Office of Life Issues

The Pro-Life Office was established in 1990 to promote a greater respect for human life and to be a catalyst for advocacy, education, evangelization, direct assistance and spiritual efforts on behalf of God’s great gift of human life and human love. The Office of Life Issues continues to advocate for the life and dignity of the human person through the Rally and Mass for Life, partnerships with parishes and community agencies, and legislative action through the Maryland Catholic Conference. We encourage members of our parishes to reach out to our office and engage with our holistic pro-life efforts.

Pastoral Care

• The Office of Life Issues strives to provide pastoral care through our partnerships with and support of local crisis pregnancy centers. If you are interested in partnering with a local agency that serves women and families in need, please contact our office.
• In collaboration with the Office of Deaf and Disabilities Ministry and Project Rachel Ministry, the Office of Life Issues has helped to publish a pastoral guide for the Affirming Life Initiative, which supports families who have received an adverse pre-natal diagnosis for their child.

Educational Efforts

• The Office of Life Issues develops educational materials, presentations and spiritual activities concerning abortion, assisted suicide, care of the sick and dying, miscarriage, stem cell research, the death penalty, war and morality, racism, and the dignity of life.
• The Youth Rally and Mass for Life, hosted every year before the National March for Life, gathers youth from across the country to celebrate life in the context of the Catholic faith.
• The Catholic Civil Dialogue Initiative is a collaboration between the Archdiocese of Washington, the Archdiocese of Newark, the Archdiocese of Mobile, the Diocese of Scranton, and the McGrath Institute at the University of Notre Dame. This initiative provides a safe space for youth to discuss challenging subjects within the Church, especially those related to Catholic Social Teaching.
• The Office of Life Issues promotes ministries that support the seamless garment consistent life ethic, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), and many other church documents and teachings.

Legislative Action

• The Office of Life Issues coordinates grassroots response to various issues and events via a network of parish coordinators, contacts and collaboration with the Maryland Catholic Conference.