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Annual Activities
Advent Baby Shower
Each year during the Advent season, with the assistance of Respect Life Representatives, hundreds of new baby clothes, blankets, bottles, diapers, and health care products are collected through donation areas in the parishes. Parishes are encouraged to first distribute items collected to those in need in the parishes. The remaining items are delivered to the Respect Life Office Baby Shower Room, where they are organized into layettes to be distributed to those in need throughout the diocese.
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Life Chain Link
Life Chain Link is a project that encourages and invites people of all faiths to pray outside the Planned Parenthood Clinic in Sioux Falls. The goal is to have a prayerful presence every day of the year. As the name suggests, the daily presence at the clinic links the October Life Chain events from year to year.
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LifeTimes Litterae
LifeTimes Litterae is a regular e-newsletter sent out by the Directors to Respect Life Representatives, priests, and many others that contains articles, prayers, commentary, analyses, event notices, etc. If you would like to receive this and other correspondence from the Directors, please email them using the links provided in the contact information in the left hand column.
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Lobbying & the Catholic Advocate Network (CAN)
The Catholic Advocate Network ("CAN") is the grassroots public policy initiative of the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Many dioceses belong to a state Catholic Conference that conducts the public policy activities for the member dioceses in that state. In the absence of a Catholic Conference in South Dakota, CAN was created to educate, inform, alert, and hopefully inspire participation in governmental processes, which, in our country, is one of the most direct and effective ways of ensuring that the laws and policies of our communities, state, and nation are structured on sound moral principles.
CAN is centered upon the commitment and dedication of CAN Legislative Liaisons from across the diocese, who develop their own network of CAN members. In addition to this website, information and alerts are passed on by the diocese through emails and other means, to Legislative Liaisons who then pass the information on through their local networks.
www.can4life.org
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Mass for Life
A Mass for Life is celebrated by the Bishop on or around January 22nd of each year, the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. This Mass takes place at St. Joseph Cathedral with the involvement of O’Gorman and St. Mary’s Catholic High Schools.
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Mother Teresa Endowment
The Mother Teresa Endowment is a fund established by the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls. It provides financial assistance to parents experiencing an unplanned pregnancy with limited financial resources. The goal is for no woman in our diocese to have an abortion because they feel they cannot afford the child. Applications are available at each Catholic Family Services office and in our office.
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Public Speaking
The Directors visit parishes and groups to give talks, workshops, forums, discussions, or presentations on a variety of life issues, such as chastity, marriage, contraception, Natural Family Planning, Theology of the Body, abortion, stem cell research and cloning, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, end of life decisions, the death penalty, Catholic Social Teachings, political responsibility, and much more. They are open to sharing with groups of any size, are flexible with the speaking format and topics, and work with each group to determine specific needs. Please contact them for more information or to schedule a date using the contact information in the left hand column.
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Research, Writing & Education
The Directors monitor social and cultural trends and stay current on evolving life issues. Information is then shared with others through the network described above, and also through a monthly article in the diocesan newspaper The Bishop’s Bulletin, a regular e-newsletter entitled LifeTimes Litterae, and other types of correspondence. The Directors welcome phone calls, emails and letters from the laity, Priests, and others about all life issues.
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Respect Life Network
The diocesan respect life network was developed and modeled after the USCCB’s “Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities”. Each parish has at least one assigned Respect Life Representative. Most of these Representatives are laypersons, but some are Priests. The goal is to have two Representatives at each parish, who then form a Respect Life Committee to aid them in their efforts.
Representatives are asked to keep the Respect Life Director(s) informed on issues of concern in their communities. Representatives, in turn, are provided educational information and materials on life issues as they unfold locally and nationally. Periodically throughout the year, packets are sent to Representatives with projects and assignments. These projects range from prayer campaigns to voter registration drives. In addition, cooperation with other pro-life groups, organizations and agencies throughout the State and Nation is encouraged and facilitated.
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Respect Life Sunday & Life Chain
October is Respect Life Month, and the first Sunday of each October is Respect Life Sunday. The Respect Life Office plans, organizes, and helps promote several events. The day begins with a Respect Life Brunch. This event is usually hosted by the Bishop and is for the parish Respect Life Representatives and their families to gather for food, fellowship and a presentation. A Respect Life Mass follows the brunch. In the afternoon, the Life Chain takes place along 41st Street in Sioux Falls.
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Support
Education
Action
Office Resources
Subscribe to
LifeTimes Litterae
LifeTimes Litterae is the Respect Life Office's weekly newsletter.
Contact Information
Respect Life Office
523 N. Duluth Ave.
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
605.988.3755
Travis Benson
Director
605.988.3748
Email
Kelly Benson
Director
605.940-5976
Email
Mary Andersen
Administrative Assistant
605.988.3755
Email
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