Prayer for Life
Our Lady of Guadalupe, we turn to you as the protectress of unborn children, and ask that you intercede for us, so that we may more firmly resolve to join you in protecting all human life. Let our prayers be united to your perpetual motherly intercession on behalf of those whose lives are threatened, be they in the womb of their mother, on the bed of infirmity, or in the latter years of their life. May our prayers also be coupled with peaceful action, which witnesses to the goodness and dignity of all human life, so that our firmness of purpose may give courage to those who are fearful and bring light to those who are blinded by sin.
Please pray for the 1,321 mothers and their unborn children that have entered the local abortion facility in 2016.
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Websites
Family Ministries,
Pro-Life, Archdiocese of Louisville
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United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
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Catholic Conference of Kentucky
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Opportunities for Life
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Catholic Charities Louisville
cclou.org/about-us/
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Natural Family Planning
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Dignity of Life
"We proclaim that human life is a precious gift from God; that each person who receives this gift has responsibilities toward God, self and others; and that society, through its laws and social institutions, must protect and nurture human life at every stage of its existence."
U.S. Catholic Bishops, Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities.
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Project Rachel
Are you or a loved one experiencing pain from an abortion? To speak confidentially to someone, contact the diocesan  "Project Rachel" ministry,
502-471-2155.
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Is Pro-Life Pro-Mother?
One of the common criticisms in the abortion debate goes something like this: "'prolifers' only care about the unborn baby, but, they do nothing to help mothers." In so many ways this common critique is aimed at all Catholics, along with those who believe in the sanctity of human life. And in what it tries to say about us, nothing could be further from the truth.
One thing we should all be clear on is that 'prolifers' are not some form of subset of the Catholic family, the term 'prolife' defines everyone who lives by those principles regarding life which are promulgated in Catholic Social Teaching. As the USCCB website states, "this belief that human life is sacred, is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching."
Catholic Teaching, by way of the Gospel, demonstrates that human life is a precious gift from God, and therefore, human life needs to be protected from conception to natural death. The Catholic Church, through its own ministries and in partnership with so many others, helps more mothers in unplanned pregnancies than any organization in the world. And the Catholic Church doesn't stop there. The Catholic Church serves the poor, the disabled, the marginalized, the abused, the homeless, the elderly, the refugee, the imprisoned, the victims of violence and the elderly, often when no one else will.
In other words, we don't stop protecting life after the child is born. As Catholics, we know that our service continues through all of life.
One of the primary and direct help ministries that 'prolifers' are largely responsible for in the United States are the growing number (over 4000) of Pregnancy Resource Centers (PCR's). Over 2 million women are directly helped by PRC's annually. In addition, many women stay at one of the 350 residential facilities for women and children operated by pro-life groups.
Locally, many parishioners celebrate and advocate for life and mothers in an unplanned pregnancy through the annual Little Way Mothers' Day Rose Sale. Through the intercession of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Little Way Pregnancy Resource Center PregnancyResourceCenter.net/ has been helping women, men, infants and children in many different ways including:
- Free Ultrasound and pregnancy testing for women in unplanned pregnancies.
- Confidential, compassionate and non-judgmental counseling services for women and men to designed to help the transition to parenthood.
- Mentoring and referrals for women and men who need long term support.
- Baby supplies and tangible assistance as needed.
- Post-abortive counseling and referral services.
- Chastity and abstinence classes in 36 area schools.
In 31 years, Little Way has served over 50,000 clients. If it was not for this ministry several hundred children would not be with us today.
On Mother's Day, this weekend, Little Way volunteers will be selling roses at most Archdiocesan parishes. This is a tremendous fundraiser for Little Way, and a win-win for those of us who need a last minute Mother's Day gift
This Mothers' Day, with the simple gift of a bouquet of roses, we can affirm the value of the life in the womb, the mothers with child, and all mothers, most especially our Blessed Mother.
Happy Mothers' Day.
Ed Harpring
Archdiocese of Louisville
Pro-Life Coordinator
Please visit our new Family Ministries/Pro-Life Facebook Page:
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#StandWithCathy for Conscience Rights
Cathy Cenzon-DeCarlo, RN, endured a living nightmare when she was forced to participate
in a late-term abortion against her deeply-held pro-life beliefs.
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We pray - "that all mothers may be honored by their families."
Fasting on Friday?
The U.S. bishops have approved a pastoral strategy to advance a Movement for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty. It is essentially a call to prayer, penance, and sacrifice for the sake of renewing a culture of life, marriage, and religious liberty in our country. The U.S. Bishops are encouraging the faithful to pray and fast for the renewal of a culture of life and marriage and for protection of religious liberty. In particular, Catholics are invited to make a pledge to fast and abstain from meat on Fridays.
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