The Church of St. Denis' Respect Life Committee
The mission of the Respect Life Committee is to promote a true respect for all life, from the moment of conception to natural death. To this end, one of our goals is to provide information to our fellow parishioners, and the community at large, regarding a variety of Life Issues. Listed below are many controversial subjects that continue to cause heated debates. We'll present you with the Catholic Church's position on these subjects, which we encourage you to support and defend through passionate and dedicated participation.
Being a member of St. Denis' Respect Life Committee is very rewarding in many ways, particularly spiritually. Please join our efforts to protect life from conception to natural death. Your help is needed and it will make a difference.
The Respect Life Committee meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM in the Parish Rectory.
For more information about our committee or to join, please contact Janis Bartels by phone at (845) 223-3384.
or click here to E-Mail Janis
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Article 5
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
You shall not kill.
You have heard that it was said to the men of old, "You shall not kill: and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment." But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment.
2258 "Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains forever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being."56
Please pray Pope John Paul II's Prayer for Life to our Mother Mary everyday to end Abortion, Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide, Embryonic Stem Cell Research and the Death Penalty.
Prayer for Life Pope John Paul II
Evangelium Vitae - March 25, 1995
O Mary, bright dawn of the new world, Mother of the living, to you do we entrust the cause of life.
Look down, O Mother, upon the vast numbers of babies to be born, of the poor whose lives are made difficult, of men and women who are victims of brutal violence, of the elderly and the sick killed by indifference or out of misguided mercy.
Grant that all who believe in your Son may proclaim the Gospel of life with honesty and love to the people of our time.
Obtain for them the grace to accept that Gospel as a gift ever new, the joy of celebrating it with gratitude throughout their lives and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely, in order to build, together with all people of good will, the civilization of truth and love, to the praise and glory of God, the Creator and lover of life.
Amen.
Please pray The Rosary to our Mother Mary to protect life from Conception to Natural Death.
The Rosary is a magnificent and universal prayer for the needs of the Church, the nations and the entire world" (Pope John XXIII).
To learn how to pray the Rosary, click here.
Conversion Prayer for Pro-Choice Politicians
Please offer the following prayer to St. Paul for the conversion of President Barack Obama and all other "Pro-Choice" politicians, concluding with an "Our Father", "Hail Mary" and "Glory Be".
O, St. Paul the Apostle, great convert, preacher of truth and Doctor of the Gentiles, intercede for us to God, who chose you.
You are a vessel of election, O St. Paul the Apostle, preacher of truth to the whole world.
O God, You have instructed many nations through the preaching of the blessed apostle Paul.
Let the power of Your intercession bring about the conversion of President Barack Obama and all other "Pro-Choice" politicians to the fullness of Your grace.
Help our president, senators and representatives recognize the personhood of all human beings - born and preborn.
Help us who venerate St. Paul's memory this day to continually seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we work to spread Your truth.
Amen.
Join the Catholic Advocacy Network
Join with thousands of others to work for justice in our society and to promote the values important to our faith. Together, we speak out in support of the poor and vulnerable, the sick and elderly, the unborn, families and children. Through the Catholic Advocacy Network, you can stay informed and strengthen the Catholic voice.
Introducing the Catholic Advocacy Network
Quick Facts about the Catholic Advocacy Network
Catholic Advocacy Network Sign-up
Need Help During Your Pregnancy or After an Abortion? Call Now...
FREE & CONFIDENTIAL TESTING AND HELP OF ALL KINDS
The Option Line 1.800.395.4357
Birthright 1.800.550.4900
Pregnancy Services Network of Greater NY
Heartbeat International 1.800.395.HELP
National Life Center 1.800.848.5683
Resources for Pregnant Women and Their Babies
Bethany Christian Services: 1.800.238.4269
CareNet: 1.800.395.HELP
Catholic Charities: 1.800.227.3002
National Life Center: 1.800.848.LOVE
Rachel's Vineyard
Healing the pain of abortion - one weekend at a time.
Rachel's Vineyard is a safe place to renew, rebuild and redeem hearts broken by abortion. Weekend retreats offer you a supportive, confidential and non-judgmental environment where women and men can express, release and reconcile painful post-abortive emotions to begin the process of restoration, renewal and healing.
