Internet Resources for Respect Life Ministry and Related Issues

What’s New
Current Legislative Challenges (FOCA & RHAPP)
Respect Life Ministry in the Albany Diocese

US & NYS Catholic Confrences

US Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat for Pro Life Activitieshas a variety of resources, documents, programs and other information. See also “Annual Respect Life Resources” and “Faithful Citizenship” under “Resources” below.

New York State Catholic Conference has information and resources on various public policy issues here in NY State. Also has information on the NYS Catholic Advocacy Network.

Issue Related / Topical Resources

Abortion, Partial-Birth Abortion & Alternatives

Information from the USCCB website is available on the topics of abortion, the “morning after pill”, “partial birth abortion”, Roe v. Wade, and RU-486.

Abortion Changes You is a confidential space for those who are touched by abortion, whether the experience happened recently or years ago and serves as a refuge for those who wish to tell their story and begin the process of healing.

Birthright International is here for women who are pregnant and in need of help. Birthright will listen to you through one-on-one contact to provide personal attention, inform you about the many options that are available to you and is prepared to help you whether you are single or married regardless of age, race or religion.

Community Maternity Services (CMS) is committed to developing family-oriented and community-based programs which enhance the dignity, quality and sanctity of human life. We provide individualized social services and community education while advocating for dynamic change in public policies regarding the welfare of children and families. CMS is involved with foster care, adoption, pregnant teen, social service programs and services.

The Endowment for Human Development (EHD) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health science education and public health. EHD equips educators, clinicians, and governments to help everyone appreciate, apply, and communicate the science of health and human development. They are committed to neutrality regarding all controversial bioethical issues.

The Second Look Project presents basic facts regarding abortion. It offers information to help people make informed decisions based on fact rather than emotion.

Unplanned Pregnancy Information from Option Line. Option Line consultants refer each caller to a pregnancy resource center in her area for answers to questions about abortion, pregnancy tests, STD's, adoption, parenting, medical referrals, housing, and many other issues. The toll-free number (800-395-HELP) is available to callers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Callers from across the country can reach a trained, caring person and then be connected to a pregnancy resource center near them for one-on-one help and can receive accurate information about all pregnancy options and the provision of positive alternatives to abortion.

See also Declaration on Procured Abortion ( Vatican , 1974) and Evangelium Vitae (“The Gospel of Life”, Vatican , 1995) in the “Church Documents” section, below.

Aging & Assisted Suicide

Information is available from the USCCB’s website on assisted suicide, end-of-life issues and euthanasia.

Aging with Dignity‘s mission is to help you and your family plan for and receive the care you deserve. Aging with Dignity believes Americans must safeguard the rights of the sick, aging or dying with the same enthusiasm we show for the young and healthy.

The International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide is an international leader in the ever-increasing debate over assisted suicide and euthanasia. Their goal is to make certain that a patient's right to receive care and compassion is not replaced by a doctor's right to prescribe poison or administer a lethal injection.

Capital Punishment or Death Penalty

Information is available from the USCCB’s website on capital punishment.

Contraception

Information is available from the USCCB’s website on contraception.

Disabilities

Information is available from the USCCB’s website on disabilities.

The National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) was established in 1982 to further implementation of the 1978 Pastoral Statement of U.S. Catholic Bishops on People with Disabilities, which calls for full inclusion of all persons with disabilities in the Church and in society–a vision we are still working urgently to achieve. They publish an electronic newsletter on the first Friday of each month, offer various information resources and present Catholic perspectives on disability issues (www.ncpd.org).

Embryo/Fetal Research (including Embryonic Stem Cells)

Information is available from the USCCB’s website on embryo or fetal research as well as stem cell research.

The objectives of the Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics are to advance the development of medical treatments and therapies that do not require the destruction of human life, including the human embryo; to educate and inform public policy makers and the general public regarding these ethically acceptable and medically promising areas of research and treatment; and to support continuation of federal laws prohibiting the federal funding of research that requires the destruction of human life, including the human embryo. Their website has a variety of links and resources on this subject (www.stemcellresearch.org).

