Training Manual For Life & Dignity Sunday Catholic Legislative Network Registration

Training Manual For Life & Dignity Sunday Catholic Legislative Network Registration Archdiocese of Los Angeles San Fernando Region December 2009-January 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from President of the California Catholic Conference...3 Letter from Bishop Gerald E. Wilkerson...4 Agenda for Training Session...5 Concept Paper for Catholic Legislative Network...6 Letter from Bishop Wilkerson to Priests of Region...7 & 8 Roles and Responsibilities...9-11 Time-line...12 & 13 Frequently Asked Questions...14 & 15 Bulletin Announcements...16 & 17 Pulpit Announcements...18 Sample Script...19 Guidelines for Handling Registration Cards...20 Useful Links...21 Instructions for Linking to CLN...22 Homily Notes...23 & 24 Words of Appreciation...25 Sample Postcard...26

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Agenda Training Session for Parish Champions Call to order and welcome Introductions Reading and Prayer Purpose of this training session: o To provide information needed for Parish Champions to prepare for a successful Life & Dignity Sunday registration process in their own parishes Why have the bishops established the Catholic Legislative Network? o The very difficult situation in California Moral crisis Economic/fiscal crisis Poverty/unemployment, homelessness, hunger, etc. o Church teaching (Faithful Citizenship) o Because we can make a difference! What s been done so far? o Capwiz organizes our data base o Membership to date/experience in Sacramento Diocese o Development of Public Policy Insights o Wins and Losses: Does e-mail advocacy work? o Potential View the video o Where and how to use? In-pew registration in every parish on January 23 & 24, 2010 Role of CLN Parish Champions o See and read job description (See attached) o Review the time-line o Development of a parish team/committee o What to do with the cards o Questions and answers Anything else? Closing Prayer Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 5

The Catholic Legislative Network (CLN): A Voice for Life and Dignity in California Our Catholic faith calls us to participate in the life of our communities. From conception to natural death, our faith calls us to protect life and to promote dignity and respect for all human beings. In their 2008 Faithful Citizenship statement, the U.S. Bishops write these challenging words. In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue; participation in the political process is a moral obligation. (Page 4, par. 13) In response to this challenge, the bishops of California have established a state-wide legislative network of Catholics who are being asked to become more engaged in the political process. On the weekend of January 23/24, 2010, every parish In the San Fernando Region will hold a Life & Dignity Sunday. During each Mass, the Network will be explained and parishioners will be encouraged to register for the Network. Completed registration cards will be forwarded to the California Catholic Conference for inclusion in the statewide data base. All registrations will be returned to Bishop Wilkerson for us on public policy issues. The Catholic Legislative Network is an organizational vehicle that will enable members to become well informed and to act on important issues in our state. Through a brief, weekly e-newsletter called Public Policy Insights, network members will learn about issues and actions being taken on certain priority issues. In addition, periodic Action Alerts will be sent to members asking them to send an e-mail, a letter, or to make a phone call to their Senator or Assembly member. If a Senator receives 10 E-mail messages on an issue, he/she probably pays little attention. If that same senator receives 1000 messages, he/she may decide to pay attention. A strong voice for life and dignity can make the difference. There could not be a more important time for this network to emerge. California is in crisis morally and economically. Staggering budget deficits have shredded the safety net that once protected vulnerable children and aging adults. But while funding for life-giving programs is eliminated, financial resources for abortion clinics have not been similarly reduced, and each year proposals to allow doctors to assist their patients in committing suicide gain momentum in the legislature. The state is also struggling to decide what a marriage looks like. As Catholics we care deeply about all these life and dignity issues. The state needs a strong, clear, moral voice for life and dignity now! Your willingness to participate within this network will help the Catholic Church become a powerful Voice for Life and Dignity in California. Join now at www.cacatholic.org Be a Voice for Life and Dignity in California Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 6

