A variety of activities are planned throughout October to reflect upon and pray for life. The following were submitted to Arkansas Catholic. For more, contact your parish or school to find out what is happening in your area.
Rosaries to pray for the protection of life
On Saturday, Oct. 6, Little Rock Catholics are invited to attend a Rosary for Life at 11 a.m. across from the abortion clinic off Financial Center Parkway. For more information, call Theo Walhgreen, director of the Respect Life Committee at Christ the King Church, at (501) 944-7069.
St. Mary Church in Altus will hold a “fire rosary” (weather permitting) on Sunday, Oct. 7. The event will begin in Lawrence Hall at 7 p.m. and move to the grotto where the rosary will be held. It will include meditations and reflections on pro-life themes. Participants are welcome to bring lawn chairs. For more information, contact Amy Sexton at (479) 468-6747.
St. Paul Church in Pocahontas will say the rosary before all weekend Masses in October.
At St. Joseph School in Paris, a guest speaker will talk about Respect Life Month on Monday, Oct. 8 at 8 a.m. in the church. This will be followed by a rosary. Posters made by students conveying the meaning of respect for life will be displayed throughout the month.
St. Theresa School in Little Rock will have a Rosary for Life, Oct. 10, at 8 a.m. in the church. All parents and parishioners are invited.
Life chains planned Oct. 7 for Respect Life Sunday
The Knights of Columbus at Immaculate Conception Church in Blytheville will meet at 2 p.m. on the parish grounds. For more information, contact Jonathan Schilling at (870) 824-1800.
St. Joseph parishioners will meet at 2 p.m. on the corner of Oak and Harkrider Sts. in Conway. For more information, contact Virginia Lawson at (501) 329-4717.
n The Respect Life Committee at Christ at King will meet at 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of Bowman Road and Chenal Parkway in west Little Rock. All area Catholics are invited. For more information, call Theo Walhgreen at (501) 944-7069.
Prayer services offered for an end to abortion
Students and parishioners in Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Jonesboro and Little Rock will take part in prayer services throughout October.
St. Joseph Church will participate in an “Hour of Silent Prayer” sponsored by the Washington County Right to Life. It will be held Oct. 7 at 2:30 p.m. in front of the Hobby Lobby on Highway 71 in Fayetteville. For more information, contact Larry Branum at (479) 751-4240.
Students at Trinity Junior High School in Fort Smith will take part in prayer services during their religion classes Oct. 22 in the school chapel. The student-led services will include reading Scripture, song and reflection on the value and dignity of human life.
Blessed Sacrament in Jonesboro will participate in “40 Days for Life/ Peaceful Vigil,” which is sponsored by the Northeast Arkansas Right to Life Sept. 26 to Nov. 4. All are asked to pray and fast for 40 days.
All participating churches will each take a day during October to hold a 24-hour prayer vigil outside the Craighead County Courthouse. Blessed Sacrament’s day is Oct. 15. For more information, contact Deacon David England at (870) 932-2529.
Christ the King School students in Little Rock will make cards for shut-ins and the elderly and participate in eucharistic adoration during October. Each teacher will complete a flower to make a spiritual bouquet for the church vestibule.
Donations to be made for the unborn and elderly
Schools and parishes in Jonesboro and Little Rock will collect money and baby items for charities that support pregnant women in crisis.
On Oct. 13-14, Blessed Sacrament in Jonesboro will sponsor a Baby Bottle Boomerang. Participants are asked to fill baby bottles with loose change and return them by Oct. 27. All proceeds will benefit Pregnancy Resource Center.
The Altar Society at St. Theresa Church in Little Rock will kick off a month-long donation drive with a baby shower Oct. 3. All parishioners and students at St. Theresa School are also invited to collect items throughout October to benefit Birthright of Greater Little Rock. For more information, contact Amy King in the church office at (501) 565-9198.
The Christ the King Parish Religious Education program will collect baby booties for St. Joseph’s Helpers in Little Rock, and adult housecoats and shoes, socks, deodorant and towels for the Missionaries of Charity sisters to give to shut-ins. For more information, contact Maria Maldonado at (501) 225-6774.
On Oct. 5, Christ the King preschool and kindergarten students will collect soap, creams and powder for shut-ins while the rest of the school collects food for the poor.
Beginning Oct. 8, grades 4-8 will spiritually adopt unborn children. Each classroom will name their baby, pray for him or her daily, and bring gifts for a baby shower. The gifts will be donated to St. Joseph’s Helpers. For more information, contact school principal, Kathy House at (501) 225-7883.
To learn more
Abortion, assisted suicide, cloning, contraception, euthanasia, in vitro fertilization, stem cell research and capital punishment are among the issues of greatest concern to the Church. This list continues to grow as technology evolves.
The Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops provides numerous resources to explain the Church’s position on these and other issues on its Web site: www.usccb.org/prolife/.
Articles about life issues can be found in the secretariat’s 2007-2008 Respect Life Program materials at www.usccb.org/prolife/programs/rlp/rlp0708.shtml.
