Respect Life

  • 40 Days for Life


    HELP SAVE LIVES IN MONMOUTH COUNTY!      Protect mothers and children by joining this worldwide witness of prayer, fasting, peaceful vigils, and community outreach.

    Take part in 40 Days for Life!
    Vigil Location:  Planned Parenthood at 69 E. Newman Springs Rd, Shrewsbury, NJ
    Vigil Hours:  Monday through Friday 8 am to 6 pm.  -  Saturday / Sunday - at will. 
    Local Contact:   (732) 610-7437 or monmouth4life@hotmail.com
     
    Learn More... 40daysforlife.com/shrewsbury.
    Check our Resources for Educational Information, Prayer and Pregnancy Resources.
    Come and Bring a Friend... or 2... or 3!
     
    40 Days For Life/Shrewsbury is a peaceful, prayerful witness. There is no shouting, foul language or graphic signs. As always, stay on the sidewalk or public right of way. Do not go on private property, block driveway or park in Planned Parenthood lot.
     
     

  • Father John's Homilies
    During Respect Life Month of October

    October 6th
    October 13th

  • "Unplanned"

    Go Behind the Scenes of the Movie "Unplanned"
    (click on picture below)

    Get an inside look at Unplanned, a movie about Abby Johnson's inspiring true story of transformation. Learn about its power to turn the tide in the pro-life culture wars!

  • Answer the Prayer to publicly and peacefully pray for an end to abortion

  • Respect Life Prayer
    O Mary, Bright dawn of the new world,
    Mother of the living,
    to you do we entrust the cause of life.
    Look down, O Mother,
    upon the vast numbers of babies
    not allowed to be born,
    of the poor whose lives are made difficult,
    of men and women
    who are victims of brutal violence,
    of the elderly and the sick
    killed by indifference
    or out of misguided mercy.

    Grant that all who believe in your Son
    may proclaim the Gospel of Life
    with honesty and love
    to the people of our time.

    Obtain for them the grace
    to accept that Gospel
    as a gift ever new,
    the joy of celebrating it with gratitude
    throughout their lives
    and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely,
    in order to build,
    together with all people of good will,
    the civilization of truth and love,
    to the praise and glory of God,
    the Creator and lover of life.
    Amen.

    Pope John Paul II

  • 2019 has seen some disheartening laws passed at the State level.  New Jersey Governor, Phil Murphy, signed an assisted suicide bill, while New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, signed a law allowing abortion up until birth, at the same time revoking medical care for babies who are born alive after botched abortions. In Illinois, a bill creating a "fundamental right" to abortion, clearing the way for late-term procedures, passed the Illinois house and now goes to the Senate.  However, bills expanding abortion rights in Virginia, New Mexico and Rhode Island have been defeated.

    At the same time, miracles are occurring in other states.  Georgia, Mississippi, Ohio, Kentucky and Louisiana passed bills this year that ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which occurs around the sixth week of pregnancy.  Missouri passed a bill banning abortion on or beyond the eighth week of pregnancy.   Finally, Alabama passed a bill that makes it a felony for a doctor to perform or attempt an abortion during any stage of pregnancy with limited exceptions.

  • March for Life  ~  Friday, January 18, 2019

    A quote from Josephine Sharkey (Saint Leo's Parishioner) who attended the March this year.

    "I couldn't believe how peaceful the Right To Life March was.  It felt good to be in a sea of people who respect the rights of all vulnerable people, not just the unborn person, but all vulnerable people including the elderly, and frail.  It was reassuring.  Another amazing experience was how far people traveled to be there.  We met people that had boarded busses in St. Lewis, drove all night, marched when they got to DC, and were scheduled to board the bus that night to return.  No hotel.  These bus loads of people were returning year after year.  That was an inspiration!!!, I'll be back.  I was proud to take my daughter so she can see and meet other families with similar values and courage. "

  • 2020 Diocese of Trenton Respect Life
    Poster, Essay & Photo-Meme Contest

    Congratulations to the Winners from
    Saint Leo the Great Parish / School

    Diocesan-wide 1st Place -and- Monmouth County
    Runner-Up Awardees Announced!