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Roles and Responsibilities Catholic Legislative Network Life & Dignity Sunday Diocesan Bishop: o Provides overall leadership for the Life & Dignity Sunday effort. o Appoints staff person to be key organizer and contact person (Margaret Sardo, Office of Religious Education (818 365 5123) o Creates diocesan leadership team. o Writes letter to all priests explaining effort and asking for participation. o Prepares article for Catholic newspaper about Life & Dignity Sunday. o Appears in training DVD for use with Parish Champions. o Insures that names of persons who register are kept confidential. Diocesan Staff Person: o Oversees development of the Diocesan Leadership Team. o Assigns responsibilities and tasks to staff and volunteer assistors. o Advertises, organizes and chairs meetings of the leadership team. o Serves as key liaison among bishop, CCC Staff, and local efforts. o Develops (with the leadership team) the diocesan plan for Life & Dignity Sunday. o Establishes places and times for Parish Champion training sessions. o Speaks on behalf of bishop and effort with the press and media. o Provides reports to bishop as to the progress and difficulties. Diocesan Leadership Team: (Members Appointed by Bishop) o Seeks understanding of goals and objectives of the Catholic Legislative Network (CLN) and Life & Dignity Sunday. o Develops specific plans for carrying out a successful Life & Dignity Sunday effort. o Works with the pastor of each parish in the identification, recruitment, and training of effective Parish Champion. o Serves as liaison(s) to diocesan (and parish) organizations that can help. o Provides direct assistance to parishes that are not able to find their own Parish Champions. o Participates in as many of the planning meetings as possible. o Evaluates the effort after it is complete. o Continues to serve as planning team for further development of the CLN in Diocese. o Assists other dioceses with their planning by sharing best practices, successes, and disappointments. Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 9

California Catholic Conference Staff (CCC) o Provides guidance to bishop and/or his staff for decisions relating to development of the CLN and Life & Dignity Sunday. o Prepares drafts of all materials needed for Life & Dignity Sunday including training materials, vision statement, registration cards, letters, homily helps, and any other documents that may be needed. o Conducts training sessions for parish champions and provides whatever assistance needed to local leaders for carrying out these sessions. o Establishes systems by which completed registration cards are included in the CLN data base. o Insures that all names from each diocese are returned to the bishop for his own use on public policy issues. o Provides support to diocesan leadership team and attends meetings whenever possible and/or needed. o Shares best practices and experiences among dioceses in California. Pastor/Priests/Celebrant o Approves holding Life & Dignity Sunday in the parish and provides overall leadership to the parish event. o Assigns or approves a Parish Champion to organize the event in the parish. o Assures that the Parish Champion attends one of the training sessions. o Receives report from Parish Champion about the specifics of how the program is designed to work at the parish level. o Utilizes homily suggestions (if he so desires) to preach about the call for Catholics to be engaged in the CLN. o Recommends that parishioners register and participate in the CLN. o Provides directions to parishioners as to how to register after the homily. o Assures collection of completed cards and that they are sent to the California Catholic Conference for inclusion in data base. Parish CLN Champion o Accepts role as the Champion of the Catholic Legislative Network in his/her parish. o Attends one of several training sessions to better understand exactly what being a parish champion means. o Registers for the CLN to get deeper first hand knowledge of the network and how it functions. o Meets with pastor to go over all plans and assumes responsibility for carrying out what is agreed to. o Invites other parishioners to assist in the process. o Assures that bulletin announcements are included in bulletins Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 10

o Makes sure that parish has enough registration cards. o Finds volunteers to assure pencils and cards in all pews before each Mass. o Determines how the cards will be collected after each Mass. o Places all cards in envelopes sent for that purpose and has them sent to the California Catholic Conference via UPS envelope within three days of the event. o With other volunteers evaluates how the registration went and makes suggestions in writing to diocesan leadership team as to ways to improve the process. o E-mail or call Diocesan Champion to report the number of cards collected. Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 11

