Pro-Life Ministries
“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, November 2001
Every October, the Church in the U.S. celebrates Respect Life Month.
We reflect on the gift of every human life and how to build a culture that protects life from conception to natural death.
Nationwide Invitation to Prayer and Action
The USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities is inviting Catholics to join a focused effort of prayer and action to stop the spread of abortion pills by invoking the intercession of St. Joseph, Defender of Life. Join us in prayer from now until the end of October!
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A Prayer to St. Joseph, Defender of Life
Dearest St. Joseph, at the word of an angel, you lovingly took Mary into your home.
As God’s humble servant, you guided the Holy Family on the road to Bethlehem, welcomed
Jesus as your own son in the shelter of a manger,
and fled far from your homeland for the safety of both Mother and Child.
We praise God that as their faithful protector, you never hesitated to sacrifice for those entrusted to you.
May your example inspire us also to welcome, cherish, and safeguard God’s most precious gift of life.
Help us to faithfully commit ourselves to the service and defense of human life —
especially where it is vulnerable or threatened.
Obtain for us the grace to do the will of God in all things.
Amen.
For more information visit respectlife.org.
Respect Life Month Events 2026
October 1:
Respect Life Chair Assembly
St. Raphael the Archangel Church
6:30 p.m.
Respect Life parish committees will come together for an annual meal, fellowship, and
a presentation for best practices in ministry.
Registration is required; limited to three per parish
October 14 and October 28
Respect Life Youth Service Days
9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Students will learn about the dignity of human life by doing active service with local ministries,
including Little Way Pregnancy Resource Center, The Common Earth Food Gardens of Catholic Charities,
Fr. Jack Jones Food Pantry, and the Catholic Charities ESL Ministry.
Transportation is not provided.
Each date will have a different schedule of events. Please contact the Office of Family and Life for specifics.
Registration is required for all service days; limit of 15 workers per parish/school.
October 24
Respect Life Youth Service Days
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Students will learn about the dignity of human life by doing active service with local ministries,
including Little Way Pregnancy Resource Center, The Common Earth Food Gardens of Catholic Charities,
Fr. Jack Jones Food Pantry, and the Catholic Charities ESL Ministry.
Transportation is not provided.
Each date will have a different schedule of events. Please contact the Office of Family and Life for specifics.
Registration is required for all service days; limit of 15 workers per parish/school.
October 28
Preparing for the End of Life
St. Gabriel the Archangel Church
Confessions: 5:00 p.m.
Mass: 6:30 p.m.
Presentation will begin at 7:00 p.m.
Moral theologian Fr. Tony Smith and Elder Law Expert Misty Clark VanTrease
will give presentations and answer questions about the various considerations families must make when preparing for the end of life.
October 29
Preparing for Dementia
St. Patrick Church
6:00 p.m.
Benjamin T. Mast, PhD, ABPP and Christopher Mattingly, MA, BCC will discuss both the clinical causes of dementia, as well as practical tips for adapting both sacramental ministry and family life for a loved one diagnosed with dementia.
October 31
Walking with Moms in Need Annual Gathering
St. Margaret Mary Church
10:00 a.m.
Leaders of the Walking with Moms in Need parish ministry program will come together for fellowship and presentations on best practices for this ministry.
Registration is required; limited to three per parish
For more information on these events and to register,
contact Stuart Hamilton at shamilton@archlou.org or Morgann Lucas at mlucas@archlou.org.
The Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities contains four major pillars that the Bishops have set forth as elements necessary for authentic Catholic pro-life efforts in America:
- Public Education
- Public Policy
- Pastoral Care
- Prayer
Pro-Life Ministry promotes the Church’s teaching regarding the dignity of life from conception to natural death:
- Euthanasia
- Faithful Citizenship
- Human Trafficking
- IVF/Reproductive Technology
- Natural Family Planning
- Stem Cell Research
- Abortion
- Assisted Suicide
- Contraception
- Conscience Protection
- Death Penalty
- Disabilities
- Domestic Violence
For information and resources visit usccb.org.
“Blessing of the Child in the Womb.”
A wonderful way to reach out to parents and to the child in the womb of the mother and extend the gracious greeting of Christ, the “Blessing” is explained and extended in a booklet that Archbishop Kurtz co-authored called Gift of Joy. Please consider sharing this booklet with any expectant parents you may know. To order, go to osv.com or Amazon.com.
Archdiocesan Pro-Life Event Coordinator
Stuart Hamilton
(502) 471-2154
shamilton@archlou.org
Maloney Center
1200 South Shelby Street
Louisville, KY 40203
For a free subscription to the “Dignity of Life” e-newsletter, contact Stuart.
Resources
Project Rachel
A post-abortion ministry of the Archdiocese of Louisville. To learn more, speak to someone confidentially at:
Phone: (502)-471-2155
Email
Faithful Citizens
Represents the Church and the state’s four Roman Catholic dioceses in public policy matters on both the state and federal levels.
Learn More >
Providing Hope. Creating Change.
Provides pregnancy and adoption service for people in need, advocates for justice in social structures and human trafficking, and calls the entire Church and other people of good will to do the same.
Learn More >
Natural Family Planning, NFP
NFP, in keeping with the Church’s teaching, views fertility as a sacred reality to live rather than a problem to be solved.
Learn More >
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
