Faithful of the Diocese of Trenton will join their brethren around the nation in marking Respect Life Sunday Oct. 5, a public declaration of the sanctity of human life in all its forms and at all its stages from conception to natural death. The Respect Life Program, sponsored by the bishops of the United States and initiated in 1972, begins anew each October; each first Sunday of October is known as Respect Life Sunday.

Respect Life Month is a time to reflect on life issues and promote greater respect for the gift of life. The USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities has declared the theme for this year’s celebration to be “Each of Us is a Masterpiece of God’s Creation,” echoing the statement by Pope Francis in his 2013 Day for Life Greeting.

In his greeting, the Pope said, “Even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.”

Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., reflected upon the imagery of life as a masterpiece in his message “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10)”. He wrote:

“I am convinced…. that all of the problems assaulting us in this world of ours derive from a single root cause: the failure to ‘respect life’… Respect for life is a profoundly human conviction, a dictate of human reason that, when joined to religious faith, elevates respect for life to the level of what is truly sacred about human existence.”

The USCCB explores the program’s “masterpiece” image in a reflection stressing the sanctity of life in many forms. “Imagine yourself pausing in front of a design of great beauty,” the bishops’ reflection begins. “Your soul quiets and is filled with wonder and awe. If art, created by man, can evoke such a response within us, how much more is the same wonder, reverence and respect due to each person we encounter, who was handcrafted by the very God who spoke the world into being?”

The USCCB expands the theme further using numerous bilingual brochures. A beautiful image of a newborn baby’s face fronts a discussion of “Children as Commodities”, and a pair of its tiny feet in a parent’s hands lead the reader into “An Adoption Love Story.” The sorrow of abortion is reflected in the faces of a woman in “Poverty and Abortion: A Vicious Cycle” and of two couples “Healing Within Marriage From an Abortion” or finding “Solace and Strength in the Sorrow of Miscarriage”. A joyous exhibition of love is seen on a multi-generational duo discussing “Advance Medical Directives: Planning for Your Future.”

Topics such as adoption, children as commodities, healing after abortion, miscarriage and advanced medical directives are broached using example and doctrine and may be ordered by calling the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities at 866-582-0943.

October’s designation as Respect Life Month affords a special opportunity to highlight the Church’s teaching on the sanctity of life. The Respect Life Ministry, through its coordinator Donna Goodwin, is a key resource for the parishes in their efforts to keep this issue in front of their communities. From sending homily notes and intercessions focused on human life, to serving as a clearing house for parish-planned events and observances, the ministry connects the different communities of the Diocese and helps to promote all local pro-life efforts.

This year, in keeping with the themes of Respect Life Month, the diocesan ministry has scheduled two important information sessions focusing on the medical, legal and moral ramifications of physician-assisted suicide. The first will be held at St. Joan of Arc Parish, Marlton, Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Jennifer Ruggiero, director, Office of Respect for Life, Diocese of Metuchen, will present the facts on the “Aid in Dying for the terminally ill Act” A2270/S382 currently under consideration in the N.J. State Legislature. The presentation will be held in the parish’s Pedata Hall at 100 Willow Bend Road, Marlton.

The second session, scheduled for Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. in St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square, will feature speaker Kathleen Boozang. Boozang, founder of Seton Hall Law School’s health law program and Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, will share her insights on the subject in the parish’s Ferrante Hall at 4620 Nottingham Way, Hamilton Square.

In the Diocese of Trenton, the Department of Pastoral Care’s Respect Life Ministry is an invaluable resource for concerned Catholics eager to proclaim their love of life in all its forms. Throughout the year, the department coordinates travel to Washington’s annual March for Life; promotes a Love of Life logo contest for high school students; conducts a Respect Life Poster, Essay and Video Contest for elementary school students, and holds an annual Respect Life Mass in Red Bank. Written material available on the department’s website, dioceseoftrenton.org/respectlifeministry/, includes FAQs on stem cell research and abortions; birthparents and the new adoption law; the Respect Life blog and newsletter; videos, and a link to the Catholic Advocacy Network for legislative action alerts.

The Respect Life Ministry in the Diocese of Trenton may be reached at 609-403-7192 or [email protected]. Find them on Facebook at Respect Life Ministry Diocese of Trenton.

For further information on the USCCB “Masterpiece” campaign, including how to order brochures and other literature, call 866-582-0943, see their website at usccb.org/respectlife, or find them on Facebook at facebook.com/peopleoflife!