"At St. Edward the Confessor Church on Jan. 12, a newly formed rosary group called the Intercessors of St. Josephine Bakhita prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries for a very special intention – the victims, survivors and perpetrators of human trafficking."
“For the last three years, Brother Martin’s Crusaders for Life and Justice Team has hosted a Respect Life Week in the month of October to commemorate Respect Life Month, and to initiate a deeper awareness of respect life issues for the Brother Martin student body. This year, various displays on campus dove deeply into a multitude of topics, including capital punishment, Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry. Additionally, Crusaders donated over 1,000 diapers for local mothers and their babies.”
“Our ministry asked the congregation to help us defend life in three ways. First, to pray. We handed out the prayer to our lady of Guadaloupe as patroness of the unborn. Next we sold Right to Life calendars and lastly we had a huge baby shower and diaper drive for Access Pregnancy Referral Center. Our parishioners are very generous and we are so grateful for their donations.” Thank you, Kathy, for your wonderful leadership at OLDP!
The eight church parishes that comprise the East St. Tammany-Washington Deanery in the Archdiocese of New Orleans have sent an open letter to their parishioners and to their elected representatives in the Louisiana Legislature asking for their support in eliminating the death penalty in the state.
“The story of Oliver’s resilience in the face of some very long odds was dramatized at St. Alphonsus Art and Cultural Center June 19 through an autobiographical play called ‘Released to Nowhere.’ Performed by Oliver and a cast composed entirely of formerly incarcerated women, the play exposes the often-hidden difficulties faced by re-entering citizens who are eagerly attempting to put the pieces of their lives back together, but are having a hard time locating genuine assistance to begin their journeys to independent living.”
“CYO groups from across the archdiocese will converge upon St. Angela Merici’s schoolyard July 26-27 to mount an overnight pro-life fundraiser featuring lighthearted hourly themes, friendly competition and midnight Mass. The Friday-night-through-Saturday-morning celebration, dubbed the ‘Rose Rally for Life,’ will benefit three local pro-life agencies: the Woman’s New Life Center and ACCESS Pregnancy Centers, which support expectant mothers and their unborn children; and Rachel’s Vineyard, which offers healing to those who have had an abortion.”
“Four years ago, Johnson started a Pro-Life Conference, which this year was at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner. It was the largest pro-life conference so far, selling out with 800 tickets.”
As a Key Club service project at Archbishop Rummel High School, students traveled recently to the Harry Tompson Center in New Orleans to help prepare food for the poor.
...the New Orleans City Council, which unanimously approved a resolution “condemning” the state for passing and Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards for signing a Fetal Heartbeat bill that prohibits abortion in Louisiana as soon as the unborn baby’s heartbeat can be, rather inconveniently, detected. There was a lot of talk in the council chambers last week about a woman’s right to choose life or death for her child.
This 12-week milestone of prenatal development was made tangible to students at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School in Kenner at the conclusion of their school Mass on Oct. 4. In observance of October’s “Respect-Life Month,” members of St. Elizabeth’s Grandparents Club donated and distributed soft plastic models representing a 12-week-old unborn baby to nearly 500 students.
Archbishop Gregory Aymond was among the speakers Oct. 13 at the Louisiana Right to Life “Peace for the East” prayer rally in New Orleans East held near Deanz Health Care for Women, whose owner has filed with the state to be licensed to perform abortions.
"A gym full of volunteers and parish Respect Life coordinators were energized Sept. 15 with words about the sanctity of life from birth to natural death from Archbishop Gregory Aymond, archdiocesan Respect Life coordinator Debbie Shinskie and others who, in their small way, make a difference for life. It was the third annual 'Jazzed for Life!' event."
"Locally, it will begin with a sunrise prayer event Sept. 26 at 7:30 a.m. at a new location – the Women’s Health Care Center, 2701 General Pershing St. in New Orleans. It closes with a vigil on Saturday, Nov. 3 from 5-6 p.m. at the Woman’s New Life Center, 4612 South Claiborne Ave., New Orleans."
When those in foster care age out of the system, their resources are often limited to nonexistent. "To help these youth, the Respect for Life committee at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Marrero has thrown an 'Aging Out' shower the past two years. Members assemble baskets filled with household necessities, personal items, gift cards and a binder of helpful hints such as budgets, school supplies, home safety tips, recipes and prayers. Lois Thibodaux and Lana Chiasson assembled the binder; and the parish’s Helping Hands group contributes to the initiative."
Recently the Clarion Herald won numerous awards for their writing, including 3rd place for their human trafficking store about our Archdiocesan Human Trafficking Committee's Street Team... A Ministry of Presence.