Respect Life Ministry
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Prayer To St. Joseph,Defender of Life:
Holy, beloved Father,
your Son Jesus taught us
that there is great rejoicing in heaven
whenever someone lost is found,
whenever someone
excluded, rejected or discarded
is gathered into our “we”,
which thus becomes ever wider.
We ask you to grant the followers of Jesus,
and all people of good will,
the grace to do your will on earth.
Bless each act of welcome and outreach
that draws those in exile
into the “we” of community
and of the Church,
so that our earth may truly become
what you yourself created it to be:
the common home
of all our brothers and sisters.
Amen.Rome, Saint John Lateran, 3 May 2021, Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles
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What Do We Mean By "RESPECT FOR LIFE?"
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Every human life, from the moment of conception until natural death, is sacred because the human person has been willed for its own sake in the image and likeness of the living and holy God. [CCC-2319] There is no stage of development, nor medical or psychological or physical condition, nor action or inaction taken, nor color, gender, or creed which changes this fact that each person's dignity is given by God and must be protected by all people. There is no distinction made between respect for the human body and respect for the human soul or spirit - both are interconnected and bound to each other. Our goal as Christians is to work within our families and our communities to promote the protection of life, and the promotion of the dignity of every human person. It is our responsibility to promote legislation and laws that reflect this goal.
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Respect for the Preborn Child in the Womb
Respect for Those Who are Sick or Have Terminal Illness
Respect for Those Who Have Limited Abilities or Special Needs
Respect for People of Color and Minority Populations
Respect for the Elderly
Respect for Immigrants and Assylum-seekers
Respect for the Poor and Marginalized
Respect for Differences in Gender or Sexual Orientation
Respect for Human Health and the Right to Live in Peace
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Quotes from Popes
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“Even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.”
Day for Life Greeting to Great Britain and Ireland, July 17, 2013"Reason alone is sufficient to recognize the inviolable value of each single human life, but if we also look at the issue from the standpoint of faith, 'every violation of the persnal dignity of the human being cries out in vengeance to God and is an offence against the creator of the individual.'"
Evangelii gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel, apostolic eshortation for the Universal Church, November 24, 2013
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"[L]ife is the first good received from God and is fundamental to all others; to guarantee the right to life for all and in an equal manner for all is the duty upon which the future of humanity depends."
Address to Participants of the General Assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life, February 24, 2007
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“Every analysis must necessarily start from the premise that—although each person lives in a particular concrete social and historical context—every human being is endowed with a dignity that must never be lessened, impaired or destroyed but must instead be respected and safeguarded, if peace is really to be built up."
Address to the General Assembly of the United Nations, Oct. 2, 1979
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Healing After Abortion
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Rachel's Vineyard
Many women and men feel pain, guilt, shame, grief - or any combination of those - following an abortion experience. Sometimes, these feelings can surface years after the initial trauma. Rachel's Vineyard is here to help both women and men to recover and heal from these experiences, and to find hope for a future that is no longer dominated by the past.
If you are interested in attending a retreat or would like to speak with a priest or counselor, please contact us! All inquiries are confidential and financial assistance is available. Diocese of Sacramento Project Rachel Ministry: (916) 733-0156 or 888-456-HOPE or email projectrachel@scd.org
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U.S. Government Initiatives
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H.R. 3755
SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 from USCCB.org
WASHINGTON - Today, the House of Representatives voted to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, H.R. 3755. This bill would impose abortion on demand nationwide at any stage of pregnancy through federal statute and would eliminate pro-life laws at every level of government -- including parental notification for minor girls, informed consent, and health or safety protections specific to abortion facilities. H.R. 3755 also would compel all Americans to support abortions here and abroad with their tax dollars and would also likely force health care providers and professionals to perform, assist in, and/or refer for abortion against their deeply-held beliefs, as well as force employers and insurers to cover or pay for abortion.
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities issued the following statement:
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“This deceptively-named bill is the most extreme pro-abortion bill our nation has ever seen. H.R. 3755 is not about the health of women, but only about eliminating any and all protections for unborn children - including baby girls. It would lead to the deliberate destruction of millions of unborn lives, leaving countless women with physical, emotional, and spiritual scars.
“This bill assumes that abortion can be the only, or best, solution to a crisis pregnancy. H.R. 3755 is built on a false and despairing narrative that utterly fails women. In treating abortion as the moral equivalent to the removal of an appendix, this proposal is radically out of step with the American public. As a nation built on the recognition that every human being is endowed by its Creator with the unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, this bill is a complete injustice. Congress should embrace public policy that respects the rights of mothers, their children, and the consciences of all Americans, not advance a radical ‘abortion on demand until birth’ policy that is completely out of step with our country’s principles.”
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Divine Savior Catholic Church makes every attempt to carefully screen the material we present as additional outside resources on these topics, both for accuracy and for its alignment with official Catholic teaching. We do not endorse the organizations nor the authors or speakers; we provide this information for reference only and we encourage careful discernment by all our website visitors.
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