    This year’s theme was

    “Christ Our Hope – In Every Season of Life”

    Awardee for the Poster contest:
    Grades 6-8  Diocesan-wide 1st Place:
    Juliann Dietrich (Grade 6), Saint Leo the Great Parish
     
    Awardee for the Essay contest:
    Grade 3-5  Monmouth County 1st Runner-up:
    Vincent Sorsaia (Grade 5), Saint Leo the Great School
     
    Grade 6-8  Monmouth County 1st Runner-up:
    Cathleen Dietrich (Grade 6), Saint Leo the Great School
     
    Winner for the Photo-Meme Contest
    Grade 6-8  Diocesan-wide 1st Place:
    Kailyn Lehan (Grade 6) Saint Leo the Great Parish

  • Recent Pro-life Events

    New Jersey Right to Life is the state's largest and most active pro-life, non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting and fostering the most basic value of our society – human life. As the premier pro-life organization in N.J., they continue to lead the effort on all public policy matters concerning the sanctity of human life at the State and Federal level. They promote, uphold, and support reverence and respect for all innocent human life from conception to natural death, without regard to condition, circumstances of conception, quality, age, race, religion, creed, or color, whether born or pre-born.
     

    Legislative Update

    NJ Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act Introduced (A5287)

    • The NJ Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act was introduced this month in the New Jersey State Legislature
    • This bill will ensure that babies who survive an abortion will be given proper medical care and treatment as any other baby born alive at the same gestational stage
    • Please contact your two Assembly members and State Senator asking them to become a sponsor and urge them to support the bill
    • For a current list of bill sponsors please click here

    Assisted Suicide Bill Signed

    • New Jersey became the seventh State, plus the District of Columbia, to allow terminally ill residents to end their lives
    • Governor Murphy signed the bill on April 12th
    • Pro-life advocates fought the good fight over the past six years, but assisted suicide advocates eventually obtained enough votes for the bill to pass
    • The bill takes effect on August 1st
    • More information can be found here

    Two New Bills Introduced in Wake of Suicide Bill

    • A5525 Repeals "Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act." 
      • This bill would repeal the NJ Assisted Suicide bill signed into law by Governor Murphy
      • Prime Sponsor: Robert Auth
        Co-Sponsors: Parker Space, Ronald Dancer, John DiMaio
    • A5469 Makes it a crime of the first degree to coerce a patient to request medication pursuant to the "Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act" or to forge a patient's request for such medication. 
      • This bill addresses some of the flaws in the NJ Assisted Suicide bill.
      • Primary Sponsor: Robert Auth
      • Co-Sponsors: John DiMaio, Erik Peterson, Ronald Dancer, Amy Handlin, Edward Thomson, Serena DiMaso, Gregory McGuckin, David Wolfe, Robert Clifton
    • Please take time to thank the sponsors of these bills and if your legislators did not sponsor them, please reach out and ask them to become a co- sponsor of these bills.  Please also ask them to urge their leadership to post the bills for a vote.  

  • Respect Life Cross Project

    The Knights of Columbus completed a Respect Life Cross Project along our property on Newman Springs Road.  Each white cross represents 1 million children who have died since abortion became legal in 1973. 60 crosses were planted and represent 60 million babies lost since 1973. This is a visual reminder to pray for the protection of human life in all of its stages. Our Ignite Youth Group helped the Knights of Columbus paint and plant the crosses.

    “We enjoyed having the youth group assist. If we have any other projects in the future, we would very much like to work with the young men and women of Ignite again” said Douglas Walsh, Grand Knight.

      

    The teens recited the rosary with our Knights of Columbus, Parishioners and members of neighboring Parishes from Saint May’s in Colts Neck, Saint Anselm in Tinton Falls and Saint Gabriel in Marlboro.  This was done by the 60 crosses on our property.  During the month of October, the crosses were a visual representation of the 60 million babies who have lost their lives due to abortion since it was legalized in 1973.

    The teens recited the rosary with our Knights of Columbus, Saint Leo's Parishioners, and members of neighboring Parishes (Saint May’s in Colts Neck, Saint Anselm in Tinton Falls and Saint Gabriel in Marlboro).  This was done by the 60 crosses on our property.  During the month of October, the crosses were a visual representation of the 60 million babies who have lost their lives due to abortion since it was legalized in 1973.