We are a people of life, and a people for life.

Our mission is to promote and nourish respect for life in our parish community.  We believe that every human life is uniquely created in the image and likeness of God and that each person deserves that respect from the time life begins at fertilization to natural death.  We also believe that during this life we have responsibilities toward God, self, and society to protect and nurture human life at every stage of its existence.

While recognizing the wide spectrum of human rights that comprises respect for life, we hold the right to life as fundamental.  We believe it is the basis and source of all other human rights.  Our primary goal is to deepen the understanding of the sanctity of life at its very beginning and its natural ending.

Respect Life Sunday - January 22, 2023

Our parish is supporting the WLCC with a fundraiser. Please take home a baby bottle and fill it with loose change, dollars, or checks made out to the Women’s Life Care Center. This is an activity that your entire family can participate in, and you can use it to teach your children about your respect for life and helping others in need.  In 2 weeks, on February 4th and 5th, volunteers will be collecting the bottles after Masses in the courtyard. Alternatively, you can give directly through their website by scanning the QR Code below.

WLCC offers medical services such as pregnancy testing and limited obstetric ultrasounds. They also provide a wide array of support services including pregnancy and parenting education, life coaching, group life coaching, and maternal wellness, fatherhood programs, financial education and financial grants, and ample material support with items such as baby supplies and non-perishable food items. Thanks to the generosity of parishes such as St. Odilia’s, the number of clients WLCC can serve grows with each passing year.  Your donations literally change and save lives by directly benefiting local families served by the Women’s Life Care Center.

Thank you in advance for considering a baby bottle donation in support of the Women’s Life Care Center and their life-affirming services.

Pregnant and parenting moms in need are in our parishes and our neighborhoods. As Pope Francis reminds us, our parishes need to be “islands of mercy in the midst of a sea of indifference.”

Everyone in the parish community should know where to refer a pregnant woman in need. One such organization is the Women’s Life Care Center (WLCC) located nearby on Rice Street. https://www.womenslifecarecenter.org

Walking with Moms in Need

Walking with Moms in Need is a program for parishes to help women in need with prayer and action. One significant way our parish can help is to keep our crib in the rear of the church full of items (ex. diapers, formula, baby clothing up to 2 years).  These items are donated to Birthright in St. Paul. 

Pray for Dobbs

Become part of the many faith communities united on prayer to overturn the Roe v Wade and Casey Supreme Court decisions. Nine justices stand between life and death for millions of unborn children. Join this nationwide prayer advocacy and receive focused prayers, key points, and other suggestions.

Get Involved

Our St. Odilia Respect for Life committee is a very active and committed group of parishioners who participate in various ways.  Some members regularly attend monthly meetings and plan the parish activities, some stay involved via our email and bulletin communications, others support our activities by participating in 40 Days for Life, the March for Life, serving coffee and donuts on Respect Life Sundays, attending adoration on Monday afternoons, donating/ delivering baby items for Birthright collected in our crib at the rear of the church, or by supporting life-affirming activities like Baby Bottle fundraiser or Spiritual Adoption. 

If you would like to join us, our meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month at the parish.  Check the bulletin for time and location. If you are interested in receiving our email notifications and minutes, send an email to Pat Benham at respectlife@stodilia.org with Join Respect Life List in the subject line.