January 2017 Newsletter
Dear Friends,
 
As we enter into this near year, we seek to transform our culture through the power of prayer.  

Eternal Father, Source of Life,
strengthen us with your Holy Spirit
to receive the abundance of life you have promised.

Open our hearts to see and desire
the beauty of your plan for life and love.

Make our love generous and self-giving
 so that we may be blessed with joy.

Grant us great trust in your mercy.

Forgive us for not receiving your gift of life
and heal us from the effects of the culture of death.

Instill in us and all people reverence for every human life.
Inspire and protect our efforts on behalf of those most vulnerable
especially the unborn, the sick and the elderly.

We ask this in the Name of Jesus,
who by His Cross makes all things new. Amen.
Marking the Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

January 23, 2017: Mass and Prayerful Witness on the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
Please join us for the annual Archdiocesan Mass and prayerful witness in remembrance of the anniversary of  Roe v. Wade on January 23, 2017. This event will begin with Mass at 12 noon at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral. Following Mass there will be the opportunity to remain in the Cathedral for Eucharistic adoration or participate in prayerful procession along Meridian Street. Benediction will take place after the prayerful procession at approximately 2:30 PM. Join us for all or part of the day's activities. For more information, please e-mail  Rebecca Niemerg or call 317-236-1569.
Please note:
  The Catholic Center Parking lot will have limited parking available.


Come to the Vigil for Life to pray for a renewal of life within ourselves and our society. It takes place the week of the March for Life in solidarity with all those gathering in Washington, DC. The event is for Youth, Young Adults, Families, and all of us who have been blessed with the gift of life. This event includes music by Matt Faley and a keynote address by Ennie Hickman of ADOREministries.com.
While this is a free event, we are collecting donations for Birthline , a ministry that provides material support for pregnant women and mothers of infants in need. The following items are greatly needed: Diapers sizes Newborn to 5,  Baby Wash, Diaper Wipes, and/or Newborn to size 2T clean, gently used or new clothes.


Hosted at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on January 25, 2017
Doors open at 6:30 PM.  
Registration is available at www.vigilforlife.eventbrite.com.


Come for you, and come for Life.
This event is sponsored by the Archdiocesan Secretariat of Pastoral Ministries.

RightToLifeIndyJanuary 22, 2017: Right to Life of Indianapolis Memorial Service for the Unborn

Join Right to Life of Indianapolis for their annual commemoration of those lost through the tragedy of abortion Since 1973.

Featuring keynote speaker Fr. Josiah Trenham, pastor of St. Andrew Orthodox Church in Riverside, California and past speaker at West Coast March for Life in San Francisco, and solemn rose ceremony commemorating the lives lost through legal abortion each year.

WHEN: Sunday, January 22, 2017 2:30-3:30 p.m.
WHERE: Indiana War Memorial Auditorium, 431 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis

After the service you are to participate in a prayerful walk to Monument Circle.

Bring your friends to this FREE event sponsored by Right to Life of Indianapolis.
For more information, call 317-582-1526 or e-mail life@rtlindy.org.
VigoRoeJanuary 27, 2017: Terre Haute's 7th Annual Roe vs. Wade Observance

In solemn observance of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision, you are invited to join in a peaceful, prayerful, pro-life, gathering in front of the Vigo County Court House located at 3rd Street and Wabash. This solemn observance will be from noon to 1:00 PM on Friday, January 27, 2017. Signs will be provided. Parking may be available behind the Court House. For more information, e-mail Tom McBroom.

Join the U.S. Bishops' annual pro-life novena January 21-29 for an annual period of prayer and action focused on cherishing the gift of every person's life.

Surrounding the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children*, the overarching intention of the centerpiece novena is the end to abortion. The novena also highlights many other facets of respecting each other's God-given dignity, especially by respecting human life at every stage and in every circumstance.

9 Days for Life is an opportunity to:




LEARN MORE ABOUT 
9 DAYS FOR LIFE

The Office of Pro-Life and Family Life invites all married couples of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis to a special celebration to honor the sanctity of marriage on February 12, 2017 at 10:30 am at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral. Msgr. William Stumpf will celebrate the Mass. There will be a light lunch held after the Mass across the street at the Catholic Center in Assembly Hall. Recognition will be given to the longest and most recent marriages as well as those couples married for 60 or more. 

The event is free of charge, but registration is required by January 30, 2017.   If you have questions, please contact Keri Carroll at kcarroll@archindy.org or (317) 236-1521.

Four Reasons Why You Shouldn't Ignore or Punish Toddler Tantrums

Popular parenting wisdom advises dealing with toddler tantrums in one of two ways. Ignore the 'attention seeking behaviour' and reward the toddler when they are good, or discipline the toddler by punishing them through exclusion. The naughty step and time out are commonplace in millions of homes around the world. Do they really work though? Child psychology and neuroscience says otherwise. Here are four reasons why you may want to reconsider your response the next time your toddler has a tantrum.

1. Toddlers can't help tantruming.
Toddlers tantrum for one simple reason, their brains are not like adults. The immature connections in their brain don't afford them the same emotion control as us. Our sophisticated brains allow us to control our impulses, act in a way that we know to be socially acceptable and calm our emotions before we become violent or out of control. Toddlers physically can't do this. When they tantrum they are not being naughty or manipulative, they're just being toddlers struggling with big feelings, poor communication skills and even poorer emotion regulation skills. To us it may seem ridiculous to tantrum over the colour of a cup or the shape sandwiches are cut into, but to a toddler these things are as important as paying our rent or our mortgage is to us. Just because it's not 'big stuff' to us, it doesn't mean it isn't to the toddler.

