We are pleased to advise you that this year Respect Life Program packets, published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, are being sent directly to your council’s Culture of Life Director and Culture of Life Chair Couple.

The packets they will be receiving — with the theme Every Life is Worth Living — contain important information and resources about topics such as chastity, pregnancy, prenatal diagnosis and end of life care. The resource packets are designed for use by them and your council throughout the fraternal year.

To view the packet contents, go to usccb.org/respectlife. To order materials online, go to store.usccb.org/category-s/2188.htm. To receive two complementary packets, call toll-free 866-582-0943 and provide the operator with code RLP15-KOC.

This past year physician assisted suicide bills were defeated in all but one state, and we have seen important pro-life legislation passed by state legislatures across the country. Now, more than ever, our country needs efforts which help us to see that we can stop abortions by supporting both the mother and her unborn child, and which also help us to learn how to face the last days of our lives with grace, dignity and courage.

Among the most visible witnesses to these values is the annual March for Life. Every council in the United States is encouraged to organize a delegation from local parishes to travel to Washington, D.C., for this event on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016, as we mark the 43rd anniversary of the tragic Roe v. Wade decision.

All brother Knights are also urged to ensure that prayer is an integral component of our pro-life advocacy. The Knights of Columbus Day of the Unborn Child on March 25, 2016 (which will be Good Friday this year), is an ideal opportunity to organize activities based on prayer for life.

Thank you in advance for your dedication to building a Culture of Life.

Fraternally,

Department of Fraternal Services