Time-line for San Fernando Region Archdiocese of Los Angeles September/October 09: November 09: December 09: January 2010: Preliminary meetings with bishop and key staff members. Approval by bishop to move ahead with CLN Registration Day. Determination of key staff members and volunteer assistors. Establish date for registration day and times and places for trainings. Letter and vision statement sent from bishop to priests in diocese. Meeting with Priest s Council to discuss holding a Life & Dignity Sunday in the region. Meeting with Diocesan Pastoral Council to share plans and receive suggestions about CLN registration day. (Monday, November 30) Preparation of Training Materials for the Region Leadership Team identifies parish champions for each parish. Letters are sent from bishop or his representative to parish champions asking for their assistance and sharing information about training session. Training of Champions: Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 15101 San Fernando Mission Blvd. Mission Hills, CA 91345. Meeting of Diocesan Leadership Team (Following training session). Make up training for those unable to come on December 1 if necessary. Follow up to parishes without parish champions. First Bulletin Announcement in parish bulletin (January 9/10, 2010) Second Bulletin Announcement and one page Insert (located on page 6) (January 16/17, 2010) First Pulpit Announcement (January 16/17, 2010) Life & Dignity Sunday CLN Registration in all Parishes (January 23/24, 2010) o Homily and/or video about the CLN o Registration invitation after homily o In-pew Registration o Cards collected and counted Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 12

Cards sent to the California Catholic Conference via UPS envelope (by January 29, 2010 Final Bulletin Announcement/Thank You (January 30/31, 2010). Letter sent from bishop to pastors thanking them for their support and participation and providing a parish by parish report of registrations. Bulletin announcements in all bulletins thanking people for participating and reporting total numbers and number of registrants from the parish. New members begin receiving CLN Insights and Alerts!!! Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 13

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Q. Why have the bishops of California established a Catholic Legislative Network (CLN)? A. Our bishops see that our state is in crisis -- fiscally, ethically, and morally. They believe that a strong, well organized, state-wide moral network made up of parishioners, speaking together on important issues, could become a force for good, responsible decisions from our state legislators. They also believe that part of being a good Catholic is to be an active citizen. Q. Why now? A For many years the bishops of California have worked to shape a public policy in California that is caring, just and reflects the moral teachings of the Church. In 1972, they created and funded the California Catholic Conference and hired a staff of professional lobbyists to carry the message to legislators. However, in these difficult days, the work of our lobbyists in Sacramento (and Washington, D.C.) needs the support of citizens living in the districts across the state. Q. Why are they calling this a Life and Dignity network? A. Life & Dignity are words that summarize our whole Catholic social teaching and approach to state and federal legislation. It is who we are and what we represent. We are taught that life is precious from conception to natural death. Threats to life and dignity, be they abortion, hunger, war, poverty, or lack of access to health care, are to be confronted directly by Catholics. We stand for those whose lives are threatened, and we stand with those who are in need of food, clothing and health care. This mission, we believe, comes from the words and actions of Jesus. Q. Isn t there suppose to be a separation between religion and politics? A. Not really. The founders of our constitution wanted to keep the government out of the business of the Church and took care not to establish or promote any one religion. It is both the right and the duty of people of faith to carry their values and teachings into the public arena. While we must respect the values and teachings of others, we must do our best to share our own and hope that they will be reflected in the laws and policies of the state. Q. Is our bishop in support of this effort? A. Yes, he has sent a letter to all the priests asking them to support it as well. He also appears in a video to express his encouragement for you to join the CLN. Q. If I sign up for the CLN what will be expected of me? Will I get 75 e-mails a day asking me to do this and that? Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 14