Human Cloning

Information from the USCCB’s website is available on human cloning.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Reproductive Technologies

Information from the USCCB’s website is available on IVF and Reproductive Technologies.

International issues

Information from the USCCB’s website is available on international issues such as AIDS, the Mexico City Policy, Amnesty International and the UN Population Fund.

Post Abortion Care

Information from the USCCB’s website is available on post-abortion healing.

Abortion Changes You is a confidential space for those who are touched by abortion, whether the experience happened recently or years ago and serves as a refuge for those who wish to tell their story and begin the process of healing.

Project Rachel is the name of the Catholic Church's healing ministry to those who have been involved in abortion. It operates as a network of professional counselors and priests, all trained to provide one-on-one spiritual and psychological care for those who are suffering because of an abortion.

Pregnancy

Birthright International is here for women who are pregnant and in need of help. Birthright will listen to you through one-on-one contact to provide personal attention, inform you about the many options that are available to you and is prepared to help you whether you are single or married regardless of age, race or religion.

Community Maternity Services (CMS) is committed to developing family-oriented and community-based programs which enhance the dignity, quality and sanctity of human life. We provide individualized social services and community education while advocating for dynamic change in public policies regarding the welfare of children and families. CMS is involved with foster care, adoption, pregnant teen, social service programs and services.

Elizabeth Ministry is an international movement designed to support women and their families during the joys, trials and sorrows of the childbearing years. Elizabeth Ministry ’s mission is to cherish children, encourage families and build community. They offer peer support following the example of Mary and Elizabeth, mentoring, spiritual nourishment, education and inspirational resources.

Gianna: the Catholic Healthcare Center for Women combines comprehensive primary care with specialized pregnancy and gynecologic care and serves women with a deep commitment to honoring their dignity and sanctity of human life. The first medical practice in NY City to feature the Creighton Model FertilityCare™ System and NaPro Technology™, the Gianna Center is committed to providing medical care in a way that is consistent with the US Bishops’ Ethical & Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare Services.

Unborn Victims of Violence
Information from the USCCB’s website is available on the 
 

Women and the Culture of Life  
Information from the USCCB’s website is available on women and the culture of life

Church Documents

From the Vatican

Charter of the Rights of the Family (October 22, 1983)

Declaration on Procured Abortion (1974)

Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life) (Encyclical, John Paul II, March 25, 1995) – from USCCB Website)

Evangelium vitae (The Gospel of Life) (Encyclical, John Paul II, March 25, 1995) – from Vatican Website)

Familiaris Consortio (Family in Modern World) (Exhortation, John Paul II, November 22, 1981)

Humanae Vitae (Encyclical, Paul VI, July 25, 1968)

Letter to Families (Letter, John Paul II, February 2, 1994)

Mulieris Dignitatem (On the Dignity & Vocation of Women) (Apostolic Letter, John Paul II, August 15, 1988

Television and The Family: Guidelines For Good Viewing (John Paul II, May 15, 1994)

From the US Conference of Catholic Bishops

Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship (USCCB, 2007)

Faithful for Life - a moral reflection (USCCB statement, September, 1995)

Light and Shadows: 25 years after Roe v. Wade (USCCB Statement, November 12, 1997)

Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics (USCCB Statement, 1998)

Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities A Campaign in Support of Life (USCCB, November, 2001)

 

The USCCB website has a topical listing of a variety of Church documents from both the Vatican and US Bishops’ Conference on various respect life topics.

Resources

Each year the USCCB issues resources supporting the annual Respect Life Program. Their website has most of these resources, going back to 1996, available for viewing or download.

Faithful Citizenshipis the USCCB website supporting their 2007 document Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. This site has information and resources for all Catholics, parish and school leaders, diocesan and community leaders and young Catholics.

