Monsignor William Carr, Pastor, St. Bridget Church, and the Respect Life Committee invite you to a morning seminar:
Mercy and Healing in the Jubilee Year – Saturday, October 1st, 8:30 am
Come gather in support for all life on Respect Life weekend at St. Bridget Church. This seminar features excellent speakers that will challenge you, encourage you, educate you, and support you in your personal mission for life. All are invited!
8:30 Coffee and Sign-in; Resource tables
9:00 Opening and Prayer
9:05 The Jubilee Year of Mercy – Monsignor William Carr. Our pastor of St. Bridget Church will speak about the Jubilee Year and its call to all to have a profound respect for life from conception to natural death.
9:30 Stories of Abortion, Forgiveness and Healing – Kevin Burke, author and speaker, and Leslie Davis Blackwell, pro-life activist. Listen to the perspectives of two devout Catholics and how they are personally involved in helping those that have experienced abortion and are dealing with the sorrows and guilt from abortion, and their unwavering commitment to protect the unborn.
10:15 Break and Resource Tables
10:30 Mercy at the End of Life – Monsignor Carr. Special understanding, compassion, and care are called for at the end of life. Hear Monsignor Carr’s perspective on what we can do to support our loved ones on their journey home.
11:00 Building a Respect for Life – Olivia Gans Turner, President, Virginia Society for Human Life, will suggest how we individually and as parishioners can be more directly involved in building up a respect for life in ourselves and those around us.
11:30 Open Discussion – There will be time for discussion and questions for the speakers.
11:55 Closing Prayer for Life and Blessing
Meeting Specifics
St. Bridget Catholic Church
October 1, 2016; 8:30 am to 12:00 pm
For more information, please call Vicki Gazzola at 282-9511 or email Vicki@saintbridgetchurch.org.
Our Speakers
Monsignor William H. Carr, Pastor, St. Bridget Church. Monsignor Carr, a priest of 47 years, has lived a life of pastoral ministry in many parishes in the Richmond Diocese. He lives a life dedicated to leading parishioners in his care to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and lives dedicated to God. Monsignor Carr has been a vocal supporter for all life, including the unborn, the sick and the poor, and the aged and dying.
Leslie Davis Blackwell. Leslie speaks openly as the Virginia co-coordinator for the Silent No More Awareness campaign, an international ministry helping women and men hurt by their abortion experience. She has shared her story of radical conversion from angry, pro-abortion feminist to pro-life activist in venues and media platforms worldwide, including the Supreme Court steps. She is the Communication Director for The Hosea Initiative, and serves on the Respect Life committee at St. Bridget Catholic Church, Richmond, VA.
Kevin Burke. Kevin Burke is a licensed social worker, Co-Founder of Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries and a Pastoral Associate of Priests For Life. Kevin’s presentations address the effects of abortion on men, couples and families and effective post abortion ministry for Clergy and Counselors. Kevin is the co-author of Redeeming A Father’s Heart – Men Share Powerful Stories of Abortion Loss and Recovery with his wife Theresa Burke and Fr. Frank Pavone. He has contributed to and authored articles on post-abortion healing.
Olivia Gans Turner, President, Virginia Society for Human Life.The Virginia Society for Human Life (VSHL) is a non-profit organization advocating an end to abortion in Virginia and the United States. VSHL is the Virginia affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee. It was founded in 1967 and is the oldest pro-life organization in the country. The group has a political action committee, VSHL PAC, to support pro-life candidates for Virginia public office. Olivia is also the Director of the American Victims of Abortion (AVA).