St.Francis of Assisi Parish |
"The first right of the human person is his life... [It
is] the condition of all the others. Hence it must be
protected above all others. It does not belong to
society, nor does it belong to public authority in
any form to recognize this right for some and not for
others. It is not recognition by another that
constitutes this right. This right is antecedent to
its recognition; it demands recognition and it is
strictly unjust to refuse it." ~ Declaration on
Procured Abortion, Sacred Congregation of the
Doctrine of the Faith, 1974, n. 11 |
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In October, the Catholic Church in the United States
celebrates Respect Life Month, and the first Sunday of
October is designated as Respect Life Sunday. To support
these annual observances, the USCCB Secretariat of
Pro-Life Activities provides materials to help Catholics
understand and value the gift of human life and help
build a culture that cherishes and protects it.
The following materials are designed to be brought to
life as tools in your hands. These resources may be
downloaded, printed, and reproduced for use in your
parish, school, or ministry.
Respect Life Month
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September Prayer Guide
Pray
Our
Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be
Reflect
September is National Suicide Prevention Month. As a
society, we recognize that suicide is a tragedy that
ends one life and leaves a trail of devastation in its
wake for the family, friends, and community left behind.
Those who promote doctor-assisted suicide try to
draw a distinction between those with a mental illness
who want to end their lives and those with a terminal
illness who express the same wish. This is a dangerously
false distinction with far-reaching consequences.
Suicidal individuals—with or without a terminal
illness—typically do not want to die; they want to
escape what they perceive to be an intolerable
situation, and they tragically believe that suicide is
their only way out.
The patient requesting
assisted suicide is often asking, "Does anyone want me
to be alive, or care enough to talk me out of this
request and support me through this difficult time?"
The acceptance of assisted suicide by society sends
the message that under especially difficult
circumstances some lives are not worth living. And
sadly, this false message is heard not only by those
with a terminal illness, but also by any person
struggling with the temptation to end his or her life.
Every suicide is tragic, no matter the
circumstances. We don't discourage suicide in our
society by assisting suicide. We are called to affirm
the dignity of human life in all stages and
circumstances. Those who are suffering need to be
assured of the goodness and value of their lives and
provided with authentic care and support.
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Reflection adapted from
“Every Suicide is Tragic.”
Act (Choose one.)
• Offer the prayer,
“Every Life is Worth Living” for this month’s
intention.
• Do an act of kindness for someone
today.
• Offer some other sacrifice or prayer
that you feel called to do for this month’s intention.
One Step Further
Learn more about the dangers
of assisted suicide and why we must work against its
acceptance in “Top
Reasons to Oppose Assisted Suicide.”
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Respect Life Office Diocese of
Worcester, MA
Respect Life News &
Updates
SEPTEMBER 2023
IN THIS ISSUE
• Upcoming Events • Respect Life Month • Save
the Date! • A Prayer for Life
UPCOMING
EVENTS
Novena to St. Joseph for the Sick and
Dying - starts Sept. 11 The twelfth annual Novena to
St. Joseph for the Sick and Dying will take place at
Christ the King parish, 1052 Pleasant St., Worcester, on
Monday evenings at 7:15 p.m. from Sept. 11 - Nov. 7. All
are welcome! For more information click
HERE.
Pro-Life Morning of Reflection and
Enrichment - Sept. 30
All are invited to attend A
Morning for Life to be held on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023
from 9:15-1:00 at the Cathedral of St. Paul, 38 High
St., Worcester. Monsignor James Moroney will offer a
reflection on “Preaching the Gospel of Life to a
Confused World”. The day will include Mass and light
lunch.
There is no cost to attend but
pre-registration is required. To register, send your
name, parish, and email address to
aledoux@worcesterdiocese.org, or contact the Respect
Life Office at 508-929-4311.
[Please note the CHANGE OF DATE from the originally
scheduled 9/16.]
40 Days for Life Fall
Campaign - starts Sept. 28 Join in the life-saving
work of 40 Days for Life by praying and fasting for an
end to abortion. Through prayer and peaceful vigil
thousands of lives have been saved! Learn more about the
local campaign which takes place from Sept. 27 through
Nov. 5 and how you can participate by visiting
www.40daysforlife.com/worcester.
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Annual Life Chain - Oct. 1 Let your voice be heard in
proclaiming the sanctity of life! All are invited to
join the annual Life Chain on Sun., Oct. 1 from 2:00 -
3:30 p.m. This event of peaceful, prayerful witness to
the sacredness of human life is held annually on Respect
Life Sunday across the nation.
Life Chain
stations will be located at Elm Park/Highland St. and at
Denny's Restaurant on Lincoln St. in Worcester and at
White City Plaza in Shrewsbury. You may bring a chair if
you'd like to sit and can stay for whatever portion of
time you'd like. Signs will be available at the local
Life Chain stations.
