Annual Gospel of Life Appeal

01-15-2023Letter from the PastorFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As children of God, we celebrate the Right to Life. We are all called to be Pro Life. All life has an inherent dignity because we were created by God with a unique and eternal soul. Our Lord reminds us of the sacredness of every human life. Faithful Catholics have always held and will always preach the value of human life. The Church has taught for thousands of years that life begins in the womb and that all God’s children, born and unborn, are a reflection of the face of God. Each and every person, bear the image of God, our bodies belong to God, and it is the task of the Church to cherish and value every human life, especially the most vulnerable.

After 49 years, Roe v. Wade has been overturned by the Supreme Court. Thanks be to God. But now our efforts for life focus on an exciting and even deeper responsibility at the local level. In an effort to continue the important work of promoting the sacredness of life, the Diocese of Phoenix is offering all parishioners a chance to be a part of the annual Gospel of Life Appeal that will help save lives here and now. To that end, collection envelopes and an appeal video from Bishop Dolan will be available on Sat, Jan 21 & Sun, Jan 22. The video can be viewed on our parish website.

Part of our mission as Catholics includes promoting the Gospel of Life. The newly implemented Walking with Moms in Need is a beautiful part of the process through which Catholic parishes and communities "walk in the shoes" of local pregnant and parenting women in need. You can find out all the great things being done for pregnant moms at walkingwithmoms.com

Here is the how your contribution to the appeal will be distributed:

a. 33% of the funds collected at the parish remain with the parish to fund its own Respect Life efforts at the discretion of the pastor.

b. 67% of the funds are retained by the Office of Marriage and Respect Life Parish Leadership Support to fund our Diocesan-level pro-life evangelistic and educational efforts, this includes our ongoing cooperation with Virtue Media in the remarkable February and March (English and Spanish) cell phone ads to women seeking abortion or in crisis pregnancy.

We are a Gospel of Life diocese, one and all. May the Holy Spirit breathe life into all our good efforts to spread the Gospel of Life and counter the culture of death!

God Bless,
Fr. Don Kline, V.F.
Pastor