Rachel's Vineyard can help you find your inner voice. It can help you experience God's love and compassion on a profound level. It creates a place where men and women can share, often for the first time, their deepest feelings about abortion. You are allowed to dismantle troubling secrets in an environment of emotional and spiritual safety.
Rachel's Vineyard is therapy for the soul. Participants, who have been trapped in anger toward themselves or others, experience forgiveness. Peace is found. Lives are restored. A sense of hope and meaning for the future is finally re-discovered.
Rachel's Vineyard Ministries
808 N. Henderson Road, 2nd Floor
King of Prussia, PA 19406
Phone: 877 HOPE 4 ME (Toll Free)
Email: rachel@rachelsvineyard.org
Website: www.rachelsvineyard.org
Rachel's Vineyard 1.877.HOPE 4 ME
Area Events,
Presentations and News
Meet the President of Life Athletes, and former New York Giant, Chris Godfrey
Wednesday, September 22nd, at 7:30 PM at the
St. Denis Parish Center
602 Beekman Road
Hopewell Junction, NY
Please join us for Chris Godfrey's hour-long presentation.
Chris will inspire you to think about - who you are, where you are
going, and what is really important to you and why. Followed
by a Question & Answer session.
For more
information on Chris Godfrey's hour-long presentation, click
here.
Inspiring Catholics to Vote 2010
The values and beliefs that should be shared and defended by all Catholics are under constant assault, particularly by our lawmakers in Washington, D.C. As Catholics, it's our responsibility to vote for people that will protect life from conception to natural death.
Please click on the link below to view a brief but inspiring video on why we need all Catholics and Pro-Life supporters to vote this November.
Click Here for Inspiring Catholics to Vote in 2010
Dear Friends,
"Priests for Life" is on the front lines of the effort to end abortion, and to energize the Church at all levels in this task. Our financial support comes entirely from people like you! We do not receive monetary support from diocesan or national Church structures.
I need your help today, and so do the unborn. Thank you in
advance.
To donate right now, click here
Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life
Next Campaign: September 22nd to October 31st
During these 40 Days, Dutchess County parishes will be uniting to conduct peaceful
protests and prayer vigils at Planned Parenthood in Poughkeepsie. Please
contact your local parish for more details. St. Denis parishioners can call
Janis Bartels at 845-223-3384 or Ed Haege at 845-223-8228.
About the 40 Days for Life campaign.
40 Days for Life is a community-based campaign that draws attention to the evil of abortion
through the use of a three-point program:
Prayer and Fasting
Constant Vigil
Community Outreach
40 Days for Life takes a determined, peaceful approach to showing local communities the consequences
of abortion in their own neighborhoods, for their own friends and families. It puts into action
a desire to cooperate with God in the carrying out of His plan for the end of abortion in America.
The 40-day campaign tracks Biblical history, where God used 40-day periods to transform individuals,
communities ... and the entire world. From Noah in the flood to Moses on the mountain to the disciples
after Christ's resurrection, it is clear that God sees the transformative value of His people
accepting and meeting a 40-day challenge.
40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign with a vision to access God's power
through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil to end abortion in America.
The mission of the campaign is to bring together the body of Christ in a spirit
of unity during a focused 40 day campaign of prayer, fasting, and peaceful activism, with
the purpose of repentance, to seek God's favor to turn hearts and minds from a culture
of death to a culture of life, thus bringing an end to abortion in America.
For more information about 40 Days for Life, click here
National Geographic Channel's
"In the Womb"
For those who question when life begins, the National Geographic Channel's "In the Womb" is a must see.
From the moment of conception, every human embryo embarks on an incredible none-month journey of development. Now, cutting-edge technology makes it possible for National Geographic Channel's "In the Womb" to open a window into the hidden world of the fetus and explore each trimester in amazing new detail.
Revolutionary 3-D and 4-D ultrasound imagery sheds light on the delicate, dark world of a fetus as never before and follows a rare fetoscope operation, performed in utero with the hope of correcting life-threatening complications before birth.
To order "In the Womb" on DVD, go to www.amazon.com
Entering Canaan
Day of Prayer & Healing
For Men who have experienced abortion.
October 9, 2010
Bronx, NY
For more information, call Lumina: 877-586-4621
For Teenagers who have experienced abortion.
