ministry. The events, ideas, & resources in this newsletter might compliment your Lenten practices or help you and your parish community reach deeper with prayer, fasting, & almsgiving. But I encourage you to also intentionally expand your pro-life ministry to include work to end war and promote peace.
Peacemaking is something in which all of us can engage. In his remarks at Ur, the ancient homeland of Abraham, Pope Francis noted that the path to peace begins with "the decision not to have enemies." The Pope explained that a path to peace means opposing the proliferation of arms and accusations, and instead responding to "the cry of the oppressed and discarded in our world [who] lack food, medicine, education, rights and dignity." It means affirming the sacredness of every human life, including the lives of the unborn, the elderly, the oppressed, and migrants regardless of race, nationality or religion.
Each of us can choose to step out on this path toward peace. We can choose not to make an enemy of someone who disagrees with us or hurts us. How will you engage in this important pro-life work this month?
Sincerely in Christ,
Catherine Phillips
Respect Life Office
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Pope Francis meets with Iraq's leading Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf, Iraq, on March 6, 2021. Vatican Media - AP
Let us walk together along paths of peace.
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On March 19, the Feast of St. Joseph, especially in this Year of St. Joseph, consider praying this Novena for mothers and fathers who place their babies for adoption, for family members of children placed for adoption, for married couples who are trying to adopt a child, for children waiting to be adopted, for children who have been adopted and for their families.
Invoking the intercession of St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, we pray that the Lord will bless all who travel upon the path of adoption. And, recalling the mercy which God our Father has shown to us, we also ask that, through our words and actions, they may encounter the outstretched hands of his mercy. May all know the care of the Father, whose love for each person “gushes forth from the depths naturally, full of tenderness and compassion, indulgence and mercy” (Misericordiae vultus, 6). Pray this beautiful NOVENA. Pray the NOVENA IN SPANISH.
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Join Bishop Taylor to pray the Stations of the Cross
Friday March 12, 11:00 am
outside Planned Parenthood 1501 Aldersgate Rd, LR
Please wear a mask.
40 Days for Life is a peaceful campaign of prayer, fasting, & education to end the grave evil of abortion.
The LR 40 Days campaign is held in front of Planned Parenthood where chemical abortions take place.
Last year, 42% of all abortions in Arkansas were chemical.
Approximately 1250 babies died this way.
Your prayers & your presence save lives & help change the world.
Find more information about 40 Days for Life in LR here. |
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Hope & Healing, a 12-week online Bible study just for women who have been wounded by abortion, will begin in April. This opportunity, offered through Project Rachel Ministry, will explore the impact of past abortion decisions on our lives and discover what we need to do to heal from these traumatic experiences.
On this journey of self-discovery and empowerment we will meet 12 amazing women who, just like us, are wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends. We will learn together how these women faced the same struggles and challenges that we face and through their example gain insight into what we can do to make changes in our own lives so that we can move forward from lingering grief, shame, guilt, fear, and pain to acceptance, forgiveness, trust, peace, love, and joy.
Any woman, anywhere, can participate from the comfort of her own space, either anonymously or with a virtual group of soon-to-be friends. Call or text our CONFIDENTIAL direct phone line 501-663-0996 for more information. Registration is required by March 29.
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As the American Rescue Act makes its way through Congress many Arkansans hope for economic relief and support the good projects and intentions promised by this legislation. However, as a pro-life community we must be aware and wary of the possibility that the Act may open the door to tax-payer funding of abortions because, unlike the previous Covid relief bills, it fails to include Hyde Amendment protections.
Read the full letter from the USCCB here. This is very helpful if you want to understand more about the American Rescue Act .
Read the full statement by Archbishop Gomez and other Bishops here.
What is the Hyde Amendment and why is it important?
Basically, the Hyde Amendment is a bipartisan provision that has been part of the federal government's annual appropriations legislation since 1976. It represents a "compromise" on abortion and prohibits federal funding of domestic abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of a mother. It is estimated that over 2.4 million children are alive today because of the Hyde Ammendment.