Fathers for Good is an initiative of the Knights of Columbus which seeks to guide men in the great adventure of fatherhood and provide the resources, tools and encouragement they need to become the fathers they are meant to be. Fathers for God offers expert advice and awaits your input on the journey to become authentic fathers for good.

The Family Life/Respect Life Office of the Diocese of Trenton (NJ) has developed its Humanae Vitae Information & Resourceswebsite to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of Paul VI’s encyclical. It has all sorts of information on the document, the Church’s teaching and resources for priests, deacons and self study

Organizations

Americans United for Life uses a proven three-pronged strategy -- Education, Legislation, and Litigation -- to protect life through the law. Their comprehensive, beginning-to-end approach is reducing abortions and helping state after state become more pro-life every year.

The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights is the nation's largest Catholic civil rights organization. It defends the right of Catholics – lay and clergy alike – to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination. Motivated by the letter and the spirit of the First Amendment, the Catholic League works to safeguard both the religious freedom rights and the free speech rights of Catholics whenever and wherever they are threatened.

The purpose of the Catholic Medical Association is to uphold the principles of Catholic faith and morality as related to the science and practice of medicine; to cooperate in leading the Christian community, especially with the particular medical expertise and experience of the Catholic physician, to understand, develop, and apply Christ's principles of faith and morality to modern medical science and practice; to lead the Christian community in the work of communicating Catholic medical ethics to the medical profession and the community-at-large; to uphold Catholic hospitals in the application of Catholic moral principles in medical practice; and to enable Catholic physicians to know one another better and to work together with deeper mutual support and understanding. Its website is at www.cathmed.org.

The objectives of the Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics are to advance the development of medical treatments and therapies that do not require the destruction of human life, including the human embryo; to educate and inform public policy makers and the general public regarding these ethically acceptable and medically promising areas of research and treatment; and to support continuation of federal laws prohibiting the federal funding of research that requires the destruction of human life, including the human embryo. Their website has a variety of links and resources on this subject.

The Knights of Columbus currently has more than 13,000 councils and 1.7 million members throughout the United States and worldwide. It was formed to render financial aid to members and its families and now promotes social and intellectual fellowship among members and their families through educational, charitable, religious, social welfare, war relief and public relief works. The Order supports a wide variety Pro-Life Programs & Initiatives.

March for Life is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian organization that handles the planning, financial and operational responsibilities for a high impact prolife March on the U.S. Capitol each year, coinciding with the anniversary of the US Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. Information on March for Life and the events connected with the annual march are available at their website.

The National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) conducts research, consultation, publishing and education to promote human dignity in health care and the life sciences, and derives its message directly from the teachings of the Catholic Church. The results of this research are available though its website and its various educational and publishing activities, workshops and seminars.

The National Committee for a Human Life Amendment (HCHLA) is committed to full legal recognition of the right to life of the unborn child. It’s objectives include educating citizens, developing pro-life legislative networks, and offering programs in support of pro-life legislation. Among its various activities, NCHLA produces educational and program resources, communicates with leaders about legislative priorities, and presents legislative seminars throughout the year. The Committee works closely with the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and also assists dioceses, state Catholic conferences, and Catholic lay groups.

The ultimate goal of The National Right to Life Committee is to restore legal protection to innocent human life. The primary interest of the Committee and its members has been the abortion controversy; however, it is also concerned with related matters of medical ethics which relate to the right to life issues of euthanasia and infanticide. In addition to maintaining a lobbying presence at the federal level, NRLC serves as a clearinghouse of information for its state affiliates and local chapters, its individual members, the press, and the public and this information is available at its website.

The Population Research Institute is a non-profit research and educational organization dedicated to objectively presenting the truth about population-related issues, and to reversing the trends brought about by the myth of overpopulation. Our growing, global network of pro-life groups spans over 30 countries.

The Susan B. Anthony List was founded by a diverse group of women in 1992 to advance the role of pro-life women in the political process. Today is a nationwide network of over 145,000 Americans dedicated to advancing, mobilizing and representing pro-life women in the political process.