The more people that are
present, the bigger the impact. It is a powerful witness
and reminder to passers-by that life is a precious gift
from God. Invite family, friends, and fellow
parishioners to join you in proclaiming the Gospel of
Life and offering hope to a broken world.
The
event will be held rain or shine. For more information,
contact Joe Godek at
508-614-5971. All are welcome to join in this
prayerful effort to help build a Culture of Life!
Morning Prayer - Sept. 25-29 Join in prayer
to prepare for Respect Life Month! From Mon., Sept. 25
through Fri., Sept. 29, the daily Morning Prayer on WTAG
radio, which airs at approximately 5:30 a.m., will
feature pro-life reflections and prayers in anticipation
of Respect Life Month in October. A special thank you to
our Diocesan TV Ministry for facilitating this
wide-reaching effort!
Catholic Women's
Conference - Oct. 7 The annual Worcester Catholic
Women's Conference will be held on Saturday, October 7,
2023 at St. Joseph School in Webster. This year's
outstanding speakers will focus on the theme "Male and
Female He Created Them". For more information and for
tickets, visit
www.wcwconference.com or contact Corinn at
508-277-3969.
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The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has
put out a proposed regulation that would require
employers to accommodate employees who choose to get
abortions, such as by giving them leave to obtain one.
The proposal misinterprets the Pregnant Workers Fairness
Act, which is a new law meant to help working mothers
keep their job, if they wish, while protecting their
health and that of their preborn children. The EEOC is
now twisting that law to promote abortion instead, the
exact opposite of pregnancy. But there is nothing fair
about ending an innocent baby’s life, or about forcing
employers to go along with it. Join USCCB in telling
the EEOC to leave abortion out of the Pregnant Workers
Fairness Act!
Take Action Now |

Online child exploitation threatens the safety and
well-being of our young people and destroys families and
communities. In recent years, these abuses have
increased exponentially, in large part due to the
Internet and mobile technology. Catholics are sadly
familiar with the grave consequences of a culture that
fails to give adequate attention to the problem of child
sexual abuse and exploitation, and we have a
responsibility to act to ensure children and the
vulnerable are safe. Thankfully, members of both
parties in Congress are putting forward various pieces
of legislation that would address and help prevent the
destructive effects of online child exploitation. Your
voice is needed to urge Congress to use their authority
to protect children and vulnerable people online.
Join USCCB in asking your member of Congress to protect
children online today! To learn more, read the
USCCB’s
letter outlining three moral principles Congress can
use to protect children online. Messages in your own
words can be more effective. Please consider customizing
the message to Congress with your own story .
Take Action Now
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A Prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
Almighty
ever-living God, who made Pope Benedict XVI a wise
teacher of your people, a gentle shepherd of your flock,
and a faithful pastor of your Church, grant in your
kindness that your humble servant, who in this life
believed in you and loved you, may now receive your
mercy and rejoice in your presence for ever in the glory
of the Saints. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Copyright © 2022, United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops, Washington, DC. All rights reserved.
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The Word of Life intercessions for the month
Word of Life for
October
Diocese of Worcester
Word of Life for
September
Statement by Archbishop William E. Lori
Walking with Moms Newsletter
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annunciation_bulletin insert_usccb.pdf
Bridges of Mercy
Serving Mom's in Need
Hope for Married Couples
Life Matters
An Adoption Story
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The House of Representatives is considering whether
to bring the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R.
7) to a vote, and your representative needs to hear from
you to help make it happen! For decades, Americans of
both parties have agreed that it is wrong to force
taxpayers to pay for elective abortions. Policies like
the Hyde Amendment not only protect taxpayers from this
but have saved over two million preborn lives. But these
protections are now at risk every year. The time has
come for a permanent, across-the-board law to prevent
Americans from having to contribute to violence against
our most vulnerable, and for Congress to work on real
solutions for women and children in need. Please tell
your member of Congress to support the No Taxpayer
Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 7) and to help bring it
up for a vote in the House of Representatives. To read
the letter from Bishop Burbidge, chair of the U.S.
Bishops’ Pro-Life Committee, in support of this
important bill,
click here.
Messages in your own words can be
more effective. Please consider customizing with your
own story.
Take Action Now
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Photo's of St. Joesph & St.Thomas Becket courtesy of
https://statues.vanderkrogt.net
Church of
St.Thomas-a-Becket and St. Joseph Chapel Are Wheelchair
Accessible
Diocese of Worcester ©Copyright St.Francis
of Assisi Parish 2013-2023. All rights reserved. 398
Vernon Ave., P.O. Box 186 South Barre, MA 01074 fax
(978) 355-0042 • Office phone
(978) 355-2228 |
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