CULTURE OF LIFE

The Respect Life Program of the Office of Human Life & Dignity bases all of its advocacy, education, and ministries on the foundational principle of respect for life from conception until natural death.

As St. John Paul stated in “The Gospel of Life,” (the encyclical Evangelium Vitae):

“Even in the midst of difficulties and uncertainties, every person sincerely open to truth and goodness can, by the light of reason and the hidden action of grace, come to recognize in the natural law written in the heart (cf. Rom 2:14-15) the sacred value of human life from its very beginning until its end, and can affirm the right of every human being to have this primary good respected to the highest degree. Upon the recognition of this right, every human community and the political community itself are founded.

“In a special way, believers in Christ must defend and promote this right, aware as they are of the wonderful truth recalled by the Second Vatican Council: ‘By his incarnation the Son of God has united himself in some fashion with every human being’.2 This saving event reveals to humanity not only the boundless love of God who “so loved the world that he gave his only Son” (Jn 3:16), but also the incomparable value of every human person.”

The Respect Life Program works under the leadership of the Archbishop, the USCCB Pro-Life Secretariat and the California Catholic Conference. We offer resources to priests and religious, parishes, schools, religious education programs, anyone within the Archdiocese seeking to promote the Culture of Life, other organizations supporting the life issues, and service providers within the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

El Programa Respeto a la Vida de la Oficina de Vida y Dignidad Humana basa toda su promoción, educación y ministerios en el principio fundamental del respeto por la vida desde la concepción hasta la muerte natural. 

Como dijo San Juan Pablo en “El Evangelio de la vida” (la encíclica Evangelium Vitae): 

“Incluso en medio de las dificultades e incertidumbres, toda persona sinceramente abierta a la verdad y al bien puede, a la luz de la razón y a la acción oculta de la gracia, llegar a reconocer en la ley natural escrita en el corazón (cf. Rm 2, 14). -15) el valor sagrado de la vida humana desde su inicio hasta su fin, y puede afirmar el derecho de todo ser humano a que este bien primario sea respetado en el más alto grado. Sobre el reconocimiento de este derecho se funda toda comunidad humana y la propia comunidad política. 

“De manera especial, los creyentes en Cristo deben defender y promover este derecho, conscientes de la maravillosa verdad recordada por el Concilio Vaticano II: ‘Por su encarnación, el Hijo de Dios se ha unido de alguna manera con todo ser humano’ .2 Este acontecimiento salvífico revela a la humanidad no solo el amor ilimitado de Dios, que “tanto amó al mundo que dió a su único Hijo ” (Jn 3, 16), sino también el valor incomparable de toda persona humana “. 

El Programa Respeto a la Vida trabaja bajo el liderazgo del Arzobispo, el Secretariado Pro-Vida de la USCCB y la Conferencia Católica de California. Ofrecemos recursos a sacerdotes y religiosos, parroquias, escuelas, programas de educación religiosa, cualquier persona dentro de la Arquidiócesis que busque promover la cultura de la vida, otras organizaciones que apoyan los problemas de la vida y proveedores de servicios dentro de la Arquidiócesis de San Francisco. 

Upcoming Events

Apr 28
2024 Respect Life Mass and Awards Ceremony
Participants of the Respect Life Essay Contest are invited to join us for a special Mass and Awards Ceremony. Principals, Teachers and Parents of children that participated in the essay,… Read More
May 18
Foster Care Mass
May is Foster Care Awareness Month. As we celebrate the important role that foster parents play, all those connected to the foster care system are invited to a special Mass.… Read More
Jun 14
Women’s Retreat for Healing After Abortion
You are not alone! The Archdiocese of San Francisco sponsors Project Rachel which helps women and men heal the pain of abortion and to find the path to peace and… Read More

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