Respect Life Overview 

"The Church is called to proclaim the gift of life, to serve life, and to promote a culture of life."

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A RENEWED URGENCY ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY!

The HHS Mandate forcing Catholic and private employers to provide contraceptive, abortifacient, and sterilization coverage in their health plans will be enforced beginning August 1.  This has serious implications for the Church’s ability to exercise her mission and ministry, particularly in education, health care, and charitable works.  Congress is expected to act soon on the Health Care Conscience Rights Act HR 940).

What you can do to help protect conscience rights:

• Sign postcards to legislators in your parish
• Email, call, and write to your elected officials. 
  • Visit the NCHLA Action Alert at http://nchla.org/actiondisplay.asp?ID=292 to read more about the bill and to send an email to Congress.
  • Obtain your representative’s contact information at www.house.gov to make phone calls and write letters.
• Pray!
• Educate others on this critical issue of our fundamental right to religious freedom.

Downloadable Resources:

NEW! USCCB HR 940 Fact Sheet

USCCB:  Pray-Fast-Act!

NCHLA flyer:  Project Life and Liberty

Protect Rights of Conscience and Religious Liberty! – NCHLA’s one-page Action Alert, updated 4/22/13

Bulletin Announcement and Prayers of the Faithful

Learn more:   www.worcesterdiocese.org/respectlife:   Call to Prayer  -  Religious Liberty & the HHS Mandate

                        www.usccb.org/life-marriage-liberty

                        www.usccb.org/conscience

                        www.usccb.org/freedom

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Call to Prayer for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty
An Initiative for the Year of Faith from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
 
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE!


PROJECT LIFE AND LIBERTY POSTCARD CAMPAIGN 
taking place in parishes now!  
Learn more here.

Read the Letter from Bishop McManus on the Jan. 22 Day of Prayer and Penance and the USCCB Call to Prayer Initiative HERE.

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Visit our Religious Freedom/HHS Mandate and Fortnight for Freedom archive pages for more information.





MORE CURRENT ISSUES:

PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE
For more extensive resources on PAS, CLICK HERE.

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Mission Statement:          
The Respect Life Office serves the Church of Worcester by striving to build a culture of life, and upholding and promoting the dignity of human life from the moment of conception to natural death. We work to implement the guidelines of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities, in which we are called upon as Church, with our resources, our people, our services and institutions, to pursue the cause of life with renewed energy and commitment. Through prayer, education, pastoral care, and public policy advocacy, we work to proclaim the Gospel of Life in our midst throughout all ages and stages of life. By working together diligently, prayerfully, and courageously in the Lord’s service, the culture of death that surrounds us today will one day be replaced with a culture of life. 

Contact Us:
Respect Life Office
Diocese of Worcester
49 Elm Street
Worcester, MA 01609
Phone: (508)929-4311
Fax:    (508)753-7180
Mrs. Allison LeDoux, Director
E-mail:  aledoux@worcesterdiocese.org


Quick Links:

Physician-Assisted Suicide

40 Days for Life - Spring Campaign:  Feb. 13 - March 24
Visit www.40daysforlife.com/worcester to learn about special events during the campaign.  Please sign up to vigil and bring a friend!

Annual Respect Life Program materials - "Faith Opens Our Eyes to Human Life in All its Grandeur and Beauty" 

Respect Life Office Programs and Services

Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities

Project Rachel -  post-abortion healing and reconciliation
 

"...Working for a culture of life and love, we know that we can rely on the help of God, for whom nothing is impossible."     
Pope John Paul II, Evangelium vitae, n. 100