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Opportunity to support a culture of life

By Bishop Terry R. LaValley

January 22, 2020

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

Since 1973, every January the Church focuses our attention on the United States Supreme Court’s horrific decision in Roe v Wade that a woman has a constitutional right to abort the innocent child in her womb and now, even during the child’s birth.

Later this spring, the Church will mark the 25th anniversary of Evangelium vitae (The Gospel of Life). In that landmark encyclical, Pope St. John Paul II provides a clear challenge to us: “With great openness and courage, we need to question how widespread is the culture of life today among individual Christians, families, groups and communities in our dioceses? With equal clarity and determination, we must identify the steps we are called to take in order to serve life in all its truth” (EV, 95).

Here in the Diocese of Ogdensburg, Colleen and John Miner, Directors of our Diocesan Respect Life Office, coordinate our efforts to take the steps we need to serve life in all its truth in the North Country.

We work to build a culture of life in a society that far too often demeans, devalues and destroys life.

At our Masses this week, we are given the opportunity to support the steps we have identified “to serve life in all its truth” by contributing to the annual Respect Life Collection.

Monies donated to this collection provide grants for our Respect Life efforts.

Grants in 2019 enabled more of our youth and college students to attend the March for Life in Washington, where young North Country pilgrims marched with fellow pro-lifers from across our nation, in opposition to the sinful stain of abortion.

Several grants aided parish Project Gabriel programs. The “angels” of Project Gabriel lend a compassionate ear to struggling new mothers, material assistance to care for their newborn child and a variety of other supports.

Respect Life grants assisted Birthright of Plattsburgh, an interdenominational organization helping women with unplanned pregnancies.

Other grants supported educational programs, Catholic radio in the Adirondacks and various pro-life programs.

Thank you for your prayers and generous support of the 2020 Respect Life Collection and for all your efforts to build a culture of life by changing hearts and minds.

Faithfully yours in Christ,
Most Reverend
Terry R. LaValley
Bishop of Ogdensburg

 

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