A. No, your time will be respected. A newsletter (Public Policy Insights) is mailed every Friday that the legislature is in session. It is kept brief to respect your time but has many links to find out more about a particular topic. Action Alerts provide some basic and brief background information and then ask you to send a message to your senators or assembly members. Simply click the Take Action button to e-mail your elected representatives. You choose which Alerts to respond to. Once each year (usually toward the end of April) there is a statewide Catholic Lobby Day to which you will be invited, but not expected to attend. Q. Who will have access to my name and e-mail address? A. All registrants will be entered into the state-wide Catholic Legislative Network data base. The bishop of each diocese will then receive the names of persons from his diocese who have signed up to use ONLY for public policy reasons in the diocese. The state-wide data base will be controlled by the California Catholic Conference of Bishops and the names will never be loaned or sold to any other organization or cause. Q. Can I join the CLN if I do not have an e-mail address? A. Unfortunately, no. While you could technically join the network, you would have no way to receive the all important alerts and other CLN communications. Q. As Parish Champions, is our job done after Life & Dignity Sunday? A. Most of the work will be done. However, there is so much that can be done with a strong local CLN team. For example, if you wanted to, the Parish Champion could organize a follow-up meeting with those who have registered from the parish to share information or to invite state Senator or Assembly Member to meet with you. The CLN members from your parish could work on a local issue of concern and interest to your people. Q. How can I get my other questions answered as they arise? A. Call or e-mail the California Catholic Conference at 916-313-4000 or leginfo@cacatholilc.org. Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 15

Bulletin Announcements For weekend two weeks out from event: January 9/10, 2010: Life & Dignity Sunday Set for January 23/24, 2010 At the request of Bishop Gerald Wilkerson, all parishes in the San Fernando Region will be focusing attention on our civic responsibilities by inviting interested parishioners to register for a newly created Catholic Legislative Network. It has been described as a Voice for Life and Dignity in California. Next weekend there will be a one-page explanation of the Network and Life & Dignity Sunday in our parish bulletin. Please read it and then carefully and prayerfully consider registering for the Catholic Legislative Network on January 23/24. For weekend one week away from Life & Dignity Sunday: January 16/17, 2010 Life & Dignity Sunday Next Weekend The bishops of California have established the Catholic Legislative Network (CLN) to develop a strong, clear, moral voice for life and justice in our state during a very difficult time. Next weekend during Life & Dignity Sunday, all parishioners will have an opportunity to register for the Network. You will find a one-page description of the newly created advocacy network in this week s bulletin. Please read it, pray about it (and for it), and come prepared next week to register for this important new effort. For weekend of Life & Dignity Sunday: January 23/24, 2010: Today is Life & Dignity Sunday San Fernando Region Today is Life & Dignity Sunday in the San Fernando Region. It is a day that Bishop Gerald Wilkerson has designated for us to focus on the Catholic responsibility to be good and engaged citizens. You have been invited and had the opportunity to register for a statewide Catholic Legislative Network, which is to be a strong, clear, moral voice for life and justice in our state. We thank you for registering, if you did; and for your patience and forbearance if you did not. If you did register, we hope that you will be faithful in responding to the Action Alerts that will come asking for your assistance on important issues. If you missed signing up today, you can still register on line at www.cacatholic.org. Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 16

For weekend after Life & Dignity Sunday: January 30/31, 2010: Life & Dignity Sunday Report Last Sunday approximately parishioners from our parish registered for the Catholic Legislative Network. We thank you for agreeing to participate and we will be praying that the network will be successful in creating public policy in our state that is more caring, respectful of life, and just for all. We received word yesterday that over people throughout the diocese signed up for the CLN last weekend. WOW!!! Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 17

Pulpit Announcements For all Masses on the weekend of January 16/17, 2010: Next Sunday has been designated Life & Dignity Sunday here in the San Fernando Region. At the special request of Bishop Wilkerson, we will be inviting and encouraging all of you to register for the new statewide Catholic Legislative Network. In this weekend s bulletin there is a very useful, one-page description of what the Catholic Legislative Network is all about. We encourage you to read it carefully and pray for God s guidance. Next week, there will be cards in the pews and you will be encouraged to become and active member of the network. Talking Points for Homilist (or other presenter) on weekend of January 23/24, 2010 For several weeks now, we have been sharing with you that today is Life & Dignity Sunday here in the San Fernando Region. To be a good Catholic one must be a good citizen; and good citizenship demands participation. Our Church teaches that we are to participate in the decisions that affect our lives and the lives of our communities. The bishops of California have decided to make that easier for all of us through the use of new technology that allows us to communicate more effectively with our elected representatives. They have created a state-wide legislative network and are inviting Catholics from around the state to register and become a part of the Network. Bishop Wilkerson said that this region would take the lead in demonstrating our willingness to participate. Please find one of the registration cards in the pews beside you, and if you have so decided, take a minute to complete the card. PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLY. YOUR REGISTRATION IS USELESS IF THE E-MAIL ADDRESS CANNOT BE READ. When you are finished, please send the card down the row to the end so it can be retrieved by the ushers. If by chance there are not enough cards for you to register, you can go on line and accomplish the very same thing. You will find the web-site in today s bulletin! Thank you all very much! SEE ALSO THE SAMPLE SCRIPT ON PAGE 18 Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 18