November 20, 2010
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Bronx, NY
Director: Reverend Peter Pilsner
For confidential registration or more information,
call Theresa at Lumina/Hope & Healing after Abortion: 718-881-8008
Spiritual Adoption of Unborn Human Life
At The Church of St. Denis
Over 30-years ago a court decision was rendered which legalized abortion throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy. This decision, Roe v. Wade, is the reason over 1-million abortions have been committed in the United States each year.
To help stop the anti-life initiative around the world, the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen encouraged the spiritual adoption of an unborn child. All you have to do is pray everyday that your spiritually adopted child be spared abortion and be allowed to live.
It is recommended that you say the following daily prayer for a period of 9-months.
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I love you very much. I beg you to spare the life of [baby's name] the unborn baby that I have spiritually adopted who is in danger of abortion."
Prayer of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
For more
information on the Church of St. Denis' Spiritual Adoption Program, click
here.
Living Wills and End-of-Life Issues
On January 18th, Father Thomas Berg visited the Church of St. Denis' Parish Center to make a presentation on Living Wills and End-of-Life Issues.
What is a Living Will?
A Living Will, also known as an "advance medical directive" or "medical declaration", is a written instruction (document) that states how you wish to
be treated medically in the event you become incapacitated to speak for yourself, are terminally ill or permanently unconscious, be it as a result of illness, injury or old age.
What is an End-of-Life Issue?
End-of-Life Issues can involve the use of feeding tubes, euthanasia, and other medical decisions that are made as people approach the end of their lives here on earth.
There is a lot of misunderstanding and controversy about these important subjects. For the Catholic Church's
position, please click on Father Tom's presentation below.
Living Wills and End-of-Life Issues
Topics
Abortion
Contraception
Death Penalty
Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Euthanasia
Suicide - Self & Assisted
War
The excerpts below that describe each topic were taken from the
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Abortion
Contraception
Death Penalty
Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Euthanasia
Suicide - Self & Assisted
War
Every human life, from the moment of conception until death, is sacred because the human person has been willed for its own sake in the image and likeness of the living and holy God.
Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
for the Conversion of Abortionists
Sisters of Life
Archbishop Timothy Dolan on Abortion
Knights of Columbus - Culture of Life
Life Athletes
Father John Corapi on Abortion Video, Part I
Father John Corapi on Abortion Video, Part II
Pro-Life Celebrity Jennifer O’Neill Speaks on Abortion, Video
Pro-Life Celebrity Kathy Ireland Speaks on Abortion, Video
U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops on the "Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA)
Susan B. Anthony List
Westchester Institute for Ethics & the Human Person
Priests for Life Prayer to End Abortion
Pro-life Anti-Abortion Video: Development of the Unborn Baby
Father Frank Pavone Video - Demonstrates a Suction Abortion
Father Frank Pavone Video - Demonstrates a Dismemberment Abortion
Video on Induced Labor Abortions
Priest for Life YouTube Channel
Born Alive Truth
Americans United for Life
Pro-Life Unity
National Pro-Life Radio
Jill Stanek on Induced Labor Abortions
Life Site News
Operation Rescue
Pro-Life Blogs
Blogs4Life
Defend Life
Good Counsel Home
Pro Life Quotes
Pro-Life America
National Pro-Life Action Center
Abortion and the Catholic Church
The Catholic League
Pope John Paul II on Abortion
Pope Benedict XVI on Abortion
John Cardinal O'Connor on Abortion
Edward Cardinal Eagan on Abortion
The Catholic Planet
Pro-Life Lectures
American Life League: Abortion Issues
Students Turning Around a Nation of Death
Abortion: Medical Facts
Baby Body Parts Trafficking
Baby Parts for Sale
Facts on Fetal Development
The Silent Scream
National Black Catholic Congress
Pro-Life Action League
Students for Life
Rock for Life
When Does Human Life Begin?
Life Decisions International
New York State Right to Life Committee, Inc.
New York State Catholic Conference
Contact Your Local Representative about "Right to Life" Issues
Human Life International
Order Pro-Life Wrist Bands
Silent No More 1.800.707.6635
The Covenant News Reports: The Baby Parts Industry
Life News
Abortion Facts
American Life League
After Abortion
Feminists for life
Hope after Abortion
Life Dynamics
Pro Life Physicians
Pro-Life Celebrities Speak Out
Contraception
Every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible is intrinsically evil.
Pro Life Physicians
The Catholic Church and Birth Control
The Catholic Church's Teaching on Birth Control
Pope Benedict XVI on Contraception
Pope John Paul II's Statements on Contraception
Contraception: Is its Use Permissible?
