They will be praying will be to defend life, from conception to natural death.

On the same day parishes, groups, families and people of good will gather in Wellington to take part in the National March for Life.

They will gather at the Civic Square at 2 pm and march down Lambton Quay to Parliament grounds where the rosary will be prayed on the Parliament Lawn.

The Rosary Crusade organisers are hoping that all who can, will travel to Wellington to join the March for Life.

But those who cannot get to Wellington for the March for Life can join the Rosary Crusade prayers at various other locations throughout the country.

The organizers are looking for people to lead the Rosary Crusade programme in their locality.

You can contact Clare on 022 1912 886 or clarests4@gmail.com to register your group or visit rosarycrusade.co.nz

Bishop Patrick Dunn is a patron of the Pro-Life Rosary Crusade, and four other New Zealand bishops, have offered us their prayerful support.

For more information on the National March for Life, visit march for life.nz, contact Michael on 021 825 955 or email him at michael@fli.org.nz

Supplied
Michael Loretz
Education Director
Family Life International NZ

Clare Dargaville
National Organizer
NZ Rosary Crusade

Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive has been written and compiled by Patricia Alfonso-Sison.

It is based on the preparatory catechism of the same title from the 8th World Meeting of Families, an international gathering founded by St. John Paul II "to strengthen the sacred bonds of the family across the globe."

The book features reflections from a number of New Zealanders who are involved in ministry, especially to families including:

• Michelle Kaufman from Family Life International
• Pol Nerona from Couples for Christ
• Bro Kieran Fenn FMS
• Wayne Mulqueen from Focus on the Family

Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive is supplemented by videos of talks from the 8th World Meeting of Families that shed light on each of the ten topics featured in the book.

"I have been working on the book since August or September 2014 when the preparatory catechism of the 8th World Meeting of Families first came out," said Alfonso-Sison.

"Although it was meant to be a series of articles to be published in parish newsletters, God had other plans and it is now a book."

Ewen Laurenson, chairman and co-founder of the Open Home Foundation says the highlight of the book for him is the collaboration of family ministry organisations.

"This is what Centre for Marriage and Family is about: getting people to work and collaborate to promote marriage and the family since we believe that it is only by working together we can achieve our mission."

Love Is Our Mission: The Family fully Alive will be launched on Sunday, November 13, 2016 at the Churton Park Community Centre ,Wellington, 6:30 pm.

Copies of the book are available. Inquiries may be made by emailing centreformarriageandfamilynz@gmail.com

Read full press release

Source

• Supplied
• Image: Supplied.

Kaufman is the Communications Director of Family Life International NZ.

"Abortion can seem like the best option at the time, but for many women that relief doesn't last and they regret their abortions," she said.

"We are here to offer real choices that allow women to follow their dreams and allow their pre-born babies to be born."

Family Life International NZ runs Crisis Pregnancy Centres, and helps women and families throughout New Zealand.

The latest figures on abortion from Statistics NZ which show the general abortion rate is continuing to go down (14.2 abortions per 1000 women).

Family Life International NZ says they are pleased about this.

They welcome the news that there are less abortions among women and girls under the age of 25.

The figures showed that among younger women - aged 20 to 24 years old - a peak of 41 per 1000 women in 2003 dropped to 23 last year.

But women aged 20-24 years still has the highest abortion rate (23 abortions per 1,000 women aged 20-24 years).

While the rate of abortions declined the total number of reported induced abortions in New Zealand have increased slightly since 2014.

There were 13,155 reported induced abortions throughout the country during the year of 2015, amounting to 18 more than in 2014 when there were 13,137.

The lower abortion rate indicates that the size and/or age structure of the population drove the small increase in the number of abortions, rather than a proportion of women having abortions," Statistics NZ said.

Kaufmam says while the increase is minimal, the statistics have put an end to the downward trend which has been occurring since 2008.

"We must remember that each of those numbers represents a baby, a mother, a family."

The numbers equate to 36 abortions every single day of the year.

"Imagine that," says Kaufman, "more than one large classroom of children gone, every single day."

"That is devastating for families. That is devastating for society. We must do more to help, to support."

Kaufman also emphasized that Family Life International NZ also wishes to reach out to abortion facility workers, and hospital staff who assist in any way in the abortion process.

