The diocesan Office for Social Concerns and Greater Columbus Right to Life are sponsoring a day of reflection titled “Into Life: Love Changes Everything” on Saturday, July 23 in the Msgr. Sorohan Activities Center at Columbus St. Catharine Church, 500 S. Gould Road. It will take place from 9:30 a.m. (registration opens at 9) to 4:15 p.m. The church has a Mass at 8:30 a.m. Saturday for anyone interested.
The program will focus on four aspects of the Catholic Church’s pro-life position: its foundational basis; the nature of opposition to it; how we respond to that opposition; and how we accompany women facing crisis pregnancies.
It will include talks, videos, reflection, small-group discussion and individual and communal prayer. Lunch will be provided.
The program is based on 12 “Into Life” videos by the Sisters of Life, who were founded in 1991 by Cardinal John O’Connor of New York with a commitment to the protection of life. Several of the videos will be shown.
The videos underscore the need to allow a woman in a crisis pregnancy to express her feelings and fears while underlining the dignity of human life, along with the blessing of adoption and supporting life.
Speakers for the day will include Beth Vanderkooi, executive director of Greater Columbus Right to Life; Mark Huddy, director of the Office for Social Concerns; and Father Timothy Hayes, pastor of Chillicothe St. Mary and St. Peter churches and Waverly St. Mary Church.
“Beth and I had been talking since February or March about putting together a condensed version of the Sisters of Life’s program,” Huddy said. “This event was scheduled before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its Roe v. Wade decision. That makes a program like this all the more significant.”
“Participants in the day of reflection will be invited, but not obligated, to lead small groups through the full 12-week video series this coming year,” Vanderkooi said. “This day will be of particular interest to parish pro-life groups, Knights of Columbus, men’s groups, Walking With Moms in Need programs, or anyone looking for a day of prayer and renewal, particularly in the wake of the court decision.
“This program is open and appropriate to anyone of faith but does feature the work of the Sisters for Life and aligns with the approach used by our organization’s sidewalk counseling program. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us for the opportunity to review program materials.”
Donations of $20 for adults and $10 for students are being requested to help pay for meals and “Into Life” program materials, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Opportunities are available for anyone who wishes to sponsor such individuals or the program itself.
More information and registration for the event is available at www.gcrtl.org/into-life.
Vanderkooi also recommends visiting the website www.boldbeginning.ohio.gov for information on Ohio’s Bold Beginnings: Mothers and Children First program, a one-stop shop listing resources to help families in need.
She said Ohio “has shown exceptional life-affirming leadership in this program, a combination of existing programs to help families and new initiatives designed to show the state’s commitment to pregnant women, their babies and their families through pregnancy and into adolescence. … It is a strong complement to the work that pregnancy centers, churches and organizations are already doing.
“With support for new parents, benefit information, provider credentialing, prenatal and postnatal care information, nutritional support, material care and adoption support and more, Ohio is leveraging more than a billion dollars to help support families.”