Pro-Life Ministry Office of Pro-Life, Marriage and Family Ministry Melinda Knight, Director mknight@youngstowndiocese.org Phone: 330-744-8451, ext. 289 Fax: 330-744-2848 Daniel Thimons, Associate Director dthimons@youngstowndiocese.org Phone: 330-744-8451, ext. 273 Fax: 330-744-2848 Catholic Diocese of Youngstown Office of Pro-Life, Marriage and Family Ministry 144 West Wood Street Youngstown, OH 44503 The Office of Pro-life, Marriage and Family Ministry provides information and educational opportunities to Catholic parishes, groups, and schools, and to the general community, on the Pro-life teaching of the Catholic Church. The Office also assists parish pro-life committees in getting started, taking simple actions to raise awareness, and planning opportunities for education, political advocacy, service and prayer focusing on: The Sacred Dignity of all Human Life Abortion and Post-Abortion Reconciliation Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Cloning and Reproductive Technologies The Death Penalty Natural Family Planning and Pro-Life Chastity Related Life Issues Click on a topic for more information: The Human Life Guild Pregnancy Assistance Project Rachel: Pastoral Counseling/ Post-abortion Reconciliation Educational Opportunities Resources ProLifeAlert Email Network Church Documents Links THE HUMAN LIFE GUILD Founded by Bishop Tobin in 1999, the Human Life Guild is an organization of individuals who are willing to 'promote and defend human life, at every stage, in every condition, through thought, work, deed, and prayer.' Membership includes no other obligation. All persons who join the Guild receive a certificate of membership. Members also receive a newsletter and are invited to participate in various special events. Human Life Guild Application (For new members only) Click Here for Adobe Acrobat download PREGNANCY ASSISTANCE If you or someone you know is in need of pregnancy assistance call Catholic Charities First Step Program at 330-744-3320 or visit Catholic Charities: Diocese of Youngstown PROJECT RACHEL: PASTORAL COUNSELING/POST-ABORTION RECONCILIATION Both before and after abortion, feelings of fear, anxiety, guilt, panic and pressure are common-not only for the woman who undergoes the abortion, but also for the father of the unborn child, the grandparents, close friends, and even medical personnel. Post-Abortion Counseling represents a means to receive the healing grace of peace. It allows you to move toward reconciliation with yourself, your unborn child, your family, and God, in a caring and hopeful context. Click Here to visit the Project Rachel Website National Office of Post-Abortion Reconciliation and Healing: 1-800-5WE-CARE (1-800-593-2273). or noparh@juno.com For more information or confidential local referral to a priest or licensed counselor contact: Melinda 330-744-8451 ext 289 Daniel 330-744-8451 ext 273 EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: As a means of assisting parish and school ministers and catechists, the Office of Pro-life, Marriage and Family Ministry provides and coordinates presentations for: Grade school & high school classes Youth groups Adult education RCIA sessions Confirmation classes Catechist/faculty training Parish associations RESOURCES: The Office of Pro-life, Marriage and Family Ministry will recommend and provide educational materials, as well as materials for planning opportunities for prayer, service, or political advocacy on behalf of human life. Copies of the following documents may be ordered through the Office of Pro-life, Marriage and Family Ministry. Evangelium Vitae, On the Value and Inviolability of Human Life; John Paul II, 1995 Humanae Vitae, On the Regulation of Birth; Pope Paul VI, 1968 Donum Vitae, Instruction on Respect for Human Life in Its Origin; Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1987 Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics; U.S. Catholic Bishops, 1998 Pastoral Plan for Pro-life Activities: A Campaign in Support of Life; U.S. Catholic Bishops, 2001 Nutrition and Hydration: Moral and Pastoral Reflections; N.C.C.B. Committee for Pro-life Activities, 1992 Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, 4th Edition; U.S. Catholic Bishops, 2001 PROLIFE ALERT EMAIL NETWORK We encourage all citizens, particularly Catholics, to embrace their citizenship not merely as a duty and privilege, but as an opportunity meaningfully to participate in building the culture of life. United States Bishops, Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics To assist Catholics in living out the call to build a culture of life through acts of faithful citizenship, the Office of Pro-life, Marriage and Family Ministry has created the ProLifeAlert Email Network. Several times a year before a critical vote, network members will receive email asking them to contact our elected officials with a pro-life message. It's easy and it can make all the difference! Sign up for ProLifeAlert Email Network CHURCH DOCUMENTS The following are documents concerning life issues from Popes, the Vatican, and the US Bishops Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life) Encyclical by Pope John Paul II on the good news of life Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life) Encyclical by Pope Paul VI on the regulation of birth Veritatis Splendor (The Splendor of Truth) Encyclical by Pope John Paul II on the splendor of truth Donum Vitae (The Gift of Life) Instruction on respect for human life and the dignity of procreation Salvifici Doloris (On Salvific Suffering) Apostolic Letter by Pope John Paul II on the Christian meaning of suffering Pastoral Plan for Pro-life Activities US Bishops plan for pro-life activities in our dioceses Living the Gospel of Life A challenge from the US Bishops to American Catholics to live the Gospel of life Declaration on procured abortion Church teaching on procured abortion Statement on the "morning after pill" Vatican statement on the abortive effect of the morning after pill Declaration on the Use of Human Embryonic Stem Cells Vatican declaration on the use of human embryonic stem cells Declaration on Euthanasia The Church's teaching on euthanasia and assisted suicide Respect for the Dignity of the Dying Pontifical Academy for Life statement on respect for the dying Nutrition and Hydration Moral and pastoral reflections on medically-assisted nutrition and hydration Statement on Euthanasia US Bishops' statement on euthanasia Reflections on Human Cloning Pontifical Academy for Life reflections on cloning The Death Penalty Church teaching on capital punishment Efforts to end the death penalty US Conference of Catholic Bishops' efforts to end the death penalty Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services US Bishops' directives for Catholic health care LINKS The following websites provide excellent information on pro-life issues: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat for Pro-life Activities Official website of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Office for Pro-life Activities Catholic Charities First Step Program Provides support and assistance for pregnant women and families in need Project Rachel Help is available if you or someone you know is suffering from the pain of an abortion National Committee for a Human Life Amendment Promotes an amendment to the US Constitution protecting all human life The Second Look Project A challenge to take a "second look" at basic facts about abortion in America Natural Family Planning (NFP) Learn God's design for human sexuality and family planning Pope Paul VI Institute Assisting couples to achieve pregnancy using moral methods International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Addresses the issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide A Catholic Guide to End of Life Decisions National Catholic Bioethics Center Guide to End of Life Issues Do No Harm: The Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics Advocates stem cell research which does not destroy human embryos Americans to Ban Cloning Promotes a global, comprehensive ban on human cloning Articles on In Vitro Fertilization Articles about IVF provided by the US Bishops Articles on the Use of Contraception Articles about contraception provided by the US Bishops One More Soul Website dealing with Natural Family Planning, teen abstinence and the dangers of contraception Pure Love Club Website devoted to chastity Love Matters Another website devoted to chastity National Catholic Bioethics Center Conducts research, consultation, publishing and education to promote human dignity in health care and the life sciences Click the logo above to contact Congress