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Respect Life Committee

What We Do

Our committee works to promote the value of all human life, at every stage of its existence, from the moment of conception to natural death.

Please see below for the current focus of our committee.  Please also see the web page for the Memorial Garden for the Unborn.  We would love to expand our activities, but we need your help.  Please prayerfully consider joining our committee.  Many hands make light work!  If you would like information or are interested in sharing your time and talent with the Respect Life Committee, you may call the parish office (515) 993-4482, or complete the online form Opportunities at St. John's to express your interest.

Prayer Service

Please join us for a brief prayer service for children lost too soon.

All Are Welcome!

Gatherings will be on the second Sunday of the month following the 8:30 AM Mass, unless otherwise specified.

*Held in the Memorial Garden for the Unborn, except will be in the parish hall in Jan/Feb/Mar or due to inclement weather.

In addition, all are invited to pray in the garden at any time.  Prayer cards are available for use, and are located in a separate box within the garden's box of stones.  Each prayer card includes a QR code to scan, if you would like to pray along with an audio version of the prayer.

Click here for a link to the page In Remembrance of Children Lost Too Soon.

"When we meet Jesus in the Eucharist, this encounter has the power to change us.  The Eucharist has the power to transform the depths of our hearts and the heart of our culture.  United to the power of his Eucharistic Presence, may we work to ensure that each person has life--and has it in abundance."

USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities; Respect Life Reflection: "I Came So That They Might Have Life"  Download PDF | Read Online

Building a Culture of Life

Prayer for Religious Liberty.  “O God our Creator… through the power and working of your Holy Spirit, you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world, bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel to every corner of society.”  United States Conference of Catholic Bishops “Prayer for Religious Liberty” Download

 

Every Person is Cherished. “The essence of our identity is that we are created in God's image and likeness and loved by Him. Nothing can diminish the priceless worth of any human life. Every person is cherished.”  USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities; Respect Life Reflection: "Cherished, Chosen, Sent"  Read Online | Order | Download 

Evangelium vitae (The Gospel of Life)

  • "The Gospel of Life:  A Brief Summary" - "Gratitude and joy at the incomparable dignity of the human person impel us to bring the Gospel of life to the hearts of all people and make it penetrate every part of society." Read the brief summary
  • Pope Saint John Paul II, Evangelium vitae, no. 99. © 1995, Libreria Editrice Vaticana.  Read the full version
  • The Gospel of Life: Compendium and Study Guide
  • USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, "Live the Gospel of Life" Read Online | Download
  • United States Conference of Catholic Bishops “Living the Gospel of Life,” © 1998 USCCB  Read Online

How to Build a Culture of Life

“God’s love—individual, real, unchanging—is the true source of our worth, identity, and dignity. It really is not a question of who we are, but rather whose we are. Because his love will never change, nothing can reduce our God-given dignity, and nothing can diminish the immeasurable worth of our lives.”  USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities "How to Build a Culture of Life":  Read Online | Order | PDF

The Iowa Catholic Conference, the official public policy voice of the bishops of Iowa.

At the state legislature The Iowa Catholic Conference advocates for policies that respect the life and dignity of the human person, and apply the principles of Catholic social teaching to critical issues of the day.  For more information visit their Website.
 
The Iowa bishops encourage you to read two bulletin inserts: “The Role of the Church in American Public Life” and “Conscience Formation.” As Pope Francis has said, “Everything, including political life, belongs to Jesus Christ, and so participation in political life belongs to the mission of the Church.” Also, please review the video “Catholics Participate in Public Life,” on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ YouTube page.

