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Hundreds of students from Catholic schools in Northwest Indiana and Chicago's South Suburbs gathered at Franciscan Health Dyer for the annual Respect Life Celebration. This event, co-hosted by Franciscan Health and the Diocese of Gary, is held during Respect Life Month to celebrate life with a focus on lives lost to abortion.
The prayer service was led by Bishop Robert McClory of the Diocese of Gary. "Pope Francis reminds us that we live in a 'throwaway' world," Bishop McClory stated. He emphasized that society often devalues human life, particularly those who are poor or disabled, such as the unborn and elderly.
This year's theme for Respect Life Month is "I Came So That They Might Have Life." Sister Josetta Rose, director of mission services for Franciscan Health Dyer and Munster, highlighted the importance of supporting women facing difficult pregnancies. "Being in radical solidarity with women who are pregnant or raising children in difficult circumstances means putting our love for them into action," she said.
Sister Josetta Rose mentioned programs like Franciscan Health's Prenatal Assistance Program and others as examples of support initiatives. During the event, students placed crosses on the hospital lawn to symbolize lives lost to abortion.
Participants included students from various Catholic schools across the region, marking this year as the 31st anniversary of the Respect Life Celebration.
