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Respect for Life Ministry: Speaking for Those Who Don’t Have a Voice

As Catholics, we believe that everyone has a right to life from conception to natural death. This is often countercultural — as assisted suicide becomes more common and abortions continue, it’s important that we at St. Mark’s work to support life and end our culture of death, in whatever ways we can. This is where the Respect for Life Ministry comes in.

“With the availability of ondemand abortions, up to birth, and euthanasia, it is critical to help educate people to stand against these evils in our world,” says Michelle McDonald, who leads the Respect for Life Ministry. “As Catholics, it is our obligation to respect the dignity and value of every human life.”

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Mary Stroupe started this ministry a few years ago, and eventually Michelle McDonald took over. Although they took about a year break from meetings with the COVID-19 precautions in place, they have recently been back to meeting in person.

Michelle’s passion for the prolife movement began when she attended her first March for Life in 2017 in Austin, with the high school youth group. Her husband, Daniel, had attended the March for Life in Washington D.C. with the older of the couple’s five children.

“He used to tell me, ‘Just wait until you experience it for yourself — you will love it,’” Michelle says.

Michelle went on to attend the March for Life in Washington D.C. and she has returned each year.

“It was these experiences that shaped my future involvement with the culture of life, and gave me the courage to share the truth with people, and to be a witness to my Catholic faith,” Michelle says. “My husband was right, I loved the entire experience, as it stoked the fire of the Holy Spirit to become more involved.”

Michelle is very involved in all areas of the pro-life movement throughout Denton. She has prayed in front of abortion clinics and helped lead this year’s spring 40 Days for Life campaign. She has also helped organize parish Prayer for Life chains and facilitated contributions to pregnancy resource centers, including Loreto House in Denton. In addition, she has attended many pro-life fundraisers throughout the area.

“The knowledge I have gained through being involved in all of this has helped form the goals to lead this ministry,” Michelle says.

Michelle greatly anticipates picking up where the group left off prior to the pandemic, and she hopes to work to bring awareness to end-of-life Catholic teachings, along with anti-abortion work. The opportunities for pro-life advocacy work and prayer are endless. She hopes it will become a ministry of service as well, by helping those in need through hosting diaper drives and baby showers. She would also like to start spiritual adoption, where babies in danger of being aborted are prayed for throughout a ninemonth period.

“The pro-life movement is a blessing because it allows us to evangelize as Catholics, to stand out from the world, and be who we were meant to be,” she says.

Michelle invites everyone with a passion for the prolife cause to get involved.

“It is a pleasure to work with enthusiastic people who have a heart for protecting the rights of the unborn and a deep conviction for protecting those at the end of their lives,” she says.

If you would like to get involved in the Respect for Life Ministry, please call or emailMichelle McDonald at daniel.mcdonald1@att.net or 940-465-6059.

Michelle McDonald with her husband, Daniel, and their five children at the March for Life in Washington D.C.

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