Sample Script for CLN Champions (or other speakers) Weekend, January 23/24, 2010 Note: This sample script was developed for parishes where the pastor, priest, or homilist does not want to say anything about the CLN during his homily, but instead prefers having a lay-leader talk for a few moments after the regular homily and then walk people through the registration process. Good morning, my name is and I would like to thank Father for giving me these few moments to quickly explain the Catholic Legislative Network and then to walk you through the process of registration. First, all of us know that this is a time of crisis for the State of California. We are in a fiscal crisis that affects every one of us with economic insecurity. State budget reductions have led not only to furloughs of state workers, but extreme cut backs in services for the most vulnerable elderly, children, and poor families even while funding for abortion services remain stable. We are in an environmental crisis that must balance the water needs of farmers with the human needs of California residents. We are in also in a moral crisis which challenges the traditional values of life and dignity as society contends with emerging life-styles and new family structures. In response to these challenges, the bishops of California have established a state-wide Catholic Legislative Network. Every parish in every diocese in the state will be encouraging people like you and me to join the network and become, together, a strong, clear VOICE FOR LIFE AND DIGNITY IN CALIFORNIA. The bishops believe that numbers matter and that if thousands of us are engaged, writing e-mails and letters, making phone calls to our elected officials, that we will make a difference. Joining the network simply means that you will receive a weekly information bulletin called Insights that will help you understand what is happening in our state, and periodic Action Alerts during the legislative session that ask you to participate by sending an e-mail to your elected officials. It is all made very simple for you and with a few click on your computer, you will have communicated your thoughts on important issues. Here s what to do. In your pew this morning are registration cards and pencils. Please fill out the card printing very carefully the information that is requested. It is extremely important that your e-mail address be printed legibly so that we don t get it wrong. (Please repeat the request for a clear e-mail address.) Please fill out the cards right now and send them down to the end of the aisle where the ushers will pick them up. It will take a few weeks to get all the names in the data base, so please don t expect to hear something immediately. PAUSE BRIEFLY: Thank you for your openness to the Network and for becoming a voice for life and dignity in California. If there are not enough cards, do not panic. You can also register on line at www.cacatholic.org. Once again, I want to thank Father for making it possible for us to carry out this important campaign here at parish. Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 19

Guidelines for Handling Registration Cards San Fernando Region/Archdiocese of Los Angeles 1) Prior to Life & Dignity Sunday a) Cards will be mailed to parishes approximately three weeks prior to Life & Dignity Sunday. They will be pre-coded with your parish and diocese. b) If you have not received your cards ten days prior to the event or you think you may need additional cards, contact Margaret Sardo (Diocesan Champion at 818 365 5123) or contact the California Catholic Conference at 916-313-4000. c) In your package will be a self-addressed envelope in which to return the cards after Life & Dignity Sunday. 2) Before and during Mass on Life & Dignity Sunday a) Make sure a sufficient number of cards and pencils/pens are in every pew prior to each Mass. Ushers, hospitality ministers or others can be helpful. b) Arrange for fellow parishioners to help you collect the cards after the homily. Some parishes may prefer to have cards placed in the collection basket. Do whatever is standard for your parish. c) Parishioners that miss the event can mail cards in at any time to: California Catholic Conference, 1119 K Street, 2 nd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814. They can also register online at www.cacatholic.org. 3) Returning the Cards a) Assemble all the cards and place them in the return envelope provided. The envelope is prepaid and self-addressed. They can be returned at any UPS Office. For a list visit www.ups.com. Be sure to count the number or registrants before you send the package. You will want to report the number back to the parish on the following weekend. b) If it is more convenient, the return package can be returned to your Diocesan Champion. c) In either case, please call your Diocesan Champion to let him or her know you have mailed the package and the number of registrants. Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 20