Racial Division

  • USCCB, "Prayer to Heal Racial Division"- "We pray to you, O Lord, that we always recognize each member of this human family as being made in your image and beloved by you, with worth and dignity."  Read Online
  • USCCB, "Prayer of the Faithful for the Day of Prayer for Peace in Our Communities" Read Online
  • "Prayer for Peace in Our Communities"  PDF
  • In their November 2018 Pastoral Letter Against Racism, Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love, the U.S. Catholic bishops wrote, “racism occurs because a person ignores the fundamental truth that … all [humans are] equally made in the image of God.”1 Racism fails to acknowledge the dignity with which God creates each person, and it contributes to a culture of death. The Church in the United States has spoken out consistently against abortion, assisted suicide, euthanasia, the death penalty, and other threats to human life; it is not a secret that these attacks have severely affected people of color. These brothers and sisters are targeted for abortion, disproportionately affected by poverty, have the greatest numbers on death row, and are most likely to feel pressure to end their lives through assisted suicide when facing serious illness.2
    • 1 USCCB, Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love, 4.
    • 2 Ibid, 30.

Immigration

Creating a world where immigrants, refugees, and other people on the move are treated with dignity, respect, and welcome. Go to website Justice for Immigrants.

Human Trafficking

What is human traffiking: www.usccb.org/offices/migration-refugee-services/human-trafficking

USCCB, "Prayer to St. Josephine Bakhita" PDF

Married Love and the Gift of Life

The Lord God calls us to love Him and each other as He loves us. In marriage, this takes on a unique quality as the complementarity of husband and wife become the "one flesh" union that Sacred Scripture so beautifully teaches. And, God's gift of children are the fruit of such a noble love!

To learn more about Catholic teaching on marriage, married love and responsible parenthood, see:

To learn more about NFP see:

Infertility and Miscarriage

Covenant Resources Miscarriage Ministry is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry specializing in miscarriage resources, supplies, burial options, and memorial items for families, churches, and medical and funeral facilities.  covenantresources.org

Miscarriage support.  If you or someone you know have experienced a miscarriage, please feel free to reach out to our grief ministry for support by contacting the church office:  (515) 993-4482.

Infertility, Life-Limiting Prenatal Diagnosis, and Pregnancy & Infant Loss Ministry.  Have you or someone you know experienced infertility, a miscarriage, stillbirth, a life-limiting prenatal diagnosis, or infant loss (whether recently or years ago)?  Visit this St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church, Ankeny, IA web page for additional information.

Be Not Afraid (BNA) is a private non-profit organization, founded in 2008, which provides comprehensive case management to parents carrying to term following a prenatal diagnosis. They strive to develop relationships of trust while providing for the emotional and tangible needs of parents at diagnosis, during pregnancy, at birth, and during the post postpartum period for up to one year.  They believe that every baby is a gift, supporting parents not only in advocating for basic care, but also in obtaining the treatment they deem appropriate for their child after birth no matter the diagnosis.  They follow the ethical teaching of the Catholic Church, but serve parents of all denominations.

Catholic Miscarriage Support is a website started by two Catholic couples to provide practical support for others who have lost a child to miscarriage.

Booklet from the ArchDiocese of St. Louis Office of Sacred Worship: Order for the Naming and Commendation of an Infant Who Died Before Birth

From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:  Blessing of Parents After a Miscarriage or Stillbirth

From EWTN: Miscarriage Prayer and Blessing of Parents after Miscarriage

From USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities:

Are you facing a pregnancy emergency?  Click on the following link for resources: Standing With You

Also check St. John's parish library for resources. For example, the book Nursery of Heaven, Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss in the Lives of the Saints and Today's Parents, by Cassie Everts and Patrick O'Hearn is a good resource available for check-out.

