October 18, 2016 // Uncategorized

Respect Life Fair at St. Anthony of Padua parish

Todays Catholic

St. Anthony of Padua parishioners, Angola, attend a Respect Life Fair Oct. 8-9. The parish has formed a group and a comprehensive action plan, of which the fair is a component, to encourage respect for life in the parish and the larger community.

St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Angola, held a Respect Life Fair on the weekend of Oct. 8-9. Members of the Human Life and Dignity Group, along with a representatives of Project Rachel and of the Indiana State Council of the Knights of Columbus, were present.

The purpose of the parish Human Life and Dignity Group is to promote a culture of life within the community, in keeping with the U.S. Bishops’ Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities: A Campaign in Support of Life. This policy statement calls for a comprehensive vision of human dignity and a consistent ethic of life, including at the parish level.

Because the parishioners at St. Anthony’s want to focus on action, not meetings, they have organized their into a series of “action groups” or workgroups. Currently, they have eight action groups:

• Action Against Abortion

• Action Against Pornography

• Care of God’s Creation

• Dignity of Women

• Post Abortion Healing

• Prayer and Liturgy

• Pregnancy Care

• Prevention of Substance Abuse

Individual parishioners may become a part of as many or as few action groups as they choose. They may give as little as a half hour of their time each month, or they may make promotion of a culture of life the focus of their own life’s apostolate. The action groups combined have over 50 members, and each group is asked to plan “doable” actions or events each year. Taken together, this produces several dozen pro-life events at the parish each year.

A big focus of parish efforts is working with other groups in society. Different members cooperate with the Compassion Pregnancy Center in Angola, the Knights of Columbus, March for Life, the TLC women’s shelter, Angola Community Anti-Violence Alliance, Trine University’s anti-rape program, Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light, Women’s Care Center of Northeastern Indiana, March for Life, Project Rachel, Christ Child Society, Human Life Action Center and more.

Twice a year, the parish’s Human Life and Dignity Group meets in a large assembly to coordinate actions and discuss principles. Nurturing a culture of life is an important duty of each Catholic parish and every Catholic individual. At St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Angola and St. Paul Chapel in Clear Lake, the people respond to this call with actions large and small.