Respect Life
Pope Francis reiterates our Church’s Pro-Life teaching when he says “Caring for life from the beginning to the end. What a simple thing, what a beautiful thing.” This is nothing new. Our Church has been Pro-Life from the beginning. We rejected abortion and exposure of infants from the time of the apostles (read the Didache). We also rejected suicide. But our society is less and less Christian, and is more and more like salt that has lost its flavor. We still have Christian names, but we have forgotten what Christ and his apostles taught us. And so abortion and euthanasia have seeped back into the hearts of modern man. Consequently, our society is becoming more and more a culture that embraces death. And so, it is incumbent upon us as Catholics to stand our ground on these teachings, and to do our best to remind others of the Culture of Life to which we are called. We have to help people embrace life from natural life to natural death. We have to help people (who may be unable to see it) to nevertheless see that life is beautiful and has value. Pope Francis challenges us as Catholics to “defend the unborn against abortion even if others persecute you, calumniate you, set traps for you, take you to court or kill you.” This is a serious struggle, friends, and it is a struggle for life.
Below you will find links regarding Pro-Life awareness, but also links for crisis pregnancies, as well as links for post-abortion healing. We know that there are many complex moral questions you might have regarding medical treatments, so we hope to help you here too. You’ll also find information on end of life issues that may help you and your Catholic family. Please join us, as Catholics, to not only pray for a change in our society, but also to work towards that change. And when people need help, point them to our website and its Pro-Life section, so they can find out more about our Church’s teachings on all of these pressing issues in our world. If you’re interested in learning more, or helping in this important ministry, please contact our Pro-Life coordinator, Christine Ryan, at [email protected] or via telephone 828-400-2922
For couples looking for a holistic and healthy approach to family planning that works with nature and in accordance with the Church’s consistent moral teachings, consider learning more about NFP (or Natural Family Planning) by checking out the following links, or by reaching out to Batrice Adcock, at [email protected] or via telephone 704-370-3230
Visit Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, at www.ccdoc.org
For more information about the Church’s teachings on life, we recommend the following links:
Frequently Asked Questions on Contraception
What our bishops teach us on Love and Sexuality
CatholicVote.org
Priests for Life
March for Life
Pro-Life Activities from the USCCB
For those in Crisis pregnancy seeking help, we recommend the following:
Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center – 17 Monteith Gap Rd, Cullowhee, NC 28723 or telephone 828-293-3600
For those seeking post-abortion healing, we recommend the following:
PATH (Post Abortion Treatment and Healing)
Out Church’s teachings on being Pro-Life are couched within the broader issue of seeing our sexuality, our gender and the gift of life in light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you want to know more about the Gospel of Life, consider these websites:
If you’re being asked to fill out forms before going into the hospital, or have questions about the Church’s teachings on certain medical ethics question, or if you’re looking toward palliative care, and the end of your life, we recommend the following:
Medical Care and End of Life Care
Catholic Guide to End-of-Life Decisions
Considering or coping with suicide, or helping those who may have lost hope, or dealing with grief:
The National Suicide Hotline is 800-273-8255 (or 800-273-TALK)
The National Suicide Prevention Hotline website
A Bishop Relates the Church’s Teaching Regarding Suicide
Are you coping or dealing with grief after the death of a loved one? If so, consider the following:
In the end, the holistic Catholic approach to affirming life can even go broader in light of the carnage of terrorism and war. How might we help, reaching out to offer aid to those whose lives and families are at risk because of genocidal ideologies? Consider these websites: