Respect Life Month Action Guide

ACTION GUIDE

RESPECT LIFE MONTH: OCTOBER

INTRODUCTION

Every October the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates

Respect Life Month, and the ﬁrst Sunday of October is observed as

Respect Life Sunday. As Catholics, we are called to cherish, defend, and

protect those who are most vulnerable, from the beginning to the end of

their lives, and at every point in between. During the month of October,

the Church asks us to reﬂect more deeply on the dignity of every human

life.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic

Bishops provides resources to help

parishes, schools, families, ministries,

and individual Catholics share the

Gospel of life during Respect Life

Month and throughout the year. In the following pages, you will ﬁnd a

number of resources to help you celebrate Respect Life Month. Action

ideas and activities, a sample timeline, homily helps, announcements,

and intercessions are provided to help you get started. Adapt these

resources as needed to ﬁt your speciﬁc circumstances. Additional

materials can be found at respectlife.org/respect-life-month.

Additional materials can

be found at respectlife.org/

respect-life-month.

RESPECT LIFE MONTH

RESPECTLIFE.ORG/ACTION-GUIDES | 2

1. Display the Respect Life poster.

Think about a prominent place in your parish,

school, diocesan ofce, or home. Hang the poster

in the vestibule, on a door or window, on a bulletin

board, or near the restrooms and water fountains.

Choose a place where people will be most likely

to see it. Parents could hang the poster on the

refrigerator, a bedroom door, or a place you gather

regularly as a family. (Remember to seek appropriate

permissions and follow any rules and guidelines if

displaying the poster outside your home.)

2. Feature the Respect Life reflection in

your bulletin or newsletter or on your

website.

The Respect Life reection unpacks the meaning

of the poster. If space prevents inclusion of

the full reection, consider using the short

announcements that are available in this action

guide along with one of our Respect Life Month

graphics. The Respect Life reection can also be

printed in your diocesan paper, offered at the

beginning of a parish meeting, or used to inspire

discussion during a family meal.

3. Preach about respect for human life

on Respect Life Sunday.

Sample homily notes are provided for priests and

deacons to help them highlight the gift of human

life on Respect Life Sunday or another weekend in

October. The Respect Life reection can also be a

source of inspiration. Let your pastor know these

resources are available for him.

4. Pray for the protection of human life

during the Prayer of the Faithful.

This is a great way for an entire parish or school

to pray for the protection of life together! Sample

intercessions are provided for use during the

Prayer of the Faithful. The set of intercessions in

this action guide could be used during one specic

Mass or incorporated throughout the Sundays

in October. Schools can use these to pray for the

protection of human life at the beginning of the

day or class period, or perhaps at a school Respect

Life Mass. Families can include these intercessions

in their regular prayers in the morning or evening,

or before or after a family meal.

5. Feature a different Respect Life topic

in each week’s bulletin.

Short, quarter-page summaries are available for

many of Respect Life articles covering a wide range

of topics. Using the predesigned, downloadable

“bulletin boxes,” highlight a different topic each

weekend of October. For those who would like to

learn more, each bulletin box also includes the web

address of the full article. Or, if you have the space,

use one of the corresponding, full-length bulletin

insert versions of the highlighted summaries.

These can be found at the same web address listed

in each bulletin box. These bulletin boxes can be

found under the Respect Life Month action guide

section of respectlife.org/action-guides.

SIMPLE STEPS

Here are some ways you can use the materials in your parish, school, ministry,

or home to celebrate Respect Life Month. Not every step may apply to your

circumstances, but most can be adapted to suit your needs. Unless otherwise

noted, all materials referenced in this section can be found at respectlife.org/

respect-life-month.

W wl lov to s

ur Res Lf

Mo clrtions!

Show us how you celebrated by

emailing

[email protected]

or tag us on Facebook

(fb.com/

usccbrespectlife

) or Twitter (

usccbprolife

RESPECTLIFE.ORG/ACTION-GUIDES | 3

RESPECT LIFE MONTH

August 1

Visit respectlife.org/respect-life-month to review and familiarize yourself

with the new materials. Compile any resources you hope to use during Respect

Life Month. This would include bulletin announcements, intercessions, the

Respect Life reection, graphics, homily notes, article summaries, instructions

for ordering printed materials, etc.