"People who work in abortion facilities matter too."

" We want them to know that we care about their well-being."

Latest abortion statistics from Statistics NZ

In the year ended December 2015:

• 13,155 abortions were performed in New Zealand, similar to 2014 (13,137).
• The general abortion rate was 14.2 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years, down slightly from 14.4 per 1,000 in 2014.
• Women aged 20-24 years had the highest abortion rate (23 abortions per 1,000 women aged 20-24 years).
• Most abortions (63 percent) were a woman's first abortion.
• 55 percent of abortions were performed before the 10th week of the pregnancy.
• 18 percent of known pregnancies (live births, stillbirths, and abortions) ended in an abortion.

Source

• Supplied
• nzherald.co.nz
• Image: prolife.org.nzg

He believes synod delegates "will recognize that the Christian tradition of St. John Paul the Great, Benedict, the Council of Trent, is well established … and I don't anticipate any deviation of that."

Pell was answering questions after addressing participants of the Voice of the Family's Rome Forum.

Family Life International New Zealand is one of the organisations that has sponsored the conference which took place in Rome on Saturday.

Church teaching, Pell said, referencing papal documents such as those of St. John Paul II on marriage and family, can't be "abdicated, (because) it's based on the teachings of Christ."

"Christ is very clear about divorce, very clear about adultery; and not quite as important, but still very important, St. Paul is explicit about the conditions that are required for proper reception of communion."

When asked if a merciful response to divorced and remarried Catholics would mean a return to strict practices of the early Christian community - which included keeping an adulterer away from the rest of the community even after making an act of repentance - Cardinal Pell said going back to "these very stiff disciplines" isn't the answer.

Using the example of a ship stranded at sea, Pell said, "Some people have been saying the role of the Church is to help those people who are in the life boats."

Although reaching them is important, a bigger concern for the Church now "is to guide the big ships, the liners, so that they're not shipwrecked, so that they don't need to get into the lifeboats."

Source

• Family Life International
• Catholic News Agency
• Voice of the Family
• Image: Yahoo News

Voice of the Family is an initiative of Catholic laity from major pro-life/pro-family organisations around the world.

Family Life International (NZ) is a member of the coalition.

Voice of the Family's concern relates to Dew's interventions at two recent Synods.

At the October 2005 Synod on The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission on the Church Dew argued for the admission of the divorced and remarried to Holy Communion. He said:

"Our Church would be enriched if we were able to invite dedicated Catholics, currently excluded from the Eucharist, to return to the Lord's table. There are those whose first marriages ended in sadness; they have never abandoned the Church, but are currently excluded from the Eucharist."

During the Extraordinary Synod of the Family in October 2014 Dew wrote about the content of his intervention in the synod hall. He said:

"I gave my own Intervention today and it seemed to be well received by most."

"I basically said that we have to change the language which is used in various Church documents so that people do not see and hear the Church judging or condemning, passing out rules and laws, but rather showing concern and compassion and reaching out to help people discover God in their lives."

Source

• Voice of the Family
• Image: pictures.zimbio.com

The vigils are part of a worldwide Lenten campaign aimed at protecting mothers and babies from abortion.

They will continue till Palm Sunday.

40 Days of Life is not a political campaign, nor is it a protest says Michelle Kaufman, spokesperson for Family Life International NZ, the New Zealand sponsor of the vigils.

The prayer vigil is a powerful means of converting hearts and minds, and brings together all Christians who wish to see an end to abortion, she says.

A Statement of Peace, pledging peaceful conduct, must be signed by each participant.

Kaufman said a pleasing aspect of last year's vigils were the times people stopped to talk with those praying, wanting to know more and sharing their own stories of how abortion has impacted their lives.

She says many passers-by are impressed that, in addition to prayers, Family Life International NZ, through its John Paul II Centres for Life, offers practical help and support to mothers and families.

Dame Colleen Bayer, National Director of Family Life International NZ, is asking all people of good-will, who wish to see the end of abortion, to donate at least one hour of their time to pray publicly.

People can sign up online or call 09 629 4361 for more information.

Those who cannot make the public vigils because of age, infirmity or location are being asked to offer their Lenten fasts and sufferings for the success of this campaign.

