NOVENA FOR LIFE – Please join the entire American Catholic Church in our Novena for Life from January 16 to January 24. If you are at Mass you can join us in our Novena prayer every day. You can also join us through the prayers at this link: https://www.respectlife.org/9-days-signup.

The Church’s Opposition to Assisted Suicide Legislation in Our State


The Respect Life Committee of St. Mother Theodore Guerin Parish strongly feels we need to inform and gain support from fellow parishioners about the “End of Life Option Act”, also known as assisted suicide. This act (SB3499) has been introduced to Illinois in 2024 and seeks to gain strength by voters in the future.

Over the next several weeks you can find information about Church teaching regarding suicide in this bulletin. The Church has always been opposed to suicide. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for God’s honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of.” 2280

“Suicide is contrary to love for the living God. If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal. Voluntary cooperation in suicide is contrary to the moral law.” 2281-2282

“The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.” 2283

Pope Francis has condemned laws which promote assisted suicide. While it is important that we treat those who suffer with chronic pain with dignity and attempt to ameliorate their suffering, “We have to be careful to not confuse this help with unacceptable deviations that lead to killing,” he said. “We must accompany death, not provoke death or help any kind of suicide.”

The law introduced in the legislature in Springfield contradicts the dignity of human life and the Church’s mission to help all people live life to its fullest. As Catholics we must choose and support life, and therefore must oppose any law which promotes and enables suicide.

About Our Respect Life Committee


The Respect Life Committee invites persons who are willing to help organize programs that continue to respect life from conception to natural death. We usually meet on the third Monday of each month at 7 PM from September through May in the St. Celestine Pastoral Center – Fireside Room. We alternate meetings between the two churches.

NEXT MEETING – April 15, 2024

You can also join us virtually via zoom:

  • Topic – St. MTG Respect Life
  • Time – April 15, 2024 – 7:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
  • Join Zoom Meeting – CLICK HERE
  • Meeting ID – 738 6321 9013
  • Passcode – 6z7wLQ

The Committee is a great way to spread the Gospel of Life in the parish and community. We provide a number of volunteer opportunities throughout the year and raise awareness about issues from abortion to euthanasia to opioid addiction and domestic violence. Please join us!

The purpose of this committee is to promote activities and articles to help understand issues dealing with respecting life. We encourage all in the parish to understand and practice the following: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

Among our activities:

  • The living rosary in church in October and January with each bead represented by a person.
  • Rosary services in the chapel with respect life themes.
  • Baby showers.
  • Socks for the Night Ministry.
  • Letters to the President for pro-life causes.
  • A pro-life intercession in the bulletin each week.
  • Pamphlets relating to pro-life topics in the church vestibules.
  • Money for the Women’s Center with our baby bottle coin project. The Women’s Centers are committed to saving babies from death by abortion and their mothers from a lifetime of regret. They help women get to a place of self respect, support, confidence, and forgiveness.

If you are interested or would like more information please contact Paul Fairbanks at track7911@gmail.com.

Looking for Committee Members


The Respect Life Committee needs new members. We are looking for compassionate people who care about the fate of others. Does this describe you? We do things like baby bottle drives to help raise funds for new mothers who cannot help their babies as much as they’d like on their own. We watch movies about sensitive subjects like suicide, abortion, and other right to life subjects. We discuss them and see if we can relate them to our parish members. We sponsor the Blue Mass and raffle quilts to raise funds for groups who need our help. Can you see yourself being a part of this? If so, please contact Paul Fairbanks at track7911@gmail.com.

Respect Life Resources