2. Toddlers can't calm themselves down alone.
Think of a toddler like a pot of water heating on a stove without a lid. Just as the water in the pot, the toddler's big emotions begin to build and bubble away until ultimately, just like an unwatched pot, they will boil and spill over. The toddler has no way to turn off the gas, as an adult can, they only stop when they boil dry, exhausted...

Serving My Lord and and Savior
by Jená Hartman, Birthline Coordinator

When I began to volunteer for Birthline nine years ago, it was a "nice" thing to do, meeting delightful people and assisting those in need. Six years ago, when this permanent position of Birthline Coordinator was created and offered to me, I began to realize the impact this ministry has for the community and for the Archdiocese.

It has taken many people, in various capacities, to help the 1,200+ families during this past year.
  • The phone volunteers who schedule client appointments.
  • The volunteers at the Catholic Center who receive donations, sort the donations, clean equipment, replace batteries in donated toys, and escort the Birthline clients to their cars or bus stop with their layettes and items received.
  • The parishes that keep "donation bassinets" in their churches to gather weekly donations from their members.
  • The parishes that have annual donation drives for Birthline.
  • The school children who sponsor diaper drives or "birthday parties for Baby Jesus."
  • The retail stores that donate clothes and baby items.
  • The gracious people who send financial gifts to Birthline.
During these past six years, I have had the privilege of meeting many social workers representing several social service agencies, homeless shelters, healthcare providers and legal offices. These entities have learned about Birthline, send their clients to us and know that we attempt to share and provide for the needy families in the best way possible -- in a spirit of caring and love for a precious Baby who was born in a stable in Bethlehem many years ago. Professionally, this would be termed "networking."

Personally, I call it "serving and loving my Savior." This position, as Birthline Coordinator, is a far cry from my educational background as well as my professional experience of being a food technologist.

Retrouvaille is a program is designed to help couples with serious issues who may even be contemplating divorce. This weekend program helps couples put the pieces back together and rebuild loving relationships. Husbands and wives re-establish communication and gain new insights into themselves as individuals and as a couple.

2017 Weekends
  • Indianapolis: February 24-26 and August 11-13
  • Schererville, IN: February 17-19
  • Joliet, IL: April 28-30 and October 20-22
  • Chicago, IL: June 9-11 and December 1-3
  • Rockford, IL: August 25-27
  • Louisville, KY: January 13-15
  • Cincinnati, OH: January 13-15, March 31-April 2, and September 8-10
For more information, reservations or other dates and locations, call 1-800-470-2230 or go to www.HelpOurMarriage.com.
Upcoming Pro-Life & Family Life Events
Thursday, January 12 @ 7 PM
Hope & Healing Survivors of Suicide Monthly Support Group
St. Mark Catholic Church, Indianapolis
Wednesday, January 18 @ 4:30 PM
Monthly Respect Life Mass
St. Joseph University Church, Terre Haute
Saturday, January 21 @ 8:30 AM
Helpers of God's Precious Infants Prayer Vigil
St. Michael Church, Indianapolis
January 21 - January 29
USCCB 9 Days for Life Novena
Saturday, January 21 @ 10:30 AM
Know Your Fertility Intro Session
85 E. Cedar St, Zionsville, IN 46077
*registration required
Sunday, January 22 @ 2:30
Memorial Service for the Unborn
Indiana War Memorial, Indianapolis
Monday, January 23 All day
Day of Prayer for Legal Protection of Unborn Children
Monday, January 23 @ 12:00 Noon
Mass and Prayerful Witness on the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Indianapolis
Wednesday, January 25 @ 6:30 PM
ArchIndy Vigil for Life
Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Indianapolis
Thursday, January 26
National Prayer Vigil for Life
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, DC
Friday, January 27 
March for Life
Washington, DC
Friday, January 27 @ 12 Noon
Roe v Wade  Observance 
Vigo County Court House, Terre Haute
To find out more about each of the ministries of the Office of Pro-Life and Family Life visit www.archindy.org/plfl.

Thank you for all you do to build a culture of life and a civilization of love in your parishes and communities.

In Christ, Our Life,
Rebecca Niemerg
Director

Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/plflindy!

Mission Statement
The Office of Pro-Life and Family Life recognizes that the family plays a special role throughout the life of each person. Sustained through prayer and worship, we seek to provide educational, pastoral, and advocacy programs that support the family and promote the dignity of each human person made in the image and likeness of God from the moment of conception to natural death in order to build a culture of life and civilization of love.

Office Staff
Rebecca Niemerg, Director
(317) 236-1569
Scott Seibert, MSW, LCSW
Marriage & Family Enrichment Coordinator

(317) 236-1527
sseibert@archindy.org
Keri Carroll, Administrative Assistant
(317) 236-1521
kcarroll@archindy.org
Joni LeBeau, Health Ministries
(317) 236-1475
Deb VanVelse, Divorce & Bereavement Ministry Coordinator
(317) 236-1586
dvanvelse@archindy.org
Jená Hartman, Birthline Coordinator
(317) 236-1433