Updates and Alerts on Issues
The Respect Life Ministry sends communications on human life issues from the Pro-Life Secretariat of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Connecticut Catholic Conference, and the Archbishop of Hartford. These communications include helpful resources and tools for parish pro-life advocates, upcoming events, recent news on life issues, and alerts requesting voters to contact their state or federal legislators to express their beliefs on life issues brought to the General Assembly or to the U.S. Congress.
Resource for Parishes
The Respect Life Ministry provides support to parish pro-life advocates in their mission at the parishes to advocate to protect human life at every stage and work with their pastors to promote parishioner involvement in pro-life efforts. Staff members are available to meet with individuals or groups to educate on the respect life mission.
We offer an annual Respect Life Education Day at which pro-life advocates hear from pro-life speakers and collaborate with each other to promote a culture of life.
Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats
These weekend retreats are available for any woman or man who has struggled with the emotional and spiritual pain of abortion. Many women and men fail to allow themselves to process their experience of abortion which can lead to other life difficulties. A Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat is a chance to get away from all the daily pressures of work and family and focus on this experience through a supportive process in an emotionally safe environment. The time away provides an opportunity to deeply enter the grieving process and identify all the ways the abortion may have affected the person. This pain and suffering is then transformed through a spiritual process utilizing exercises, meditations, a Memorial Service, and Mass of Entrustment. Participation is totally confidential and offers a beautiful opportunity to experience God’s love, forgiveness and compassion.
Both women and men have participated in past retreats and have ranged in age from teens to mid-eighties. Married couples, mothers, fathers, grandparents and siblings of aborted children, as well as persons who have been involved in the abortion industry have come to Rachel’s Vineyard in search of peace and inner healing. The weekend is very intense and emotional but yields a fruitful harvest for all who have attended.
For more information, and to find out about the next retreat to be held March 8-10, 2024, contact Marie Laffin, Site Leader/Facilitator, 203-631-9030 or mlaffin@prolifeministry.org.
Speakers on Life Issues
The staff is available to speak to groups of all ages about the life issues. A partial list of topics includes:
Fostering a Culture of Life
The Christian Meaning of Suffering
End of Life Care
Christian Approach to Advanced Directives
Human Trafficking
Power of Chastity
Impact of Assisted Suicide
History of Abortion in the United States and its Detrimental Effects
