THE CONFERENCE:
Candidate Survey (11/2006)
making (1/06)
Statement (2/05)
-Capitol
Correspondent:
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Life Insight:
Columns-2008
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Throughout this website, the NCC provides links to other websites solely for the user's convenience. By providing these links, the NCC assumes no responsibility for, nor does it necessarily endorse the websites or organizations linked.
How Can You Help Build a Culture of Life and Love?
Join Nebraska Catholics for Life!
Building a new culture of life and love starts by transforming ourselves and those around us.
Nebraska Catholics for Life (NCL) will help you:
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Achieve a deeper understanding of God's design for human life and love |
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Speak effectively to family, friends, and neighbors about abortion, euthanasia, assisted-suicide, contraception, in vitro fertilization, cloning, embryo-destructive research and other life issues |
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Understand the origin and roots of abortion, euthanasia, contraception, and other attacks against human life and love |
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Understand the what and why of Catholic teachings on the sacredness of human life and sexuality |
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Implement concrete activities that will help build a culture of life and love |
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Understand and speak effectively about the Church's teachings on related life issues such as the death penalty |
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Understand and fulfill the primary role that families play in building a culture of life and love |
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What is urgently called for is a . . . united, ethical effort to activate a great campaign in support of life. All together we must build a new culture of life. Pope John Paul II, The Gospel of Life, no. 95 |
What is Nebraska Catholics for Life?
NCL is a membership affiliation with the Bishops' Pastoral Plan for Pro Life Activities on a statewide level. Members of NCL will receive informative mailings from the state Pastoral Plan office.
What is the Bishops' Pastoral Plan for Pro Life Activities?
The Pastoral Plan is the pro life program of the Catholic Church in the United States. It was established by the U.S. Bishops in 1975 and reaffirmed in 1985 and 2001 to focus attention on the practices of abortion, euthanasia, and assisted suicide. The Pastoral Plan lays out a four-part plan of action that includes:
I. Spiritual Efforts
Knowing and loving God in whose image and likeness we were created is essential to fully appreciating the sacredness of every human being. Thus prayer, fasting, and other spiritual efforts form the foundation of the Pastoral Plan.
II. Educational Efforts
Education deepens our understanding of the sanctity of human life at each of its developmental stages and of our responsibility to imitate God's love through our sacrificial service to others.
III. Pastoral Efforts
Pastoral outreach helps support pregnant mothers in need, the disabled, the sick and dying and their families, and those who have been involved in abortion.
IV. Public Policy Efforts
Public policy work is directed toward restoring legal protection for unborn children, and those vulnerable to pressure to end their own lives.
Why Form Nebraska Catholics for Life?
NCL is being formed to create a direct channel of education and action between the Pastoral Plan and individual Catholics, thereby familiarizing them with the comprehensive and official Church teachings on life issues. NCL is not intended to replace or compete with the important efforts of other pro life organizations, many of which carry out essential pro life activities that the Pastoral Plan/NCL cannot do as an arm of the Church (e.g. political activity). NCL will do what these other organizations cannot necessarily do--present the complete and official pro life teachings of the Catholic Church.
Get Involved!
Everyone has a talent or ability to contribute! Use the Pastoral Plan information from NCL to get you started.
Pray privately and take part in prayer services for life in your parish or city.
Join your parish Respect Life Committee or start one! Your pastor and State Pastoral Plan Office can assist.
Don't walk away from discussions about abortion and euthanasia at work or where acquaintances gather. NCL will give you the information you need to discuss these issues with authority.
Volunteer at a local pregnancy help center or post-abortion ministry.
Volunteer for a respite care program to provide relief for families caring for seriously ill loved ones or volunteer for your local hospice program.
Contact your state and federal representatives on pro life legislation--it makes a difference!
The Pastoral Plan's Four Levels
National
Secretariat for Pro Life Activities
Gail Quinn, Executive Director
3211 4th Street N.E., Washington, DC 20017
Ph: (202) 541-3070 Fax: (202) 541-3054
State Office
Greg Schleppenbach, Director
215 Centennial Mall South, Suite 310, Lincoln, NE 68508
402-477-7517 Fax: 477-1503
Diocesan
Archdiocese of Omaha
Rev. Damien J. Cook
St. Peter Church
709 S. 28th St, Omaha, NE 68105
(402) 341-4560 | e-mail: fr_cook@yahoo.com
Diocese of Lincoln
Rev. Jeffrey R. Eickhoff
St. Gregory the Great Seminary
1301 280th Rd, Seward, NE 68434-7541
(402) 643-4052 | e-mail: fr-jeff-eickhoff@stgregoryseminary.edu
Diocese of Grand Island
Rev. Dave Rykwalder
All Souls Church
P.O. Box 250, Bridgeport, NE 69336
(308) 262-0709 | e-mail: frdave@hamilton.net
Parish
Each parish has a pro-life coordinator(s) who implements programs/activities. Check with your Pastor to find out who serves your parish. Contact your parish pro life coordinator to find out what's happening in your parish!
Print Resources:
The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae), Pope John Paul II, 1995
Pastoral Plan for Pro Life Activities: A Campaign in Support of Life, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), 2001
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Living the Gospel of Life, USCCB, 1998 |
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Faithful for Life: A Moral Reflection, USCCB, 1995 |
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Life Insight (abortion) and Life at Risk euthanasia/assisted suicide) newsletters, USCCB's Secretariat for Pro Life Activities |
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Of Human Life (Humanae Vitae), Pope Paul VI, 1968 |
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The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World (Familiaris Consortio), Pope John Paul II, 1981 |
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Instruction on Respect for Human Life in its Origin and the Dignity of Procreation: Replies to Certain Questions of the Day (Donum Vitae), Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1987 |
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The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality: Guidelines for Education Within the Family, Pontifical Council for the Family, 1996USCCB documents can be downloaded at www.usccb.org/prolife ; other documents can be downloaded at http://www.cin.org/ftp.html; |
Or all documents can be obtained by calling the Pastoral Plan office at 402-477-7517.
Web Sites:
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Pro Life Websites : Bishops' Pastoral Plan for Pro Life Activities; includes links to other excellent web sites |
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www.usccb.org/prolife : United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Secretariat for Pro Life Activities
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Join Nebraska Catholics for Life!
____Yes! I want to help form a new culture of human life and love by joining Nebraska Catholics For Life.
Name: _____________________________________
Street: _____________________________________
City: ______________________________________ ZIP: ______________________
Phone: ____________________________________
E-mail: ____________________________________
Parish: ____________________________________
Enclosed is my contribution of $ ___________ ($15.00 suggested) to cover the costs of the mailings I will receive as a member of Nebraska Catholics for Life. All contributions are voluntary and may be tax deductible.
Mail To:
Bishops' Pastoral Plan for Pro Life Activities
215 Centennial Mall South, Ste. 310
Lincoln, NE 68508-1813
Members of NCL will receive:
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a quarterly newsletter |
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legislative updates and action alerts |
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Catholic pro life resources |
For more information about Pastoral Plan Activities and Nebraska Catholics for Life, contact the state office at 402-477-7517 or visit www.nebcathcon.org
Newsletter Link-Nebraska Catholics for Life Newsletter