Useful Links Official Catholic Sites California Catholic Conference, www.cacatholic.org The official voice of the Catholic community in California's public policy arena represents the bishops of California on legislation and social issues. It is the primary source for Catholic Legislative Network information as well as news and analysis of policy issues in California, the status of major and significant legislation, and a variety of advocacy tools. Look for the Links menu item which contains links to all arch/dioceses in the state, many of the sites listed below, and all the California missions. US Conference of Catholic Bishops, www.usccb.org The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops supports the ministry of bishops with an emphasis on evangelization, by which the bishops exercise in a communal and collegial manner certain pastoral functions entrusted to them by the Lord Jesus of sanctifying, teaching, and governing. To purchase materials, books and other items visit www.usccbpublishing.org. Vatican, www.vatican.va The official web site of the Holy See contains archives of all Church documents and official news, as well as full text of encyclicals and other documents. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeac e_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html This searchable summary of the social teaching of the Church is more easily accessed via the Vatican site. Office of Social Justice, www.osjspm.org One of the most comprehensive sites on the web for social justice information, the site is sponsored by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Official Government Sites State of California, www.ca.gov The official state site provides links to all departments and services of California government. The site is also a portal to the governor and California legislature. California Legislation, www.leginfo.ca.gov Information on every bill in the California Legislature. Library of Congress, www.thomas.gov Complete legislative information from the US Congress can be found here as well as education and historical resource of US government. Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 21

Instructions for Linking to the Catholic Legislative Network 1. Simply link to the website, www.cacatholic.org, the home page of the California Catholic Conference. The site will guide visitors to the Network pages. 2. Insert the following code onto your webpage <a href="http://www.cacatholic.org"><img alt="cln-link" src="images/stories/icons/cln-link.jpg" height="51" width="250" /></a> It will produce an image and a direct link that looks like this: 3. You can also contact leginfo@cacatholic.org for more information and assistance. Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 22

HOMILY NOTES Life and Dignity Sunday January 23/24, 2010 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life In preparing, the homilist is encouraged to keep in mind, that this Sunday is truly, a proclamation of Good News that carries two major considerations. First, there is the overarching theme: Your words, Lord, are Spirit and Life. This theme, articulated in the responsorial psalm verse, is found in both the first and Gospel readings and provides the rich foundation for a homily on the gift of life, both spiritual and physical, that comes from God. The second theme, found in all three readings is the reminder that Christians are called to be people of action who proclaim and live the gospel of life, in all of its dimensions. Both themes lend themselves to a reflection on the Christian disciple s call to protect the life and dignity of all of God s subjects on earth, especially the most vulnerable. The rich theology and imagery of the second reading reminds us that the baptized are one Body and that body is the Body of Christ. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it. This statement can be a powerful point of departure for a homily that reminds the congregation of the ontological reality of the Church as the Body of Christ, and of the responsibility of every member of the body to protect and support every other member, but especially those who are most vulnerable. The born and the unborn, the weak and the strong, the neighbor and stranger, are all our sisters and brothers. Every life is a gift from God and Christian discipleship demands that we be good stewards of every life on earth from the moment of conception until the moment of natural death. We as disciples understand that any true proclamation of the Gospel entails a life of witness to that Gospel in our words and actions. The homilist will want to both comfort and challenge the congregation by unfolding the Scriptural vision of liberation proclaimed by Jesus as the heart of his mission, while at the same time making it clear that the mission of Jesus also demands that we participate in making God s reign a present reality in contemporary society. The call to walk in solidarity with all of our brothers and sisters to protect human life from conception to natural death and to demand that society provide the basics for a dignified life for everyone is part of our baptismal vocation and an integral aspect of our discipleship. Finally, one of the goals of Life and Dignity Sunday is to encourage the members of the congregation to sign up for the Catholic Legislative Network. The homily notes, intend to help the homilist craft a homily with the points above in mind. Here are some points of departure from the Scripture readings for developing a homily for Life and Dignity Sunday First Reading: Nehemiah 8: 2-4,5-6,8-10 o Ezra, a scribe well versed in the Law of Moses arrived in Jerusalem from Babylon in 458 B.C. He brought a complete copy of the Pentateuch and began immediately to introduce reforms and helped bring about a renewal of the people by reacquainting them with the Word of God. o Perhaps this reading can lead to a short reflection on how the encyclical of Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life) challenges the world today to move from a culture of death to a culture of life. o This reading is a challenge to every homilist to understand the power of the proclamation of the Word at every Mass and how the Gospel is the good news. o This reading also reminds us of how important it is for the homilist to teach and proclaim God s message in a broken world to people who are confronted with and surrounded by messages contrary to the Gospel of Life. Everyday, everywhere the media surrounds us with Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 23

