Respecting Life

Over the past 2 weeks the kids have been learning about “respecting life”. That we are all created in God’s image, and we should always be mindful of this amazing gift called “Life”. The kids heard some alarming statistics; 17,520 people murdered in the U.S. each year, 32,000 lives lost each year to suicide, and a deeply troubling 800,000 babies terminated through abortion each year.

The children learned that “when we focus on the image of God in ourselves and others, the importance of respecting human life becomes much clearer.” The kids were asked to prepare and present skits which focused on respecting life. One group presented a skit which showed the struggles of a young couple finding out the woman was pregnant and them fighting over the decision to have an abortion or having the baby. Having the baby was their choice, and they showed the joy the new baby brought them. Another group presented a skit which centered around a newscast, showing the success of a neighborhood group which took back their streets from drug gangs. They were able to mix both humor and seriousness to their story.

The children were also fortunate to hear a presentation from BirthRight. As part of this presentation, the children watched an amazing video which chronicled the development of a human embryo; from the first heart beat at 22 days, to watching the baby suck it’s thumb while still in the womb, and deciding whether to use the right or left hand. Truly amazing!

~ Miguel Paz, 8th Grade Catechist