Dear Parishioners:

October is Respect Life Month, when Catholics around the nation highlight their witness to the dignity of every human life. Parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Louis will begin their observation with Respect Life Sunday at Masses the weekend of Oct. 5-6 and continue with events throughout the month.

Amendment 3 proposes to create a right to reproductive freedom, “which is the right to make and carry out decisions about all matters relating to reproductive health care, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion care, miscarriage care and respectful birthing conditions.” If passed, the measure would allow abortions until viability (typically around 22-24 weeks of pregnancy), with an exception for the “life and physical or mental health” of the mother.

The Missouri Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the state’s bishops, has opposed the measure, arguing in an August statement it would “effectively repeal long-standing health and safety standards for women.” Among the laws potentially affected by Amendment 3, it said, were “basic health and safety requirements for clinics where abortions are performed, requiring that abortions be performed only by a physician, informed consent requirements, laws prohibiting public funding of abortion and parental consent requirements before a minor’s abortion.”

“We urge all Missourians of good will to stand for the health and safety of women and their preborn children and oppose Amendment 3,” the statement said.

Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski, has said that he strongly opposes the amendment and that the Church is speaking out on the issue “to look out for the common good of mothers and children. Destroying life — particularly innocent, vulnerable, human life — is not what humanity was created for.”

“Leading up to the election we will work to inform the faithful, and the public, of Amendment 3’s deceptions and dangers,” he said in a social media post. “Please join me — through prayer, education, and action — as we urge all Missourians of good will to vote ‘no’ on Amendment 3.”

The gift of life is our most precious gift and needs to be defended at all times we lessen ourselves as a society if we say we can not care for life both born and unborn. I would invite you to pray a rosary with your family and or partake of our Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays in this month of October as we support life in all its forms.

God Bless!

Msgr John Shamleffer