messages that attack the life and dignity of the embryo, inside and outside the womb, that attack the incarcerated, that attack the innate dignity of the undocumented, that attack persons because of their ethnicity, culture or skin color. The word of God, can and does make a difference when it is proclaimed in its power and vibrancy. Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12: 12-30 o In this section of Paul s first letter to the Corinthians, he responds to the questions posed by the Church of Corinth, especially those about the reality and importance of the spiritual gifts. o This reading can help the homilist make the point that the life of every child of God is the responsibility to one degree of every member of the Church. The proclamation of the Gospel of Life is the mission of every baptized Christian. o Since there is only one body, the suffering of any member is the suffering of all. o The Body of Christ is called to foster a culture of life so that every member of the Body, born and unborn, can prosper. Gospel: Luke 1: 1-4; 4: 14-21 o He has sent me to bring the Good News to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives to let the oppressed go free. o This powerful periscope found in Luke is Jesus mission statement. It is clear that Jesus is stating that he has come to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah. Indeed he has come to bring liberty, freedom and sight. o The homilist can use this statement by Jesus, to bring liberty and freedom to the captives and oppressed, by connecting it directly to the consistent ethic of life that protects the life and dignity of every human being. o The mission of Jesus must include a commitment to fostering a culture of life. To protect the unborn from abortion and medical experimentation, to stand against all forms of prejudice and racism, to provide adequate health care, education and shelter for everyone but especially for the most vulnerable is an essential aspect of the Good News and is an essential aspect of the culture of life proclaimed by the Church. On this Life and Dignity Sunday, the homilist can transfer the clear themes that flow from the readings and use them to challenge the congregation to participate in God s reign on earth. The Gospel of Life, the Good News, challenges the Catholic community to bring the truth about the innate dignity and right to life of every human being, from conception to natural death, into our society, and to participate in bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world. Finally, the homilist can conclude by suggesting that one practical way that everyone can participate in proclaiming the Good News and in ensuring that we help bring about a culture of life is to register for the Catholic Legislative Network. Sponsored by all the bishops of all the dioceses of California this network is designed to bring the clear pro-life and pro-dignity message of the Church to our politicians and legislatures. It helps every Catholic answer the question, What can I do, I am only one person? We as Catholics have clear values and our voice has a legitimate place in the political arena and in communicating a message of life, hope and dignity to politicians. The lens of the Gospel must shine its light of truth on our society and our laws. To participate, all you have to do is sign up today, register for the Catholic Legislative Network. The Catholic Legislative Network will keep each of us educated about legislation that impacts our faith and values and will provide a simple and effective way for us to let the Catholic voice for a culture of life be heard. Let s make sure that we each do our part to bring the vision of Christ and his message of life and dignity to our politicians and ultimately to society at large. Life & Dignity Sunday Training Manual 24

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