Contraception vs. Abortion
United States Conference of Bishops on Natural Family Planning
A Catholic Mom on Natural Family Planning
Natural Family Planning - Key to Intimacy
The How and Why of Natural Family Planning
Christopher West on God, Sex and Babies: What the Church Really Teaches about Responsible Parenthood
The Contrasting Anthropologies of Contraception and Natural Family Planning
Is Natural Family Planning Catholic Contraception?
The Contraception of Grief
Birth Control and NFP: What's the Difference?
Father Thomas Euteneuer on Abortifiacient Contraceptive
Humanae Vitae and the Culture of Death
Natural Family Planning Outreach
Resources on Natural Family Planning vs. Contraception
Why is Contraception Immoral?
One More Soul
Contraception: Fatal to the Faith
Natural Family Planning - Questions & Answers
Catholic Pages Directory: Contraception
The Couple to Couple League
If bloodless means are sufficient to defend human lives against
an aggressor and to protect public order and the safety of persons, public
authority should limit itself to such means, because they better correspond
to the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity
to the dignity of the human person.
Prayer to Abolish the Death Penalty
Insight to God's
Position on the Death Penalty
Sign Petition to End The Death Penalty
The Culture Of Life
Bishop Aymond Speaks on the Death Penalty (Video)
The Moratorium Campaign
Sister Helen Prejean's Official Website
The Death Penalty and the Catholic Church
The Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty
Capital Punishment and the Catholic Church
Pope John Paul II on the Death Penalty
Sister Prejean of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Medaille
Catholics Against Capital Punishment
U.S. Catholic Bishops' Statement on Capital Punishment
State Catholic Conference and Individual Bishops' Statements
Religious Organizing Against the Death Penalty
Citizens United For Alternatives to the Death Penalty
Human Rights Watch The Death Penalty in the USA
The Journey of Hope…From Violence to Healing
National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
Murder Victim's Families for Reconciliation
New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty
Death Penalty Information Center - Resources
Death Penalty Discourse Network
Dead Man Walking School Theater Project
Because it should be treated as a person from conception, the embryo
must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed like every other human being.
Bishops on Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Stem Cell Breakthrough
Stem Cell Research and the Catholic Church
National Catholics Bioethics Center
Father Tad Pacholczyk - Making Sense of Bioethics
Adult Stem Cell Research vs. Embryonic Stem Cell Research Ethics (Video I)
Adult Stem Cell Research vs. Embryonic Stem Cell Research (Video II)
Catholic Ethics Guiding Stem-Cell Research
Killing Human Embryos
Cardinal Edward Egan on Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Pope Benedict XVI Endorses Adult Stem-Cell Research
Catholic Support for Ethically Acceptable Stem Cell Research
Cloning and Catholic Ethics
Human Cloning: When Word Games Kill
Adult Stem Cell Research vs. Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Monitoring Stem Cell Research
Stem Cell Research Facts
Stem Cell Information - National Institute of Health
Vitae Caring Foundation
Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics
Human Egg Harvesting for Embryo Cloning
Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special respect.
Sick or handicapped persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible.
Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an
end to the lives of the handicapped, sick or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable.
Father Frank Pavone on the Terry Schiavo Case
International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
Reflections on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide by Father Frank Pavone
Priests for Life Web Page on Euthanasia
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Euthanasia
Pope John Paul II on "Life-Sustaining Treatments and Vegetative State: Scientific Advances and Ethical Dilemmas"
Articles on Euthanasia
Euthanasia - False Light (A Video)
End of Life Care Miracles
Euthanasia and the Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church and Euthanasia
Pope John Paul II Approves Declaration on Euthanasia
A Roman Catholics View on Euthanasia
American Life League: Euthanasia Issues
Euthanasia: Frequently Asked Questions
The Catholic Church's Declaration on Euthanasia
Euthanasia
Nightingale Alliance - Resources
Novena for Terri Schiavo
Terry Schiavo’s Website
Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God.
Assisted Suicide: What is at Stake?
Myths About Suicide
Suicide and the Catholic Church
John Cardinal O'Connor on Suicide
Because of the evils and injustices that all war brings with it, we must do everything reasonably possible to avoid it. The Church prays: "From famine, pestilence and war, O Lord, deliver us."
When is War Justified?
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ("Just War")
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