Respect Life Events in 2019

St. Luke Parishioners gave substantial amounts of Diapers and Wipes to the Respect Life D&W Drive in October 2019 as well as in earlier Drives in January and June 2019.  RL delivers the D&W to our two Crisis Pregnancy Centers in Clay County: Emergency Pregnancy Services and First Coast Women’s Services.  Both CPCs and their clients have expressed their appreciation to St. Luke Parish and Fr. Andy for the support that they have received; Thank You Notes and Letters were displayed on an easel next to the Pack-N-Play.  Parishioners placed the D&W in a Pack-N-Play in the Gathering Area of the Church.
RL set up an Information Table adjacent to the Pack-N-Play with pamphlets, books, and Fetal Models.  RL members engaged Parishioners before and after all Masses during the month of October, the Church’s Respect Life month.

Night of Prayer for the Unborn is on December 8-9, 2019.  St. Luke Youth group leads prayers in the 9:00 PM hour, Legion of Mary ministry leads prayers in the 10:00 PM hour, Respect Life Ministry leads prayers in the 11:00 PM hour, and the Knights of Columbus lead prayers in the 12 Midnight hour.  We encourage other ministries to join us by selecting an hour and coordinating with that hour’s lead ministry.

Respect Life is coordinating with Steve Eiswert, CYM, to support St. Luke teens active in CYM as well as Bishop Snyder students to attend the March for Life in Washington, DC in January 2020.  RL has paid the Deposits for two teens on the first bus while another two students are wait-listed for a second bus; RL will pay their Deposits should the second bus materialize.  Special thanks to Ann Wiggins, RL member, who suggested this effort.  The Ladies Auxiliary, the CCW, and K of C are supporting the effort.

Respect Life will host a Respect Life Forum in the Parish Hall on Saturday, February 1, 2020, following the Mass for the Nation.  Speakers will include Jason Phillips, MD (St. Luke Parishioner), Fr. Leonard Chuwa, Phd, and Mary Huston, leader of Rachel’s Vineyard in Northeast Florida, while Fr. Andy Blaszkowski, Pastor, St. Luke Parish, will be the Moderator of the Forum.  Coffee and donuts will be served beforehand and Soup and Sandwiches following the Forum.  All are invited.

Respect Life thanks the St. Luke Gift Shop for selling Choose Life ties and scarves, with proceeds going to the RL account in the St. Luke Office.  The price for a tie or scarf is ten dollars.  Our practice is to encourage Parishioners to wear Choose Life ties and scarves at the First Weekend Masses.