Respect Life Month Observed in October

Catholic Parishes Present Right to Life Material to Parishioners

Oct 1, 2009

Begun in 1972, the Respect Life Program provides church teaching on the value and dignity of human life to the Catholic community and the public.

The Respect Life Program begins each year on the first Sunday in October. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities publishes a program packet each year to call attention to numerous human life issues.

Right to Life Program in Capitola Parish

Gary Podesto, chairperson of Respect Life at St. Joseph’s Catholic Community in Capitola, CA, along with his wife Janice, presents program material from USCCB and other sources after Sunday Mass, six times a year. His information table includes handouts on pro-life issues, as well as materials on human trafficking, health care legislation and other topics concerning the respect of human life. He requests that his committee members not to hand out literature to parishioners unless they approach the table and ask for information on their own.

Podesto has taken on the complete spectrum of Respect Life initiative as his church ministry, but admits that at one time, he was fairly inattentive to some of the topics addressed in the program. This changed over a chance lunch with a friend who made him aware of the staggering number of abortions — 4,000 — performed each day in the United States alone.

He speaks highly of Mother Teresa of Calcutta who defended unborn children and spoke out against abortion to all audiences.

While running for a state office, he knew he would need to be educated not only on pro-life activities, but on all important life issues, so as to be able to take a public stand. He began to perform a self-examination and research, discovering that he now would reverse his stand on the death penalty, which he had supported in the past.

St. Joseph’s Pastor Father Matt Pennington's Statement on Respect Life Values

St. Joseph's Church pastor, Matt Pennington issued this statement on the topic of respecting live values: “Early in the history of the Church – it was decreed that human life is a sacred gift originating from God. That gift is not to be damaged or eliminated because it is inconvenient or questionable. The experience of living – of loving – forgiving – growing – learning is a sacred and precious experience that cannot be denied for any reason.

"We must strive to respect the human journey of every person even under difficult circumstances. We should honor the child, the prisoner, the elderly – their presence and their contribution may not be understood in the moment, but as people of faith we are challenged to trust in the greater wisdom of God.”

Parishioner and pro-life advocate Carol D, has personal reasons for her involvement in the Respect Life movement. Despite of some challenging social and medical issues surrounding her pregnancies, she disregarded advice on procuring an abortion. “Coming from a devout Catholic home, abortion was not an option. I put my pregnancies in God's hands and my children were born healthy and perfect..."

Parishioner and co-chair Jean Dunn became involved in Respect Life issues in the early 70s. Over the years, she has been active in Children's Home Society assisting with adoptions and later became active with husband Bruce in support of Siena House, a home helping women experiencing unplanned pregnancies but having no place to go. She currently serves on the Family Network Agency Board which facilitates adoptions. She sums up her involvement this way …“If you are against something, you have to take action with an alternative positive approach.”

From the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities

The 2009-10 USCCB literature contains this quote from Pope Benedict XVI: “Every child brings us God’s smile and invites us to recognize that life is his gift, a gift to be welcomed with love and preserved with care always and at every moment.” The flyer provides a fascinating timeline of fetal development along with photos showing the progress of the unborn child in the womb.

Begun in 1972, the Respect Life Program brings Church teaching on the value and dignity of human life to the Catholic community and the public. The program combines education, prayer, service and advocacy. Respect Life Sunday is observed in virtually all of the 195 Catholic dioceses in the United States.

The copyright of the article Respect Life Month Observed in October in Catholic Practices is owned by June Smith. Permission to republish Respect Life Month Observed in October in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.