Early August

¡ Meet with your pastor to discuss possibilities for observing Respect Life

Month. Let him know what resources are available, such as homily notes

and prayer intercessions. Share your ideas with him, and ask permission

for whatever you have in mind. Most importantly, ask what you can do to

help and whether there’s any other information he’d like you to provide.

For example, perhaps emailing him the homily notes directly will save him

time. Or he may ask you to send the prayer intercessions to parish staff.

¡ Following your conversation with your pastor, contact your parish ofce

to open the lines of communication. Many parishes need content well

in advance to include it in the weekly bulletin. Inquire about deadlines,

and share what content you hope to have featured. This will help your

parish plan ahead to allot the necessary space in the bulletin. If you plan

to include materials such as bulletin boxes each weekend in October, you

may need to make separate submissions. If you plan to do the interactive

Respect Life bulletin board or another activity, you’ll also need to plan

for those announcements to be printed in the bulletin in advance. Sample

announcements and instructions for the interactive Respect Life bulletin

board are provided later in this action guide.

First Week of September

Begin gathering the materials you will need for the interactive Respect Life

bulletin board. Enlist volunteers who might like to help you with the activity.

This is a great way to get youth involved and invite parishioners to use their

creative gifts.

SAMPLE TIMELINE

Fall is a busy season! Families have returned from

vacation, a new school year is beginning, ministries

that may take breaks for the summer are back in

full swing, and people are trying to return to regular

routines. In the ﬂurry of fall activities, October

can easily sneak up on us! This sample timeline

is provided to help you prepare for Respect Life

Month. While these steps apply most directly to a

parish coordinator, they can be adapted to help you

think about key steps you can take to plan ahead in

whatever capacity you serve the Church.

RESPECT LIFE MONTH

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Second Week of September

This is the time to tie up any loose ends, verify that

all content has been received, and determine whether

there are any follow-up tasks to be completed in the

weeks ahead of Respect Life Month. Reconnect with

the appropriate parish staff regarding your bulletin

submissions. Touch base with your pastor to offer any

further assistance that is needed and to conrm any

plans you may have made.

End of September

Gather with your volunteers and bring the bulletin

board materials. Put together the interactive Respect

Life bulletin board using the instructions included later

in this action guide. Improvise as needed, and make it

your own!

October

Respect Life Month is here, and it’s nally time to hang

the poster in a place people will see it! Now is also

a great time to begin sharing announcements about

Respect Life Month on social media or in monthly

newsletters. You may want to pre-schedule some social

media posts throughout the month with graphics,

prayer intercessions, or the reection on this year’s

theme. (You could use or adapt the pre-written pulpit

or bulletin announcements. And be sure to follow

and share from the Facebook and Twitter accounts

of the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities!

Facebook: www.fb.com/usccbrespectlife / Twitter: @

usccbprolife)

First Sunday of October

(Respect Life Sunday)

On Respect Life Sunday (or another Sunday in October),

have volunteers staff a table near the interactive

Respect Life bulletin board after each Mass. Provide

examples of items to pin, as well as printed, take-

home reminders to bring in and add their own items

throughout the month. Volunteers can help explain the

activity and answer any questions. Include Respect Life

resources on various topics on the table as well. If your

parish has the space, consider leaving the table up for

the duration of Respect Life Month.

Mid-October

Monitor the content being added to the Respect

Life bulletin board, and ensure that all materials are

appropriate. Take special note of prayer requests, and

consider how your parish community might pray for

these specic intentions. Perhaps they can be included

during a regularly scheduled Holy Hour or lifted up

during a ministry gathering. You may also want to

remember these intentions in your own daily prayers.

End of October

Take some pictures of the interactive Respect Life

bulletin board. Consider taking some with those who

helped and/or participated, including their unique

contributions. These pictures* could be shared in a

newsletter or on a parish social media page to highlight

how your community celebrated Respect Life Month.

These visual memories are also a great way to remember

the nal product and serve as examples if you’d like to

do this activity in future years.

*Make sure to follow all parish and diocesan policies for taking and

sharing photos, especially any policies pertaining to minors.

