Welcome to the Home Page of the Office of Marriage, Family & Respect Life.  Blessed John Paul II began his encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, by saying "The Gospel of life is at the heart of Jesus' message. Lovingly received day after day by the Church, it is to be preached with dauntless fidelity as "good news" to the people of every age and culture." The mission of the Office of Marriage, Family & Respect Life is to spread this "good news" to the people of Eastern South Dakota through prayer, education and action so that we might help support marriages, families, and build a culture of life in our diocese and beyond.

CALL TO PRAYER FOR LIFE, MARRIAGE, AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

December 30, 2012 - November 24, 2013, Across the Nation

The U.S. bishops have approved a pastoral strategy to advance a Movement for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty. It is essentially a call to prayer, penance, and sacrifice for the sake of renewing a culture of life, marriage, and religious liberty in our country. Click here for a one-page handout about the Call to Prayer.

LIFE CHAIN LINK PRAYER WITH BISHOP PAUL J. SWAIN

12:00 noon at Planned Parenthood on 41st Street, Sioux Falls

To learn more and to sign up to participate in this prayer ministry, please visit the Life Chain Link Page of this Website.

ENGAGED ENCOUNTER WEEKENDS

• June 8-9, 2013, Sioux Falls, *FULL*

For more information, please contact Jason and Nancy Raether at esdcee@gmail.com. Registration forms must be mailed to: Engaged Encounter, Jason and Nancy Raether, 2804 S. Cinnabar Circle, Sioux Falls, SD 57103, and cannot be submitted over the phone or by email. A form is available online, just click on the "Marriage Preparation" link in the office menu.

MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY MASS WITH BISHOP PAUL J. SWAIN

• Sunday, June 23, 2013, 1:30 p.m., Cathedral of St. Joseph, Sioux Falls
• Sunday, June 30, 2013, 11:30 a.m., Sacred Heart Parish, Aberdeen
  

The annual Anniversary Mass honoring couples married 25, 50, 60, and 65 years or more will be celebrated again this year at the Cathedral of St. Joseph and Sacred Heart Parish, Aberdeen.  Personal invitations will be sent out with the opportunity for couples to RSVP to either date and location.