Since 1972, the year before the United States’ Supreme Court legalized abortion, the U.S. bishops have designated the first Sunday of October as Respect Life Sunday. This year’s observance is Oct. 5.

Throughout the Diocese of Peoria and across the country on that day, Catholics and likeminded people will form “Life Chains” in silent and prayerful public witness in support of human life and dignity and against the sin of abortion.

The observance will conclude with the annual Respect Life Dinner hosted by the Family Resources Center in Peoria. The speaker for this year’s dinner, which will be held at 6 p.m. at the Radisson of Peoria, 117 N. Western Ave., is Colleen Carroll Campbell, author of “The New Faithful” and host of the weekly “Faith and Culture” program on the Eternal Word Television Network.

Tickets are $23. For more information about the Respect Life Dinner, call the Family Resources Center at (309) 673-1713.

“Life Chains” are lines of people standing peacefully along a busy thoroughfare in their community, holding signs with pro-life messages such as “Abortion Kills Children,” “Lord Forgive Us and Our Nation,” “Jesus Forgives and Heals,” “Abortion Hurts Women,” or “Adoption — The Loving Option.”

You can find a list of “Life Chains” in central Illinois (planned for Oct. 5 unless otherwise noted) from www.lifechain.net.

Pro-life efforts in October also include “40 Days for Life” in Champaign, a nationwide initiative of prayer, fasting, peaceful vigil at abortion facilities and educational outreach. The campaign commenced on Wednesday and will continue until Sunday, Nov. 2. Vigils will take place outside Planned Parenthood of East Central Illinois, 302 E. Stoughton, Champaign.

To learn more about the campaign, visit www.40daysforlife.com/champaign, or contact Deddens at deddens@SFLillinois.org, 40days @SFLillinois.org, or (937) 572-2818.

Also among October’s pro-life activities is the Festival of Life on Sunday, Oct. 26, at Bethel Baptist Church, 1196 N. Academy St., Galesburg. Sponsored by Knox County Right to Life, the festival will feature a talk by Kenneth McCaughey, father of the McCaughey septuplets of Iowa. The evening opens at 6:30 p.m. with a presentation by students from Galesburg Christian School. Admission is free and refreshments will be served.

The Epiphany Altar and Rosary Society will present its third annual Living Rosary for the Sanctity of Life on Tuesday, Oct. 7, the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary. The Living Rosary will immediately follow the 5:30 p.m. Mass at Epiphany Church, 1006 E. College Ave., Normal. For more information, call Carrie at (309) 452-4864 or Jan at 665-0714.