BULLETIN & PULPIT

ANNOUNCEMENTS

¡ Bulletin Announcements

Today is Respect Life Sunday!

Join Catholics nationwide in celebrating

Respect Life Month! respectlife.org/

celebrate.

¡ Pulpit Announcements

Option 1: Respect Life Sunday

(First Sunday of October)

Today is Respect Life Sunday, which kicks

off Respect Life Month. We consider more

deeply why every human life is valuable

and reect on how to build a culture that

protects it. See the bulletin for more

information.

Option 2: Respect Life Month

(Any Weekend in October)

Every October, we celebrate Respect Life

Month. We consider more deeply why

every human life is valuable and reect on

how to build a culture that protects life

from conception to natural death. See the

bulletin for more information.

iStock.com/monkeybusinessimages; iStock.com/TatianaDavidova;

iStock.com/Yevhenii Dubinko. Models used for illustrative

RESPECTLIFE.ORG/ACTION-GUIDES | 5

RESPECT LIFE MONTH

HOMILY HELPS

On the ﬁrst Sunday of October the Church in the United

States celebrates Respect Life Sunday, and priests and

deacons are encouraged to preach on the Church’s

teachings on human life. As Catholics, we believe

that every human person is made in the image and

likeness of God. Every human life is therefore sacred

and inviolable and should be protected and cherished

from conception until natural death. Practices such

as abortion, assisted suicide, and capital punishment

violate the dignity of the human person and must be

rejected.

Each year, homily helps are provided to help priests and

deacons preach on the sanctity of human life. Other

ministry leaders can also use these notes during Bible

studies, small groups, ministry gatherings, or other faith

formation settings.

The Respect Life Month homily helps are available at

respectlife.org/respect-life-month.

INTERCESSIONS

These sample intercessions were written for

use during Respect Life Month, but can be

used (or adapted for use) at any time. Consider

including one or more in the Prayer of the

Faithful during Mass each weekend in October.

The intercessions can also be printed in the

weekly bulletin, included during prayer at

parish gatherings, featured in newsletters,

shared on social media, or prayed during

personal or family prayer times.

For all Catholics:

That on this Respect Life Sunday

our resolve may be strengthened

to uphold the dignity

of every human life;

We pray to the Lord:

That during this Respect Life Month

our resolve will be strengthened

to cherish and protect

the gift of every human life;

We pray to the Lord:

That the life of every human person,

from conception to natural death,

might be protected in our laws

and cherished in our hearts;

We pray to the Lord:

May the Church’s abortion healing ministry,

Project Rachel, help them nd peace and

healing

through Christ’s endless mercy;

We pray to the Lord:

For those nearing the end of life:

May they receive care that respects their dignity

and protects their lives

as they place their hope

in the promise of eternal life;

We pray to the Lord:

May God grant us the wisdom and courage

to lovingly protect His gift of human life

at every stage, in sickness and in health;

We pray to the Lord:

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RESPECTLIFE.ORG/ACTION-GUIDES | 6

Directions

1. Place the poster in the center of a large bulletin board. (If you don’t have a

large bulletin board, you can also use a wall or window to achieve a similar

result. Simply swap out push pins for masking tape.)

2. Include an explanation of the display beneath the poster so those who pass

by can more fully enjoy it, or even participate.

Sample Explanation

October is Respect Life Month. This display celebrates the gift of every

person’s life at every stage and in every circumstance. From birth

announcements and pictures of aging loved ones to prayer requests and

service opportunities, all are invited to add their own items highlighting

how precious every life is.

3. Decide how many items you need to get the bulletin board started. You

can choose from some of the examples listed above. Or, write one of the

intercessions for Respect Life Sunday/Month on a notecard and post it on

the bulletin board.

4. Invite others to join in the activity by contributing their own content to

the bulletin board. You will need to determine the best way to explain it

and have participants bring items in. For example, if your whole parish is

invited to participate, consider putting a note in the weekly bulletin and/

or making an announcement before or after Mass. In a classroom or youth

group setting, you can simply explain the activity and perhaps send a note

home to parents. Families can also do this activity at home.

