The Respect Life Office is Open for Business!

Dear Respect Life Coordinator:

There can be no such thing as a "passive" pro-lifer.  To be a pro-life is to be for life and for all that enhances and beautifies human life.  To be pro-life is to believe that each human being, regardless of his or her age, health, talents, limitations, or condition, deserves total respect, loving care and the recognition and protection of law and social policy.

The ultimate reason for this conviction is that we know that regardless of the surrounding circumstances, the gift of life comes from God Himself and that each person is known, loved, and called by God to the fullness of life in eternity.  Even on a completely secular level, however, civilization cannot long survive the tendency of the intelligent to discount the slow; the strong to disregard the weak; the influential to dismiss others as not having meaningful lives.  To be pro-life, then, is to be in harmony with the eternal plan of the Creator and to be dedicated to preserving the vision and rights enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and in the U.S. Constitution.

As a pro-life representative, yours is a special privilege.  Yours will be a special role in the Church's efforts to respond to the tragic and callous abuse of human life, so common in our society, and to the corruption of family life.

By inviting our brothers and sisters to service and by seeking to use the talents of all God's people to the best advantage, we are responding to the call issued by the U.S. Catholic Bishops, by the Holy Father, and by Christ Himself.  We must work to provide better answers to the sufferings of others rather than accept abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia.  Our constant concern must be to reach those who either do not know of the crisis of our times or who are uninvolved.

If all things, our voice must speak for the suffering; and we must work to change the laws and policies of our society whenever they fail to protect innocent human life from destruction and abuse.  It must be our creed that to do nothing is to join in the oppression of the defenseless.  There is always much to do:  prayer, education, personal service, volunteer work, and advocacy.  Each of us can do some or all of these and we must.  A sure sign of life is biological activity.  A clear indication of God's life in us is pro-life activity.

If you would like to receive a handbook that is meant to be a guide and an inspiration, please contact me at 504/834-5433 or email peggyfkenny@yahoo.com.  Together, as members of the Church, we will work to shape a compassionate society founded on truth and justice.

For life, in His name, 
Peggy F. Kenny, Executive Director