Read Family Life International NZ Press release

Source

• Supplied: Family Life International NZ
• Image: acultureoflife.files.wordpress.com

She is one of fifty two pro-life leaders from sixteen nations attending the first annual Rome Life Forum in Vatican City.

They have all signed the declaration in which they said "that it is out of concern, and indeed love, for those same politicians that the pro life leaders ask for this wake-up call to invite pro abortion politicians back to authentic faith."

Bayer is Family Life International NZ's Founder and National Director.

Family life International established the first John Paul II Centre for Life in Auckland.

There are also has John Paul II Centres for Life in Wellington and Dunedin.

The Centres provide a physical place where mothers and families facing a crisis pregnancy can come for practical help, support and friendship; so that they may choose life for their babies.

They also offer support to the sick, disabled, elderly, lonely, and those who may find themselves targets of euthanasia-type practices.

Last May Bayer had her life's work acknowledged by the Catholic Church when she was invested with the title of as a Dame in the Order of St Gregory the Great.

The award was bestowed by Pope Benedict XVI in recognition of the work Bayer has done over the last 40 years to promote a culture of life in New Zealand and to help the mothers and babies who otherwise would become victims of abortion.

Source

• LifeSiteNews.com
• FamilyLifeInternational
• acultureoflife
• Image: LifeSiteNews.com

FLI communications director, Michelle Kaufman, who is in charge of the group's website and Facebook page, said the attack happened fast.

"One of the interesting things about the comments made in the Facebook attack is that none of them had anything to do with abortion at all. A great number were actually attacks on the faith and Jesus, which had been true of a great number of negative comments."

"It highlighted the fact that abortion is, first and foremost, a spiritual battle," Mrs Kaufman said.

The attack came at 2pm in the first week of the 40 Days for Life campaign. Mrs Kaufman said the messages were disgusting and not even rational. Continue reading

Before the blessing ritual, Bishop Campbell expressed his enthusiasm for the Centre, and for pro-life work in general.

He reminded the crowd of the struggle to oppose the licence to perform abortions at Dunedin Hospital in the late 1980′s, and the more recent struggle over the abortions at Southland Hospital.

He paid tribute to the work that Voice for Life, Pregnancy Counselling and Pregnancy Help have done over the years.

There are now three of Family Life International NZ's John Paul II Centres for Life throughout the country. The Dunedin Centre adds to the two existing Centres, in Auckland and Wellington.

Continue reading

Source

Supplied by Family Life International
Image: Supplied by Family Life International

Co-ordinator Frank Fischer (42), of Dunedin, said the centre, run by the Family Life International John Paul II Centre for Life, was training staff to be ready for its first clients - troubled pregnant women seeking assistance. Continue reading

There are two Centres already established in Auckland and Wellington which provide free pregnancy tests, counselling for women facing an unexpected pregnancy, practical help and support, advocacy and support for families who have received an adverse prenatal diagnosis as well as counselling after abortion.

Family Life International's John Paul II Centres for Life are also a base for educational work on life issues such as presenting Theology of the Body to youth and holding educational seminars on life issues in the context of Catholic morality.

Source

• A Culture of Life
• Image: prolifebook.com

Speaking at the investiture, Bishop Patrick Dunn said that prior to his resignation, Pope Benedict XVI named Mrs Bayer a Dame in recognition of her pro-life work with mothers and babies in New Zealand.

Mrs Bayer established Family Life International NZ in 1992.

Inspired by the late Fr Paul Marx (the great Apostle of Life) she realised the need in New Zealand for a pro-life, pro-family organisation which addressed all the life issues from natural conception through to natural death.

The organisation is unashamedly Catholic, and offers help to every pregnant mother facing a crisis pregnancy, as well as the sick, disabled and the at-risk elderly.

They also advocate for life, faith and family in the New Zealand media from their Auckland office.

Thanks to generous supporters they have chapters in many parts of New Zealand running crisis-pregnancy centres providing education, formation, and post-abortion help, as well as training in Natural Fertility Regulation.

Colleen has been married to her husband Terry for 40 years. They have five children (four adopted, three of whom have special needs), and ten grandchildren. For many years Colleen and Terry have fostered and provided respite for 27 children with various special needs, opening their hearts and their home to those who are most vulnerable in society today.

Source

• A Culture of Life
• Image: EucharisticConvention.com