October 3, 2021
Dear St. Joseph, help us to imitate your faithful trust and courage.
This Sunday, October 3, our parishes celebrate Respect Life Sunday, which kicks off Respect Life Month. As Catholics we are called to cherish, defend, and protect those who are most vulnerable, from the beginning of life to its natural end, and at every point in between. During the month of October, the church asks us to reflect more deeply on the dignity of every human life.
This year, in the Year of St. Joseph, we are asked to look to St. Joseph, Defender of Life. He didn’t hesitate to follow God’s will of faithfully caring for and protecting Jesus and the Blessed Mother, Mary. With St. Joseph as our witness and mentor, we are called to care for, protect, and defend the lives of our brothers and sisters.
You may ask yourself: Do I realize how precious every person is? As I go about my day, do I treat people accordingly? How can I help those in our society who are struggling to welcome new life or who are parenting in difficult circumstances? How can I reach out to those having a hard time seeing the work of their lives? How do I reassure those at the end of life who are afraid they are a burden or feel like their lives don’t have meaning?
A very specific opportunity for action is the 2022 March for Life in Washington, D.C. Everyone is encouraged to sign up receive updates. Students are St. Catherine of Siena Academy are invited to attend the March for Life in January as a school function. Please download the brochure for details.
A Prayer to St. Joseph, Defender of Life
Dearest St. Joseph,
At the word of an angel,
you lovingly took Mary into your home.
As God’s humble servant, you guided the Holy Family
on the road to Bethlehem, welcomed Jesus as your own son
in the shelter of a manger, and fled far from your homeland
for the safety of both Mother and Child.
We praise God that as their faithful protector,
you never hesitated to sacrifice
for those entrusted to you.
May your example inspire us also
to welcome, cherish, and safeguard
God’s most precious gift of life.
Help us to faithfully commit ourselves
to the service and defense of human life
– especially where it is vulnerable or threatened.
Obtain for us the grace
to do the will of God in all things.
Amen.
Resources:
- https://www.usccb.org/respectlife
