What is a Respect Life Ministry in the Catholic Church and here at St. John XXIII Parish?
Mission
The mission of the Respect Life Ministry is to promote, protect, and nurture the dignity of human life at every stage of existence.

Christ at the Center
Jesus Christ is in the heart of the apostolate (a.k.a. "ministry"). Through him all things were made (Jn 1:3). In all creation, he made human life alone in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:27). The dignity of this likeness is shared equally by all human life (Catechism of the Catholic Church, para. 1931-1935) and was wonderfully elevated when Christ became man by assuming our human nature (Redemptor Hominis, para. 8; Gaudium et Spes, para. 22).
Note: The work of this ministry must align with the Deposit of Faith (composed of Sacred Scripture and the Magisterium) as explicated by the Church over the last 2,000 years. It's not a vehicle to promote secular ideologies or viewpoints that depart from Church teaching.

Our pastor has appointed Jane and Don Colleton ([email protected], [email protected]) to lead this ministry at St. John XXIII Parish. They and their collaborators work under his direction.
Means
This ministry carries out its mission in many ways, including written and oral presentations of Church teachings on issues affecting respect for human life, as well as reflections on those teachings and the challenges to them. Other ways include public witness (participation in the legislative process, prayer vigils, and marches for life), fundraising for crisis pregnancy centers through the annual Baby Bottle and Giving Tree Campaigns, and personal encounters with fellow parishioners.
Scope
It would be a great mistake to think this ministry is just about abortion; its concerns are far wider. Why? Because many other acts and practices also profoundly affect human dignity.
Force for Evangelization
As with all parish endeavors, the Respect Life Ministry also strives to be a force for evangelization, advancing our pastor's vision. (This vision is laid out in a letter from Fr. Jean-Philippe in the bulletin from April 9, 2023.)

Framework for Taking In These Teachings

Truth
Truth matters. The Church says that we find truth principally in Revelation and the natural law. Revelation is the Word of God contained in Sacred Scripture. Natural law is written on our hearts; its precepts are knowable through the exercise of human reason. Truths accessible in that way are universally valid and permanent and always consistent with Revelation. Through the natural law, we can comprehend the types of actions which are good and bad. We ourselves aren't the ultimate source of truth.

Limiting Our Role
This ministry's role is to faithfully present Church teaching, not to pass judgement on anyone or assess the moral consequences of anyone's subjective actions, choices, or lifestyles. At the same time, hiding what the Church holds to be true can contribute to existing confusion and would betray this ministry's charge.

Humility
Like all parishioners, those who participate in the Respect Life Ministry are sinners. We beg forgiveness when, for lack of courage or diligence, we fail to propose or incorrectly present what the Church teaches on the dignity of the human person, or when we do our work without charity.

*Disclaimer: Neither Don and Jane, the Respect Life Coordinators, nor most parishioners claim to be theologians or experts on the content that this ministry presents.

Bulletin Articles

2021 and Before
Article archive coming soon!
2022
2023