May 2025 Newsletter


In this edition you will find:


New Feature: Text Messaging!

CRS Rice Bowl

Mother's and Father's Day Resources

Congratulations Life & Justice Grant Honorees!

Laudato Si' Week 2025: May 24th-31st

MCC Corner

Volunteer Opportunities

In the News

Other Calendar Items

New Feature: Text Messaging!


  • Have you ever been interested in one of our events, but it didn't find its way into your calendar?
  • Are you wanting to give of your time, talent, and treasure, but don't know where to start?
  • Want to be immersed with prayer opportunities that remind you of the sanctity of life and the dignity of every person?


Check it out...we can now text out reminders through the month of upcoming events, volunteer opportunities with our community partners, and prayer reminders and requests from the Office of Life & Justice!


We promise not to spam you, just some occasional reminders of the same great Life & Justice content, but in short text form.


You can sign up a few different ways:


  1. Text "Join" and your email to (816) 707-5123
  2. Click the button below!
Sign Up for Text Messaging: Click Here!

50 Years of CRS Rice Bowl!


Thank you for your participation in CRS Rice Bowl this Lent!


You can continue to give to CRS at www.crsricebowl.org/donate-to-crs-rice-bowl.


Mother's and Father's Day Resources

When: Mother's Day: May 11th; Father's Day: June 15th


Mother's and Father's Day are wonderful times to be reminded of the beautiful gifts of life, motherhood, and fatherhood. For a parish action guide including bulletin announcements, intercessions, homily helps, sample activities, and more, please visit:


Mother's Day Action Guide (English)

Guía de acción: Día de las Madres (Español)



Father's Day Action Guide (English)

Guía de acción: Día de las Padres (Español)

2025 Life & Justice Grant Recipients


Please join us in congratulating the 2025 Life & Justice Grant Recipients! You are invited to visit the links below to learn more about each organization!


Asylum Clinic Kansas City (Facebook and Instagram)

FIRE (Facebook and Instagram)

FullCircle (Facebook and Instagram)

InterServ (Facebook)

Jerusalem Farm (Facebook and Instagram)

Journey to Bethany (Facebook)

Justice for All (Facebook and Instagram)

Mother's Refuge (Facebook and Instagram)

North Central Missouri Business Facilitation (Facebook)

Parkville Women's Clinic (Facebook and Instagram)

Residents Encounter Christ

St. George's Parish: The Dinner Table

Laudato Si' Week

When: May 24th-May 31st


Laudato Si’ Week is May 24th-31st, 2025. This year’s theme is “Raising Hope,” and celebrates 10 years since the release of Laudato Si’. Learn more and find resources to celebrate at www.laudatosiweek.org.

MCC Corner


The Missouri Catholic Conference promotes the sanctity and dignity of human life in public policy advocacy in Jefferson City, MO on behalf of the Missouri Catholic Bishops. Proposed Bill HB1004would create provisions relating to in vitro fertilization procedures; the MCC is opposed to this bill. Per the MCC: "IVF depersonalizes the act of creating a child, and requires the harvesting of human eggs and the artificial storage of human embryos, denying them maternal reception and gestation. IVF also often results in the destruction of excess embryos through selective reduction after implantation (a form of abortion), or destruction for use in human embryonic stem cell research."


Read more about HB1004 and others at https://mocatholic.org/wp-content/uploads/Progress-Report-4-11-25.pdf


Contact your legislators to show your support at https://www.votervoice.net/MOCATHOLIC/Address

Volunteer Opportunities


Many volunteer positions are available within our office programs and with our community partners. Highlighted today are just four:


Help support The Source Medical Clinic in caring for pregnant moms in Maryville!


Become a volunteer with Northwest Missouri Enterprise Facilitation, growing grassroots entrepreneurial efforts in Andrew, Atchison, Gentry, Holt, Nodaway, and Worth counties.


Volunteer in support groups or spread mental health education with Pathway to Hope.


Get involved with a number of volunteer opportunities through Vitae Foundation, such as promoting events, preparing mailings, or other fundraising and administrative tasks.


For these and more volunteer opportunities, please visit www.lifeandjusticekcsj.org/volunteer or call 816-714-2375

In the News


Where do you encounter Life and Justice in the news and broader world? Here are some headlines to watch related to Life and Justice issues:


Abortion:

Proposed abortion ban amendment gets initial approval of Missouri House • Missouri Independent


Adoption/Fostering:

High cost and delays make it difficult for families to adopt | Opinion


Contraception/Birth Control:

Women’s Health on the Farm: New Tools for Fertility Awareness - Morning Ag Clips


Criminal and Restorative Justice:

‘This is real rehabilitation’: A Chicago program that keeps young men out of prison is expanding - WBEZ Chicago


Death Penalty:

United States Supreme Court Denies Review for Death-Sentenced Missouri Man Whose Jury Foreman Was Removed for Bias | Death Penalty Information Center


Economic Justice:

Catholic Business Profile: Farmstead Meatsmith| National Catholic Register


Education:

Addressing the teacher shortage through recruitment and retention - News - Missouri State University


Euthanasia/Assisted Suicide:

Pope Francis Makes Appearance at Jubilee of Sick, Reflects on Own Illness, Sickbed as a Holy Place| National Catholic Register


Fetal Development:

Air pollution link to fetal, maternal problems calls for a Catholic lens | National Catholic Reporter


Human Trafficking:

Clinton County Sheriff's Office joins Human Trafficking Task Force | News | kq2.com


Immigration & Refugees:

California sisters form coalition to help migrants on border | National Catholic Reporter


Mental Health:

First-of-its-kind sensory room at church welcomes neurodivergent parishioners | National Catholic Reporter


Non-Violence:

Women face rape as weapon of war while conflict in Congo displaces millions | National Catholic Reporter


Post-Abortion:

Pregnancy Help News - Grief, not relief, more common after abortion; new study


Racial Harmony:

Thea Bowman Conference celebrates Black Catholic saint-to-be in Washington


Religious Freedom/Conscience Protection:

Ukrainian Catholic leaders: Religious practice law needed


Reproductive Technology:

Brave New Immigration World: Foreigners Take Advantage of America’s Unregulated IVF Baby Market| National Catholic Register


Stem Cell Research/Human Cloning:

DNA organization offers clues for advancing stem cell therapy | EurekAlert!


Stewardship of Creation:

MARC News

Other Calendar Items


Did you know that on our social media we share awareness topics saint feasts and ways to pray about them, take action, and support local groups which address the topics? Here are some examples of some upcoming "awareness" topics and saints:


Month of May: National Foster Care Month

May 1st: National Day of Prayer

May 1st-4th: Jubilee of Workers

May 4th-5th: Jubilee of Entrepreneurs

May 12th: National Nurse Day

May 15th: St. Dymphna

May 22nd: St. Rita of Cascia

May 28th: World Hunger Day

May 30th: St. Joan of Arc

May 31st: Visitation of Mary

May 30th-June 1st: Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly


Keep watching our social media to see how we address these topics and more!