September 2025 Newsletter


In this edition you will find:


New Feature: Text Messaging!

Food Bank Day: September 5th

Upcoming Abortion Healing Retreats

World Suicide Prevention Day: September 10th

National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children: September 13th

Green Mass: September 21st

40 Days for Life: September 24th-November 2nd

Respect Life Month: October

Next Missouri Execution: October 14th

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!

Food Bank Day

When: September 5th (Annually 1st Friday in September)


Food Bank Day falls on the first Friday in September. It is a great opportunity to give food to your local parish or community food bank collection!


Prayer: At the end of Mass, the original Latin ending phrase was “Ite, missa est.” While it does mean that the Mass is ended, it is also a call for the faithful to go forth to live the mission of the Church and the Eucharist. How do you bring the graces of Sunday and daily Mass into the broken world?


Action: Check with your local food bank to see what their current greatest needs are, or stock them up with the next upcoming seasonal goods. Some common needed non-perishables include cereal, canned chicken, beans, and toiletries. Consider getting easy-to-open cans…not everyone may have can openers to use.


Almsgiving: Many of our local parishes have their own food banks or collect for larger food banks. Please give generously!

Upcoming Abortion Healing Retreats


Ready to embark on your journey of healing from past abortion(s)? Please consider the following:


Project Joseph (Men's Retreat): September 6, 2025

Contact: projectrachelkc@archkck.org, 913-621-2199


Rachel's Vineyard: October 17-19, 2025

Contact: rvkcmo@gmail.com, 816-679-4973

World Suicide Prevention Day

When: September 10th


Content Warning: suicide. Please call 988 for immediate mental health crisis assistance.

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World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th gives us the opportunity to hold important conversations and create better systems of support.


Prayer: The recent Synod on Synodality was a process of listening and dialogue. It helped raise awareness of the presence and movement of the Holy Spirit. When you focus on listening with a prayerful and discerning heart, how does that make room for the Holy Spirit in conversation? How does it help you to then wisely respond? Can you use the principles of synodality when approaching others who may be struggling in your own life?


Action: If you are having a conversation with someone you suspect may be in a suicidal crisis, be open, honest, and direct. Research shows that talking openly to someone about suicide does not increase their risk of suicide. Encourage help-seeking behavior and professional support. Consider your own mental health support in the process.


Almsgiving: The Towel of Veronica Apostolate was founded in honor of Fr. Evan Harkins to pray for priests who lose close loved ones. Contact and support the apostolate at www.towelofveronica.com.

National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children

When: Sunday, September 13th, 11:00 a.m.

Where: Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemetery, 12600 Parallel Pkwy, Kansas City, KS 66109


Join us with our friends in the Archdiocese in praying for the rest and remembrance of aborted children. The prayer service will begin in the chapel and process to the Memorial for Unborn Victims of Violence.

Green Mass

When: Sunday, September 21st, 11am Mass

Where: St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1357 NE 42nd Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64116


Please plan to join us on Sunday, September 21st at the 11am Mass at St. Patrick Catholic Church for the annual area-wide Green Mass. The Green Mass especially gathers those who work in/are interested in environmental sustainability (farmers, gardeners, other horticulturalists, environmental scientists, etc.) and anyone who cares for our Common Home, planet Earth! Reception to follow Mass.


Fall 2025 Campaign 40 Days for Life

When: September 24th-November 2nd

Where: 4840 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS 66211


Parish groups are invited to sign up for vigil hours with 40 Days for Life at Center for Women’s Health, 4840 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS, 66211. Parishes and individuals can sign up for 40 Days for Life vigil hours at 40daysforlife.com/en/overlandpark.


Vigil opportunities may soon be coming to Missouri abortion provider locations. Please stay tuned to how to become involved with sidewalk prayer and counseling opportunities at https://www.lifeandjusticekcsj.org/40-days-for-life.


