Pro-Life
The committee assists the bishops, both collectively and individually, in teaching respect for all human life from conception to natural death and in organizing for its protection, especially on behalf of those who are unborn, disabled, elderly, dying, or facing the death penalty.
This mandate includes the following areas of responsibility: Education, promotion of pastoral care programs, and public policy advocacy focused on issues involving the defense of human life at its beginning (abortion, embryonic stem cell research, cloning) and at its end (euthanasia, assisted suicide, including collaboration on opposition to the use of the death penalty).
KEY MISSION RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Providing leadership for advocacy on public policies to protect, sustain, and nurture human life, especially the most vulnerable—at its beginning and at its end.
2. Providing leadership for pro-life education within the Catholic community and within society as a whole.
3. Developing targeted resources for dioceses and parishes, in collaboration with other Conference offices, for the annual commemoration of the Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade and the “Respect Life Program”.
4. Assisting the bishops through consultation and development of resources on critical beginning and end-of-life issues, including collaboration with the Committee on Human Development and Domestic Affairs (lead agent) for the death penalty.
5. Promoting pastoral care and prayer (in collaboration with the Committee on Divine Worship) for those involved in these issues (e.g., aid to pregnant women, post-abortion reconciliation, care and support for terminally ill patients and their families).
KEY MISSION RELATIONSHIPS
1. With the other committees and offices of the USCCB, especially concerning life issues.
2. With bishop and diocesan offices.
3. With national pro-life organizations for advocacy in public policy in particular with the National Committee for a Human Life Amendment.
4. With governmental bodies.
5. With the Holy See and other Episcopal conferences.
For more information please visit http://www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/
