Our Lady of Guadalupe Pro-Life Group
Purpose:
We proclaim that human life is a precious gift from God; that each person who receives this gift has responsibilities toward God, self and others; and that society, through its laws and social institutions, must protect and nurture human life at every stage of its existence.
Strategies:
Our pastor, Monsignor V. Paul Fitzmaurice has helped us develop a four-part plan:
(1) Education – in the Catholic community and in the public square.
(2) Care and Services – for women with problems related to pregnancy, donations and volunteer time given, and for those who have been involved in abortion.
(3) Advocacy – for public policies that protect the lives of unborn children and those vulnerable to pressure to end their own lives.
(4) Prayer – that the culture of death will be replaced by a culture of life and love. Please consider spiritually adopting an unborn baby and pray for that baby every day for nine months. Download and print our Prayer for Unborn Human Life and hang it where you will see it every day.
Meeting Times:
The St. Agnes Our Lady of Guadalupe Pro-Life Group meets on the third Saturday of each month, usually 9 – 11 AM in Room 306 in Resurrection Hall.
How to Join:
All are welcome to join one of our monthly meetings at any time. There is no need to register in advance. One can add their name to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Flocknote group if one desires to receive information regarding meetings, notices and events sent directly to them. Our meetings always begin with prayer and saying the Rosary. Questions about the group can be directed to Audrey at 412 554-2454.
For more information on the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe and her appearance to Mexican peasant Juan Diego in 1531 please watch the videos here produced by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and Bishop Robert Barron’s Catholicism Series.
Our Pro-Life group echoes the sentiment of Human Life International with this statement:
The choice of Our Lady of Guadalupe as patroness of our apostolate was obvious. Of all the many manifestations of Mary’s loving presence among us throughout the centuries, in this apparition alone does she appear to us as clearly the Patroness of the Unborn, in the manner of a pregnant mother. She holds within her the unborn Christ, proclaiming the sanctity and blessedness of life within the womb. Her reverence and tenderness communicate to us the joy and awe with which we must approach each nascent life. In contemplating her simplicity we find the strength to emulate her faith, and proceed with confidence in the knowledge that God will overcome the seemingly insurmountable barriers looming all around us in the world today.
ACTIVITIES
In addition to regular meetings, this ministry participates in the following pro-life activities organized locally and nationally:
40 Days for Life is a Pittsburgh pro-life campaign which takes place twice a year, once in the spring and fall. It is a pro-life effort that consists of: 40 days of prayer and fasting; 40 days of peaceful vigil held from 7am – 7pm in front of Planned Parenthood, 933 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh; and 40 days of community outreach. All from the parish are welcome to join.
Irwin Life Chain organizes peaceful prayer for the unborn. Started over 30 years ago, Life Chain is a “peaceful and prayerful public witness of pro-life individuals standing for 90 minutes praying for our nation and for an end to abortion. It is a visual statement of solidarity by the Christian community that abortion kills children and that the Church supports the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception until natural death. This prayerful event usually takes place on the first Sunday in October.
The March for Life takes place in January in Washington DC. It began as a small demonstration in direct response to the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Taking place every year since 1974, the March for Life rapidly grew to be the largest pro-life event in the world. This peaceful gathering of hundreds of thousands is a powerful witness to the truth concerning the greatest human rights violation of our time, legalized abortion on demand.
Note: This year, in 2021 we will not be participating in the Washington DC March for Life due to the uncertainty of COVID. Instead, St. Agnes will be having a Respect for Life Day on January 29, 2021 which is the day of the march in D.C. The schedule for the day at St. Agnes will be morning Mass as usual, followed by Adoration throughout the day on an hourly basis from 8 am until 6 pm with different intentions at every hour, and then by ending with an evening Mass. All parish organizations/ministries have been asked to sign up for a scheduled hour of Adoration. All adorers are always welcome for Adoration regardless of the schedule.
My Choice offers free and confidential services to women with an office in Greensburg across from the Diocesan Office. We will participate in a “baby bottle” monetary fundraiser for My Choice in January 2021.
Bins with baby bottles will be placed outside the church for distribution beginning Friday, January 29, 2021 being this is the date of our Respect for Life Day. Return filled bottles to the church office no later than February 12.
PRO-LIFE SITES
Birthright of Greensburg – Birthright is available to women for as long as needed. They offer love, friendship, and support to women who are pregnant or think they may be pregnant. Birthright is interdenominational and is not involved in any political activities, or lobbying. Services are always free, confidential and available to any woman, regardless of age, race or circumstances, religion, marital status or financial situation. Location: 121 N. Main St. #G15, Greensburg 15601. Phone: 724 832-2577
Catholic Charities – Greensburg offers a wide variety of opportunities for volunteers to get involved in the work and mission of the agency, including donating baby items and the need for baby clothing to be sorted appropriately. If you are 18 years of age or older, and want to dedicate your time to helping meet the needs of others, please contact Donna Hagan, supervisor of information and referral services, at 724-837-1840 ext. 1661.
My Choice – Free and confidential services in Greensburg. My Choice has been serving women and men in the Armstrong, Butler, Indiana, and Westmoreland Counties since 1984. They are a non-profit organization, offering confidential, respectful and compassionate care to anyone facing an unplanned pregnancy or the after-effects of abortion. They are committed to giving accurate information in a caring and private atmosphere. They want each person to be free to discuss their options and sexual health without feeling judged or coerced. Location: 660 E Pittsburgh St. – Greensburg, PA 15601. Phone: 877 223-7558
Life-Way Pregnancy Center is a pregnancy care center in Latrobe. They are there for you… whatever it is you need they will do their best to assist, educate, and refer to appropriate resources. They have a wide range of services and programs. At their easy access Latrobe and Indiana locations their trained staff is ready and waiting to help with a pregnancy test, pregnancy support, adoption options, or parenting skills. Their one-on-one sessions are individualized to fit your situation, free of charge, and completely confidential. Location: 1516 Ligonier St., Latrobe 15650. Phone: 724 539-2002
Live Action – This right to life movement reaches 4.7 million people with the largest online presence in the Pro-Life movement reaching millions of people each month with eye-opening and life-saving content. Look to Pro-Life Replies from Live Action for answers to the most common pro-choice arguments you encounter every day.
Rachel’s Vineyard is a safe place to renew, rebuild, and redeem hearts broken by abortion. 877 HOPE 4 ME (877-467-3463)
National Hotline for Abortion Recovery: 866-482-LIFE (866-482-5433)