Respect Life Month

When: October


October marks Respect Life Month. Parishes and schools can find resources at https://www.respectlife.org/respect-life-month. We encourage parishes and schools to highlight topics such as:

 

Abortion

Adoption

Contraception/Birth Control

Death Penalty

Euthanasia/Assisted Suicide

Fetal Development

Mental Health

Non-Violence

Post-Abortion Healing

Reproductive Technology

Stem Cell Research/Human Cloning

 

Find resources on all of these topics and more at https://www.lifeandjusticekcsj.org/

Next Scheduled Missouri Execution of Lance Shockley

When: October 14th


"Regarding the death penalty, the first and foremost aspect of the Church’s teaching is the belief in the inherent dignity of the human person as created in the image and likeness of God. Our Catechism states that this dignity “is not lost even after the commission of very serious crimes.” As such, the death penalty is “inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person” (Catholic Catechism 2267)." (Catholic Mobilizing Network)

 

Lance Shockley is scheduled to be executed on October 14th. Please contact Governor Kehoe and urge him to do everything in his power to stop Lance Shockley's execution. Stay tuned to www.madpmo.org for message prompts to write and send. Local churches and organizations will host prayer opportunities for the evening of the execution; please contact the Office of Life & Justice at voboril@diocesekcsj.org or 816-714-2375 to learn more.


Sign the petition below for the clemency campaign.

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 HB927 would establish provisions relating to fathership. Per the MCC: "[This bill would] support assisting fathers in reconnecting with their families and children."


Read more about HB927 and others at https://mocatholic.org/wp-content/uploads/End-of-Session-Report-2025.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:


Accompany expecting moms at Golden Valley Door of Hope Pregnancy Center in Clinton, MO


Become an ambassador or defender representing Shared Hope International in combatting sex trafficking


Learn how to teach or promote Couple to Couple League Natural Family Planning method


Accompany and befriend residents at Benedictine Living Community in St. Joseph, MO


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:

Study: Mental Illness More Likely After Abortion Than After Childbirth | National Review


Adoption/Fostering:

Advocate pleads for Vatican aid as Russian adoption database shows Ukraine's children- Detroit Catholic


Contraception/Birth Control:

Doctors discover alarming new risk of contraceptive used by millions: 'It's silently reshaping the brain' | Daily Mail Online


Criminal and Restorative Justice:

AI, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice | Rev


Death Penalty:

US Catholics look to St. Maximilian Kolbe in efforts to abolish death penalty - Vatican News


Economic Justice:

At Mass and lunch with the poor, pope says burn with 'fire' of God's love | National Catholic Reporter


Education:

UPDATE: Court Upholds Missouri School Choice Program - EdChoice


Euthanasia/Assisted Suicide:

Unlike with many other states, no action on 'aid in dying' bills in Missouri • Missouri Independent


Fetal Development:

Maternal hypertension during pregnancy linked to different fetal growth patterns by sex


Human Trafficking:

Northland counter-trafficking operation leads to 12 arrests


Immigration & Refugees:

Catholics, faith leaders give aid, comfort to immigrants at hearings as ICE arrests rise | National Catholic Reporter


Mental Health:

How Parents can Support Their Child’s Mental Health Through the College Transition and Beyond - Franklin County Free Press


Non-Violence:

Kansas City has consistently high violent crime rates. There's more to the story | KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR


Post-Abortion:

She aborted due to birth defect risk and an abusive boyfriend, but found healing in the Lord


Racial Harmony:

Priest slain for celebrating interracial marriage to be memorialized in Alabama.


Religious Freedom/Conscience Protection:

Little Sisters of the Poor Face New Legal Assault on Religious Freedom| National Catholic Register


Reproductive Technology:

White House backs away from IVF coverage mandate despite Trump’s campaign pledge, Washington Post reports | Reuters


Stem Cell Research/Human Cloning:

Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields facilitate proliferation and functional differentiation in spinal neural stem cells | Scientific Reports


Stewardship of Creation:

To walk the talk on environmental justice, divest-invest must become church's norm | National Catholic Reporter


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 September: Microplastic Awareness Month

September 8th: International Literacy Day

September 9th: St. Peter Claver

September 15th: Jubilee of Consolation

September 18th: St. Joseph Cupertino

September 20th: Jubilee of Justice

September 21st: International Day of Peace

September 26th-28th: Jubilee of Catechists

September 27th: Our Lady, Star of the Sea



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