American Catholics face a challenge: proclaim the Gospel of Life. Providing the tools, support and encouragement to spread that message was the motivation for the Aug. 24-25 Diocese of Little Rock Respect Life Conference at St. John Center in Little Rock.
“This conference was so important because it was the first time that there has actually been a diocesan respect life conference,” said Dianne Toomer of Christ the King Church in Little Rock, who is also active in the St. Joseph’s Helpers, a crisis pregnancy center. “The act of pulling the parishes in the state together to have a common goal and learn from each other is valuable.”
Sixty-five people from parishes in 20 cities around the state attended the conference, which was free to participants courtesy of the Knights of Columbus.
Behind it all was Marianne Linane, the diocesan respect life director, who hand-picked the topics and speakers.
“I made a special effort to use local experts in various fields in order to … let our Arkansas Catholics know what a wealth of knowledge we have right here in our own diocese,” she said. “All the topics are ones addressed by the pro-life office of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.”
Opening night of the program featured two presentations, “New Frontiers for Pro-Life Movement: Bioethical Concerns for Catholics” by Father Jason Tyler, an associate pastor in Springdale, Siloam Springs and Huntsville, and “The Other End of the Life Spectrum,” by Linane.
On Saturday’s program included presentations on the Gospel of Life, abortion and contraception, pregnancy help centers, legislative advocacy, ministering to post-abortive women, natural family planning and getting youth involved in the pro-life movement.
“Evangelium Vitae,” (The Gospel of Life) issued by Pope John Paul II, makes the challenge to American Catholics clear, said Father James West, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in North Little Rock.
“There are so many who live in a society with a subjective morality. Whatever they think is right is right, not actually what is right or wrong,” he said. “There always was and will be an objective standard for truth set by God himself.”
Father West pointed to Catholic politicians who don’t openly embrace the Church’s stance on life.
“It is not unreasonable for us as Catholics to make known to politicians of our faith that we want them to stand up for what you believe and stand up for the truth,” Father West said.
“We are called by the faith to enter into (the challenge) and not let someone else do it,” he said.
Kyle Gallien, a junior at the University of Arkansas and Knights of Columbus grand knight at St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish in Fayetteville, said the conference filled him with new ideas.
He said he was impressed with a presentation titled “Abortion and Contraception: Fruits of the Same Tree of Evil” given by Father Erik Pohlmeier, pastor of St. Mary and St. John chuches in Hot Springs.
“Father Erik was fantastic,” Galien said. “He opened up a whole new thought process about the connection between contraception and abortion. They really are linked and have to be ’fixed,’ for lack of a better word. He was a really engaging speaker.”
Gallien said the conference gave him new tools to help spread the Gospel of Life.
“As a student, I have an avenue to reach my peers,” he said. “Instead of an uphill battle, now I can take a side step and a step forward. It was an aid.”
Among those offering tools was Father Ray Mooney, a member of the Priests for Life. Although not a program speaker, Father Mooney visited with conference participants to encourage them to become part of Missionaries of the Gospel of Life Lay Association. The year-old organization has about 1,000 members nationwide. Clusters of local members meet monthly to study and mentor other pro-life supporters.
“They can get discouraged,” Father Mooney said. “There are monthly e-mails from us and teaching materials” to help members continue their mission.
Father West urged those attending the conference to “Pray and work to the point where human life is protected in this society.”
