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Respect Life Conference: End of life issues becoming more prevalent, complicated

By: Jennifer Willems - September 25, 2019 - Uncategorized end-of-life, Father Alfred Cioffi, Respect Life Conference

Father Alfred Cioffi responds to a question from Loreto Xavier of Bloomington during his session on end-of-life issues at the Diocese of Peoria's Respect Life Conference on Sept. 14. On a stand next to the speakers were relics of St. Catherine of Siena (left) and Pope St. John Paul II, patrons for the conference. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

Saying everyone will face decisions about care at the end of life sooner or later — if not for themselves, then for someone they love — Father Alfred Cioffi started a conversation about some of those issues with participants at the Respect Life Conference on Sept. 14. The beginning of life is known and occurs […]

Respect Life Conference: Include men when discussing abortion, healing

By: Jennifer Willems - September 25, 2019 - Uncategorized abortion, Kevin Burke, men, Rachel's Vineyard, Respect Life Conference

Father John Verrier laughs as his friend, keynote speaker Kevin Burke, begins his talk at the Respect Life Conference on Sept. 14 at the Spalding Pastoral Center in Peoria. The co-founder of Rachel's Vineyard Ministries, Burke is a pastoral associate of Priests for Life. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

When it comes to abortion, women may have the procedure but that doesn’t mean men are exempt from the pain, said Kevin Burke, co-founder of Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries for post-abortive women and a pastoral associate of Priests for Life. He said well-meaning people may ask, “Why is this important?” or “Why should we care?” “The […]

Respect Life Conference: Trafficking goes against everything God desires for us

By: Jennifer Willems - September 25, 2019 - Uncategorized Respect Life Conference, RSM, Sister Mary Angela Alexander

Sister Mary Angela Alexander, RSM, director of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and Catholic Relief Services of the Diocese of Phoenix, addresses human trafficking in a talk Sept. 14 at the diocesan Respect Life Conference in Peoria. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

While many people wouldn’t include human trafficking on a list of respect life issues, it goes against everything that God desires for his people, according to Sister Mary Angela Alexander, RSM, the last speaker of the day. “Everything that you have heard before — abortion, racism, sexism, absent fathers, the breakdown of relationships between men […]

Respect Life Conference: Addiction to internet porn is rampant, treatable

By: Jennifer Willems - September 25, 2019 - Uncategorized Internet, pornography, Respect Life Conference, Sister Marysia Weber

Sister Mary Angela Alexander, RSM, looks on as Sister Marysia Weber, RSM, answers a question about the neurobiology of addiction to internet pornography during a question-and-answer session at the Diocese of Peoria's Respect Life Conference on Sept.14. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

Saying that she never intended, as a woman religious, to spend so much time looking at internet pornography, Sister Marysia Weber, RSM, noted that it is one of the most common addictions in the world. “I have been looking at this topic for 15 to 20 years and every single time I look it up, […]

Respect Life Conference: Ryan Bomberger urges youth, adults to be ‘factivists’

By: Jennifer Willems - September 25, 2019 - Uncategorized Respect Life Conference, Ryan Bomberger

Speaking to the junior high and high school students during the schools session of the Respect Life Conference on Sept. 13, Ryan Bomberger engaged them in quizzes as he did some myth busting about what organizations that promote abortion are saying. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

The first thing Ryan Bomberger did in his session with students from around the Diocese of Peoria on Sept. 13 was to have them stand, look at one another, and say, “I’m glad you’re alive.” Those words are very important for the man who was conceived in rape, but carried to term and placed for […]

First-ever diocesan Respect Life Conference draws 600 of all ages

By: Jennifer Willems - September 15, 2019 - Featured Article Cecilia Soñé, Father Alfred Cioffi, Kevin Burke, Respect Life Conference, Ryan Bomberger, Sister Mary Angela Alexander, Sister Marysia Weber

With the Knights of Columbus ever vigilant, Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, poses with the coordinator and some of the speakers from the Diocese of Peoria's inaugural Respect Life Conference after the closing Mass on Sept. 14. They are (from left) Cecilia Sone, director of Respect Life Ministry for the diocese; Sister Mary Angela Alexander, RSM; Kevin Burke; Sister Marie Paul Lockerd, RSM; and Sister Marysia Weber, RSM. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

(Updated Sept. 25, 2019) Hearing about threats to human life and the God-given dignity of every person, nearly 600 people who attended the Diocese of Peoria’s first-ever Respect Life Conference explored what they could do to care for those who are most vulnerable. Not only did that include the unborn, but also people at the […]

Diocese to present first-ever Respect Life Conference; people of all ages welcome

By: Jennifer Willems - July 18, 2019 - Featured Article Diocese of Peoria, Father Alfred Cioffi, Kevin Burke, Respect Life Conference, Ryan Bomberger, Sister Mary Angela Alexander

Attacks on the dignity of the human person at every level make it necessary to engage the culture now and people will get the information they need to do that at the first-ever Respect Life Conference hosted by the Respect Life Ministry of the Diocese of Peoria on Sept. 13-14. All sessions will be held […]