SAMPLE ACTIVITY

Interactive Respect Life Bulletin Board

This activity utilizes the Respect Life poster to help create an interactive Respect Life

bulletin board. The idea is to hang the poster in the center of a large bulletin board or

other prominent area with space around it. Then, invite members of your parish, class,

youth group, etc. to add their own items to the board or surrounding area that illustrate

the gift of human life.

To illustrate the concept, you can pin some examples: a sonogram photo of a new

family member; a birth announcement; a picture of aging grandparents; a ﬂyer for an

upcoming abortion-healing retreat; a note about volunteer opportunities at a local

pregnancy center or nursing home; or a sticky note with a related prayer request. This

is where you can get creative! Invite others to pin items that help illustrate the gift of

human life, from beginning to end.

Materials

¡ Respect Life poster

¡ Large bulletin board (or a

large wall or window)

¡ Push pins, masking tape,

and/or a stapler

¡ Notecards or sticky notes

¡ Writing utensils (pens,

pencils, markers)

¡ Scissors, optional

¡ Construction paper in

various colors, optional

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RESPECTLIFE.ORG/ACTION-GUIDES | 7

RESPECT LIFE MONTH

Sample Announcements

Last Weekend of September

Please join us in celebrating Respect Life Month during October. We will be hosting an interactive

Respect Life bulletin board in the __________. All parishioners are invited to participate. You can add

items to the bulletin board that show the precious gift of human life. Examples: an ultrasound photo

of a new family member; a birth announcement; a picture of aging loved ones; a note about volunteer

opportunities at a local pregnancy center or nursing home; or a sticky note with a prayer request. Be

creative! Materials will be on hand in the _________ to help you get started.

If you would like to have your item returned, please pick it up from the display by October [date]. Contact

__________ for more information: ____________________.

First Weekend in October

This weekend, we celebrate Respect Life Sunday and kick off October as Respect Life Month. All

parishioners are invited to contribute items to the Respect Life display located in the ___________. For more

information, stop by the display after Mass or see the bulletin. Contributions can be added throughout the

month.

Optional Embellishments

If you would like to be extra

creative, use construction paper

to decorate your bulletin board.

Consider using coordinating or

contrasting colors to cut out fun

shapes to attach to the bulletin

board. These embellishments

can be added sparingly without

needing to ll in the entire

bulletin board to add simple pops

of color and visual interest. You’ll

want to ensure there is still blank

space to post other items.

iStock.com/nevodka; iStock.

com/TatianaDavidova; iStock.

com/PixelEmbargo; iStock.com/

monkeybusinessimages; iStock.com/

Yevhenii Dubinko; iStock.com/sezer66;

iStock.com/ninochka. Models used for

illustrative purposes only. Photos used

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

The following list includes additional activities that you

could incorporate into your observance of Respect Life

Month in your parish, school, or ministry.

¡ Scripture study on Psalm 139, the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38),

the Visitation and Magnicat (Luke 1:46-55), or other Scripture

passages that highlight the dignity of each person, the gift of

human life, and the responsibility to protect human life.

¡ A prayer service, praying for those present, as well as those

who take or disregard human life. (See the “Prayer Service for

Forgiveness and Healing.”) Consider providing opportunities for

the Sacrament of Reconciliation as part of the prayer service.

¡ A pilgrimage to pray for the protection of human life at local

sites (such as churches, chapels, and other Catholic destinations,

or places where the dignity of human life is or may be violated,

such as abortion facilities, prisons, and hospitals). For those

unable to attend in person, consider whether it’s possible to live-

stream the event.

¡ Small group conversations on topics pertaining to respect for

human life, such as abortion, capital punishment, or assisted

suicide.

¡ A talk by a Catholic who specializes in a eld relating to respect

for human life, such as a doctor who could speak to a Catholic

vision of hospice care or a social worker who is knowledgeable in

local pregnancy care services.

¡ A viewing of a movie, documentary, or other age-appropriate

lm relating to respect for human.

¡ A service project (on-site or off-site) related to providing care

or assistance that supports and welcomes the gift of human life

(such as pregnancy care centers).

5. In smaller group settings,

ask participants to share

why they chose their

specic items and what

connections they see

between their contributions

and how precious every

human life is.