Learn more here. |
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Recently Arkansas received and began to distribute another type of Covid-19 vaccine. This vaccine, produced by Johnson & Johnson, differs from the vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer already available to some Arkansas because the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was developed, tested, and produced with abortion-derived cell lines and thus raises questions of moral permissibility. Learn about all types of Covid-19 vaccines here.
As Catholics we must continue to insist that pharmaceutical companies and research laboratories stop using abortion-derived cell lines. However, because we are not able to choose which vaccine we receive, both Bishop Taylor and the USCCB have clarified that it is permissible to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. In a recent letter to the people of the Diocese of Little Rock, Bishop Taylor wrote, "Catholics here can- and, in the interest of the common good, should - receive whichever vaccine is offered, including the Johnson and Johnson vaccine."
Our Bishop added, "If for reasons of personal conscience any Catholic refuses a vaccine when it becomes available, that person has a moral obligation to do their utmost to avoid becoming a vehicle of transmission to others, especially the most vulnerable." Read Bishop Taylor's Letter here. Read his letter in Spanish.
It is also important to understand that the CDC advises that we all continue to wear masks, continue to keep physically apart and avoid crowds, and continue good handwashing. These steps have proven to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 virus which still claimed more than 2.6 million lives.
Graphic credit: phillycatholiclife.org.
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Learn & Grow this Lent - Study the Gospel Of Life
March 25 marks the anniversary of the papal encyclical Evangelium vitae (The Gospel of Life). Written by Pope St. John Paul II in 1995, this document on the value and inviolability of every human life remains an indispensable source of truth for all people. It reaffirms the “greatness and the inestimable value of human life” (EV 2) and addresses present-day legal, ethical, and moral threats to life, including abortion, artificial reproduction techniques, contraception, capital punishment, euthanasia, sterilization, and suicide.
This study guide was developed for use either with the “The Gospel of Life: Compendium” or with the full encyclical text. The study guide provides scriptural reflections, prayers, and discussion questions to help readers reflect more deeply on The Gospel of Life. While specifically designed to help facilitate small or large group studies, individuals can also use this tool on their own to increase their understanding of the text and make real-life connections.
Download the Compendium in English or in Spanish. Download the study guide.
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Pro-Life Films for Lent: Watch & Learn
1. Unplanned - Learn about the reality of the abortion industry. See what chemical and surgical abortions are really like. Access the movie here.
2. Just Mercy - Learn about racism and capital punishment, and how this system devalues human life. Find watch options & a study guide here.
3. Vulnerable: The Euthanasia Deception - Learn the real consequences of legalized doctor-assisted suicide and euthanasia. Watch the film here.
4. Notturno - In this new film, learn how war impacts lives in Iraq, Kurdistan, Syria and Lebanon. Stream the movie.
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Fr. Andrew Hart, Pastor of Holy Rosary in Stuttgart and Holy Trinity in England, encourages us to participate in Catholic Relief Services' Rice Bowl giving program this Lent. Learn more about Catholic Relief Services.
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Blessing of a Child in the Womb
The Solemnity of the Annunciation is a perfect occasion to offer the Blessing of a Child in the Womb to expectant parents in your parish community. The celebration of the Annunciation commemorates the visit of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary to inform her that she was to be the mother of our Savior. After giving her consent to God’s word, Mary conceives Jesus in her womb and becomes the mother of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In modern times, this feast day has taken on special meaning in Respect Life ministry. Scientific advances have allowed us to confirm that life begins at conception. This solemnity helps us to recognize the gift of new life from its very beginning. It calls us to reflect on how we are to care for, protect, and welcome new life, as the Blessed Mother did for the Christ child.
The "Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb" was crafted to support parents awaiting the birth of their child, to encourage parish prayers for—and recognition of—the precious gift of the child in the womb, and to foster respect for human life within society. It may be offered within the context of the Mass as well as outside of Mass.
Download the complete Rite of Blessing of a Child in the Womb (in English & in Spanish).
excerpted from Annunciation Action Guide, USCCB Respect Life 2021
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