What better testimony for a pro-life cause than that? I get dressed because JulieвЂ™s coming to see me. вЂњShe takes my blood pressure, checks my heart rate and makes sure I have my important medicines,вЂќHayes, told the Catholic Key, newspaper for the Archdiocese of Kansas City. Jane Hayes, 83, sits in her wheelchair near a home oxygen system, taking a breathing treatment and waiting for her caregiver to arrive. Get to know where your elected officials stand on these issues and contact them when legislation is pending. Attend parish and diocesan adult-education sessions on the life and social issues. Read quality Catholic books, publications and pamphlets. Many other state Catholic conferences host similar events each year.ДЄction item: Study the issues вЂ“ not just what the Church teaches, but why, so you can defend and explain the Catholic point of view.

The 2006 вЂњCatholic Day on the HillвЂќ focused on five life issues вЂ“ abortion, health care, capital punishment, immigration reform and stem-cell research. вЂњWe put them in office, and we need to hold them accountable,вЂќshe told the gathering. In agreement was Candy Hill, senior vice president for social policy at Catholic Charities USA, who indicated our duty extends even to contacting elected representatives to urge them to pass laws that respect life and human dignity. вЂњItвЂ™s a great day to recognize what our faith tells us as Catholic Christians to advocate for.вЂќ вЂњOne of the most important things we can do as citizens is to be here and learn to understand the issues,вЂќ Father Ragan Schriver, director of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, told 250 middle and high school students at a вЂњCatholic Day on the HillвЂќ at the state capitol in Nashville last March. Small, intimate fundraisers like these encourage donations from a wider pool of people вЂ“ and communicate the pro-life message to them as well. The last FatherвЂ™s Day bake sale netted $719 for the organization, and the baby-bottle donations total about $40 a month.ДЄction item: Little things can add up, and financial resources can accumulate one dollar or one penny at a time. She and other volunteers continue the drive throughout the year by inviting people to fill baby bottles with pennies, and the parish periodically holds raffles for the same cause. Susan Nero, a parishioner at Holy Name of Jesus Parish in West Palm Beach, Fla., coordinates a bake sale every FatherвЂ™s Day to raise money for вЂњPennies for Babies,вЂќ a local organization that helps mothers pay expenses such as utility bills, doctorвЂ™s charges and rent.

Our Sunday Visitor recently compiled a sampling of some creative ways Catholics can work to help build a consistent life ethic in their own neighborhoods. Although abortion is the pre-eminent respect-life issue, other threats to human dignity exist, including the death penalty, suicide, embryonic stem-cell research, cloning and end-of-life care for the sick and elderly. ItвЂ™s Respect Life Sunday, and today parishes across the nation will emphasize the current issues that threaten the sanctity of human life.

Life walk project canvas life route