Respect Life
Contact: Courtney Struna
Mission Statement: Respect Life is a ministry that attempts to bring awareness within the parish to the clash between the culture of life and the culture of death.
Current Activities: A summary of the activities that Respect Life conducts on a yearly basis includes: The Rosary Crusade for Life; Pro-life flyers in bulletins; Life Chain in Beaufort; White Cross Display; An annual Rally for Life near the Thrift Shop; Stand Up for Life Rally in Columbia; March for Life in Washington DC; An annual Spiritual Adoption Program; and Prayer Vigils at Savannah Abortion Clinics.
Had an Abortion?
"I would like now to say a special word to women who have had an abortion. The Church is aware of the many factors which may have influenced your decision, and she does not doubt that in many cases it was a painful and even shattering decision. The wound in your heart may not yet be healed . . . But do not give in to discouragement and do not lose hope . . . The Father of mercies is ready to give you his forgiveness and his peace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation." (St. John Paul II, The Gospel of Life, Section 99)
Current Volunteer Opportunities: Participants needed for all the above listed activities. For more detail on these activities see Respect Life Activity Detail.
Throughout the year, announcements in the Evangelization section of the parish bulletin encourage prayer, meditation and action.
Click here for: WHAT’S YOUR PART IN THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT?
PREGNANT AND NEED HELP? CONTACT THE PREGNANCY CENTER
DANIEL'S LAW
Daniel's Law is named for an infant boy who survived after being buried in a landfill soon after his birth. Nurses named him Daniel as he recovered at the Hospital. Daniel's Law was enactied to prevent these kinds of dangerous and often fatal abondonments.
Under the law, instead of abandoning a baby up to 6 months old in dangerous circumstances, mothers can surrender their unharmed newbornbaby at a designated location. They can give their child a chance at a happy, healthy life with a loving family.
Mothers in crisis have a safe way to give their babies a loving family under Daniel's Law.
Hi, my name is Kathleen Whitacre. My husband, youngest daughter, and myself moved here from Illinois 1 1/2 years ago. We are adoptive parents of our 2 daughters, both adoptions were "open adoptions."
Shortly after moving here, our youngest daughter was faced with her own unplanned pregnancy. With our support and her strong commitment, she placed her healthy little baby boy with an adoptive family and their 2 children. His adoption was also "open", a choice she made with the guiding counsel of the adoption agency she sought for help.
For years, I have had a passion for young girls and women who are faced with unplanned pregnancies. This passion began long ago while I was a college student. I was a volunteer for Birthright of Northeastern Wisconsin.
I was an on-call counselor for their hotline that received calls from young girls who feared they might be pregnant. I had no idea how this passion would deepen until I was diagnosed with infertility shortly after I married my husband. After much discussion regarding my health and my diagnosis, my husband and I decided to look into adoption as a way to start our family. We did a lot of research, talked to adoption counselors, and poured over all of the information from the many adoption agencies in our area. We chose "open adoption" for both of our daughters because we felt it was important to share with our daughters all we knew about their biological families; including family heritage and medical information.
After our second daugther was adopted from The Cradle in Evanston, IL, I wanted to help bring the joy of adoption into the forefront to help educate what adoption really is. So I began volunteering for The Cradle through VAE, "Volunteers For Adoption Education." I participated in extensive training with others from the "Adoption Circle" family. We spoke in health, early childhood, and gym classes in the northwestern suburbs of the Chicago area, on a regular basis. I truly enjoyed talking to teenagers in these classes. The Cradle would try to have representation of the "Adoption Circle" at each presentation. Often, biological parent(s), adoptive parent(s), or an adoptee would speak. My older daughter and her biological father spoke at one of the classes. I continued speaking for more than 15 years in these schools and was still receiving requests up until we moved to HIlton Head.
After our daughters went off to college, I started volunteering for "Aid For Women of Northen Lake County", a non-profit agency. Founded on the faith and teachings of the Catholic Church, we provided pregnancy tests, prenatal vitamins, education materials, distributed maternity and baby clothes, baby items, counseling, and a 24-hour hotline to clients. We offered a calming, listening ear to every caller, including men who called as well.
Now that I am here on this beautiful island, I feel I am being called to be a resource of information, a calming voice, a non-judgemental ear, and hope to help anyone who is faced with an unplanned pregnancy.
If you or someone you love wants to talk, feel free to contact me through the Parish Office. I will be happy to share information about adoption firsthand and can also share our experiences with an unplanned pregnancy. Knowledge and sharing mutual experiances can be truly healing. Support means you are never alone.
Kathleen Whitacre
Shared Stories from Adoptive Parents and also Adoptees
Confessions of a Birthmother's Mom - By Kathleen Whitacre
A Circle of Love - By Kathleen Whitacre
Hope in the Aftermath of Roe Vs. Wade - By Kathleen Whitacre
Adoption is a Blessing - By Brad Simpson