How to Use the Respect Life Month Materials

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The Catholic Church in the United States annually observes October as Respect Life Month and the first Sunday of October as Respect Life Sunday. 

The USCCB's Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities provides materials for these occasions to help Catholics understand, cherish, and protect the gift of human life.

The poster, prayer card, and free digital materials are designed to be tools in your hands. Use the ideas below or adapt them for your own circumstances! 

Poster

This year's poster features the beautiful image, Virgin of the Lilies, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau. The message, “Mary, Mother of Life,” reflects Our Lady’s distinguished role as mother of all the living. It is available digitally and in print (English/Spanish on reverse sides.)

The life of the Blessed Mother teaches us to respect each human life in every stage and circumstance. We ask her intercession in helping us to recognize the gift of human life, even when that gift is unexpected or calls us to make sacrifices.  

Parishes and Schools

  • Consider hanging* the poster in the entryway, near a restroom or water fountain, or on a door or bulletin board. You could also hang it in the parish hall or a classroom. 
  • Homilists, parish religious education teachers, youth ministers, and Catholic school teachers can use the poster as a jumping off point for discussing the Church's teaching on the sanctity of human life. (This year's reflection on the 2026 theme, "Mary, Mother of Life," provides helpful talking points.)

Home

  • Hang the poster aside a stairway, on a blank wall, a hall closet or bathroom door, or any place you gather regularly as a family, like the kitchen or dining room.
  • Parents can call attention to the poster at a family dinner and share one or two points that spoke to them from this year's reflection on the theme to open the conversation.

*Be sure to obtain appropriate permission and follow any rules or guidelines if displaying the poster somewhere other than your home.

Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Life

This litany seeks the intercession of the Blessed Mother in her distinguished role as mother of all the living. It highlights various Marian titles and prayer intentions and is available digitally and in print in both English and Spanish.

Parishes & Schools

  • Put copies in the entryway or at the ends of pews for people to take home. Homilists could invite the congregation to pray the litany together during Mass and take a copy home to pray each day of October.
  • Youth ministers, parish religious education teachers, and Catholic school teachers could pray the litany with their youth group or class and send home copies to pray with their families. The various prayer intentions within the litany could serve as conversation starters to supplement existing curricula.

Home

  • Families could pray the litany together once a week on Sundays in October or daily at dinner or bedtime.

Respect Life Month Novena: October 22-30

Join thousands of Catholics across the country praying for the protection of human life from conception to natural death. Each day of the novena features a different prayer intention, a short reflection, ideas for building a culture of life, and more. 

Sign up to receive the daily prayers via email or text message!

Additional Digital Materials

The Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities also provides many other digital resources for Respect Life Month. A step-by-step action guide and webinar recording provide ideas of how to use them. 

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