Q. 1. Why do we celebrate Respect Life Sunday in October?

[Revised on November 5, 2020]

A. 1. In April, 1972, the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops Pro-Life Activities Ministry adopted a resolution which resulted in the creation of the "Respect Life Program:"

Originally, a Week of Prayer and Study was proposed, focusing on the sanctity of human life, and the many threats to human life in the modern world, including war, violence, hunger, and poverty.

Throughout that week, Catholic were urged to conduct educational programs on the dignity of human life and the responsibility of society to protect all of its members—the unborn child, and also the aged, sick and disadvantaged.

The program, which began as a one-week effort, was quickly expanded to a month-long program, and very soon thereafter was expanded again to a year-round effort with educational, pastoral and public policy goals.

The Catholic Church has dedicated the month of October, starting with the first Sunday, to extra time and resources in advancing the culture of life. Such can be implemented through prayer, activism, and education against the falsehoods promoted by the pro-abortion advocates.

On the matter of abortion, the Catholic Church teaches the following through its Catechism.

“Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life. 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.' [Jer. 1:5] 'My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth.'" [Psalm 139:15]

Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law: 'You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish. God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.' [Gaudium et spes]

Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. 'A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae,' 'by the very commission of the offense,' and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law. The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society'” [Catechism of the Catholic Church # 2270-2272]