Abortion

  • "Healing Within Marriage from an Abortion" - When Susan’s* husband, Juan, told her about the abortion he was involved in during college, she finally understood why he was so depressed and had trouble bonding with their children. The devastation of abortion brings with it many challenges. Often, the people who have participated in an abortion are unaware of the countless ways it is affecting their lives. It is scary to tell a spouse or fiance about a past abortion. It requires great trust in that person’s love and trust in God. But with the help of an abortion healing ministry, couples can successfully work through abortion-related challenges. God’s grace can bring true healing to the relationships of those who trust in His infinite mercy.  *Names changed for privacy. This is a summary of a USCCB Respect Life Program article by the same name and is reprinted with permission. © 2019, USCCB, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved.  Read the full version.
  • "Life Matters: Forgiveness and Healing After Abortion," USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities - “Throughout salvation history, God has welcomed repentant sinners with special joy. Jesus concludes the parable of the lost sheep with these words: ‘there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance’ (Lk 15:7)*.” *NABRE © 2010 CCD. Used with permission.  Order | Read Online
  • "Abortion Pills: The Basics," USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities - “Over the years, the FDA has bent the law and shown disregard for women’s health when it comes to chemical abortion. In 2000, mifepristone was first approved using an ‘accelerated’ review process that is supposed to be only for new drugs that treat serious illnesses and are better than existing treatments. But pregnancy is not an illness, and abortion drugs are riskier than surgical abortion.”  PDF
  • Booklet "Why We're Pro-Life".  You are welcome to stop by the table in the front entry area of the church to pickup your copy of the booklet "Why We're Pro-Life" by Trent Horn © 2022 Catholic Answers.  Please feel free to take extra copies to share!
  • HopeAfterAbortion.org - Project Rachel.  It’s normal to grieve a pregnancy loss, including the loss of a child by abortion.  It can form a hole in one’s heart, a hole so deep that sometimes it seems nothing can fill the emptiness.  You are not alone…
  • “How to Talk to a Friend Who’s Had an Abortion,” USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities.  Order | Read Online

Gift of Adoption

 

Resources are available to assist you in supporting and praying for all whose lives are touched by adoption:

Supporting Mothers (Before and After Babies are Born)

  • 10 Ways to Support Her When She's Unexpectedly Expecting" Read Online
  • USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities; “Prayer for Radical Solidarity" Read Online |  Order  |  Download
  • USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities; "Respect Life Reflection: Called to Serve Moms in Need" Read Online | Download

Help for Moms Resource Directory from the St. Ambrose Cathedral's Walking With Moms team, Des Moines, Iowa.  It includes area information and a resource list.  Helping moms find support before and after their babies are born.

Walking with Moms in Need.  Our parish recently joined a nationwide effort to increase outreach and support for pregnant and parenting mothers entitled, Walking with Moms in Need. As part of the initiative our committee will be taking an inventory of the pregnancy resources available in our area. Once completed, the results of the inventory will be shared with our parish community. Please join us in praying that our efforts will help ensure pregnant women in need know that they can turn to our parish for support and assistance. We invite all parishioners to join us in Walking with Moms in Need.  Website |  Download Brochure PDF

A fundraising event for InnerVisions HealthCare, known as the baby bottle campaign, is held each October.

Defending Life

 

 

 

Click to see brochure "Pregnancy Recource Centers"

Click to see Upcoming Events

 

Mental Health

The National Catholic Mental Health Campaign is a year-round initiative of the USCCB in response to the ongoing mental health crisis across the United States.  For more information go to Website 

The Iowa Catholic Conference is collaborating with a group working on a perinatal mental health access program to support new mothers.

End of Life Issues

Articles
Pastoral and educational articles on various end-of-life issues, USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities:

  • "Caring for Loved Ones at Life’s End"  PDF
  • “Catholic Considerations for Our Earthly Passing” Read Online | Order | PDF
  • “The Witness of the Good Samaritan: Palliative Care and Hospice”  PDF
  • "Advance Medical Directives: Planning for Your Future" Read Online
  • "Top Reasons to Oppose Assisted Suicide"  Read Online
  • "Killing the Pain, Not the Patient: Palliative Care vs. Assisted Suicide"  Read Online
  • “Every Suicide is Tragic”  Read Online | Order

Prayers
Prayers centered on end-of-life concerns.

A guide from the Catholic Foundation of Southwest Iowa, providing resources for arranging a Catholic funeral: Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Funeral Planning Guide  PDF

Death Penalty

For people committed to upholding the sanctity of human life, the need to respect and protect innocent human life is apparent. For some, however, issues like the death penalty may seem less clear. Find answers to common questions about the death penalty from a Catholic perspective in, “Death Penalty: Catholic Q&A.”

Disability Ministry

Disability Ministry

Partner Organization Resources
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