March for Life - January 21

Dear Life, Justice and Peace Contacts,

March for Life, Tuesday, Jan. 21

Knowing that some parishes have groups going to the March for Life but not the Mass for Life, I want everyone to be aware of a special message from the Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC). The WSCC is encouraging all Catholics participating in the March for Life to also visit their legislators immediately following the March. Please ask them to oppose the abortion insurance mandate bill (House Bill 2148). The attached flyer has more details – and includes a Save the Date item for the October conference. If people from your parish come to the Mass for Life, they will receive this information as an insert of the worship aid.

Join the USCCB's Anti-Trafficking Campaign

The USCCB has launched the Become a SHEPHERD campaign (Stop Human trafficking and Exploitation. Protect, Help, Empower, and Restore Dignity) to educate Catholics on human trafficking. The Bishops urge Catholics to participate in the upcoming February 8th Day of Prayer for Survivors and Victims of Human Trafficking.

February 8^th is the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita, who was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery. Once Josephine was freed, she dedicated her life to sharing her testament of deliverance from slavery and comforting the poor and suffering.

"On that day, we will lift our voices loudly in prayer, hope, and love for trafficking victims and survivors" said Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, M.Sp.S., chairman of the Committee. "If just one person realizes from this day that they or someone they know is being trafficked, we will have made a difference."

The USCCB's anti-trafficking program encourages Catholics to utilize the Become a SHEPHERD toolkit and other USCCB resources to host prayer services and information sessions on human trafficking and exploitation. Catholics are invited to pray for the emotional, physical, and spiritual healing of those that have been trafficked, and make a personal commitment to work against human trafficking. For more information on the USCCB Anti-Trafficking program visit: http://www.usccb.org/stopslavery
Excerpt of Pope Francis' Address to the Diplomatic Corps, Jan. 13, 2014

“Peace is also threatened by every denial of human dignity, firstly the lack of access to adequate nutrition. We cannot be indifferent to those suffering from hunger, especially children, when we think of how much food is wasted every day in many parts of the world immersed in what I have often termed the 'throwaway culture'. Unfortunately, what is thrown away is not only food and dispensable objects, but often human beings themselves, who are discarded as 'unnecessary'. For example, it is frightful even to think there are children, victims of abortion, who will never see the light of day; children being used as soldiers, abused and killed in armed conflicts; and children being bought and sold in that terrible form of modern slavery which is human trafficking, which is a crime against humanity.”


In Christ’s peace,
Jim

Jim Thomas
Director of Life, Justice & Peace and Family Life
Archdiocese of Seattle
710 - 9th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104-2017
Dir. (206) 382-4268
Toll-free (800) 950-4970
Fax (206) 264-2084
www.seattlearchdiocese.org/cst
www.seattlearchdiocese.org/FamilyLife

"We must all commit ourselves with clarity and courage so that every human person ... [is] always defended and protected." Pope Francis, May 5, 2013