9 Days for Life, Day 4, USCCB

DAY FOUR: January 24, 2017

Intercession May those near the end of their lives receive medical care that respects their dignity and protects their lives. Prayers Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be Reflection When Maggie’s active father suffered an accident that eventually led to his passing, her conversations with him turned to life’s more serious topics, and his final days became a time that was cherished by the whole family. During this time, Maggie’s dad taught her that “dignity can’t be diminished by pain or loss of personal control,” that “Jesus was walking along with him,” and that “our suffering is not meaningless when we unite it with Christ's own suffering.” As a 50-year-old wife and mother of three, Maggie needed this message in a dramatically new way when she was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Instead of giving up hope, she embraced the legacy her father had left her, cherishing the life she still had left: “[M]y life is, always has been, and always will be, worth living.” Read more about her experience in “Maggie’s Story: Living like Dad.”

Acts of Reparation (choose one) Take time to write a handwritten note to someone who is lonely or needing encouragement. Read and reflect upon “Caring for Loved Ones at Life’s End.” Ten suggestions anchored in unconditional respect for human life help readers know how to provide authentically compassionate care. (supplemental information) Meet Maggie in the brief, 3-minute video that inspired the article, “Maggie’s Story: Living like Dad.”

One Step Further

Proponents of doctor-assisted suicide try to draw a sharp distinction between those with a mental illness who want to end their lives and those with a terminal illness who express the same wish. “Every Suicide is Tragic” explores the consequences of this false distinction. (supplemental information and short videos)

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Simple Supplements

For each brochure of the 2016-2017 Respect Life Program, a corresponding "Simple Supplements" section is included in the 2016-2017 resource guide. The "Simple Supplements" can be used to assist with personal enrichment or to complement presentations given by teachers, homilists, youth ministers, etc.

The resource guide is available to purchase or to download. (To download, see the bottom of the "Leaders' Toolkit" web page).

Hope after Abortion www.hopeafterabortion.org

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