Office for Life and Family January Newsletter
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Novena for Life: January 16-24
Join in the Novena for Life to pray for an end to the culture of death! Each day, you will be asked to say prayers, reflect, and participate in an action item to offer up for life.
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MONTHLY GIVEAWAY!!!
The Office for Life and Family team would like to send you a Catholic family gift bundle. In order to enter for a chance to win this month's bundle, here’s what you have to do:
- Post a picture of you putting up a flyer for one of the events from this newsletter in your church OR
- post a picture of you or your family praying the highlighted prayer of the month together (Novena for Life), found at the beginning of the newsletter. (Only the Office will see this picture.)
Newsletter Giveaway
Click the Sign Up button to enter the giveaway!
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MINISTRY HIGHLIGHT
The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation
The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family and Faith is a national Catholic nonprofit 501c3 headquartered in Philadelphia founded by the Mercedarian Religious Order offering free pastoral care to families and individuals in crisis. The foundation offers free priestly consultation appointments both in-person and online, a confidential prayer line, podcasts, and programs and retreats. To learn more, visit: www.Nonnatus.org.
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NEW: RECOMMENDED RESOURCE
Christina Valenzuela, creator of Pearl and Thistle*, is the author of The Language of Your Body: Embracing God's Design for Your Cycle which offers in-depth insight into the language of the female menstrual cycle. Many women are often left feeling helpless when it comes to their fertility due to lack of proper training and understanding of how their bodies work. In her book, Christina aims to promote body literacy for all women- single, married, religious, young, old- by explaining to readers the meaning behind God's design for their bodies.
Click here to purchase.
Pearl and Thistle is a website dedicated to educating Catholics about menstrual cycles, periods, and fertility at all ages and stages. Their mission is to help girls and women learn to read this language of the body in an age-appropriate, incremental way—offering a unique blend of theology and science to build knowledge and skills as their bodies, minds, and relationships grow. They offer self-paced courses and digital resources to be used at home, or by cycle educators in group settings like parishes or schools.
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PRO-LIFE EVENTS
CHESTER COUNTY PRO-LIFE RALLY - January 18
NATIONAL MARCH FOR LIFE- January 23, 2026
The annual National March for Life in Washington, D.C. is taking place Friday, January 23, 2026. This year's March features Sarah Hurm as the testimony speaker and Sanctus Real as the musical performers, among others. The schedule for the day is as follows:
10am Archdiocese of Philadelphia Mass at the Basilica
11-1pm Rally ft. music by Sanctus Real, the Friends of Club 21 Choir, and pro-life speakers
1pm March through D.C.
**The meeting place for the Archdiocese and the seminarians will be at 12:30pm at Constitution Ave and 6th Street by the National Gallery of Art. Please come to this location as the seminary banner will be at the front of all the pilgrims from the Archdiocese.**
Directions from the Basilica: Enter the Metro at Brookland-CUA station. Take a Red Line train labeled Shady Grove to GALLERY PLACE / Chinatown. Exit train, and transfer to green or yellow line (labeled to Springfield/Huntingdon, or Branch Ave) one stop to ARCHIVES Station. Walk south on 7th street, left on Constitution to 6th where the National Gallery of Art is located (the travel time is about 30 mins overall from the Basilica to the Archives Station).
Click the link below to see the National March for Life website.
Evangelium Vitae, "The Gospel of Life" Symposium - February 14, 2026
Come hear speakers Sister Gaudia Maria, Sister Dede Byrne, Dr. Monique Ruberu, Mark Houck, and Msgr. Mike Mannion share their insights into issues surrounding the culture of death as we celebrate Pope St. John Paul II's valuable encyclical The Gospel of Life. To register, e-mail EV30@prolifeunion.org.
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Interested in praying in front of a Planned Parenthood near you? Visit https://www.40daysforlife.com/en/ to find opportunities to pray with people.
Download the USCCB Word of Life Petitions for Mass and Bulletin Blurbs for January:
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EVENTS FOR YOUR MARRIAGE
"THE DOMESTIC CHURCH IN THE NEW APOSTOLIC AGE" - January 13, 2026
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TOGETHER IN HOLINESS: A CATHOLIC MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT CONFERENCE - FEBRUARY 28, 2026
**Register by January 12 for a reduced price of $54
Married and engaged couples are invited to the first annual Together in Holiness marriage conference on February 28, 2026 from 8:30 am - 3:45 pm at St. Peter Catholic Church in West Brandywine, PA. This one-day conference will help you strengthen your relationship with your spouse and discover God’s plan for your family, as well as provide opportunities for community with the other couples after the conference. The registration cost is $64/couple and $5/child for on-site childcare. An Early Bird discount is available through January 12 as well as scholarships upon request. This conference is presented by the St. John Paul II Foundation and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. For more info, visit togetherinholiness.org/philadelphia or email nancy@forlifeandfamily.org.
*Parishes: Advertising for Conference
Mass Announcement:
Bulletin Announcement:
Social Media Announcement:
General Graphic Flyer:
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SAVE THE DATE Marriages of Grace: Marriage Enrichment Day- April 25, 2026
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MORE EVENTS
Milk & Honey: A Theology of the Body for Me and Mommy - January 10, 2026
A retreat for mothers and daughters (ages 9-12). Day begins with Mass at 8am and includes a light breakfast and lunch.
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From the Office for Persons with Disabilities
The below network intends to help those in need find Catholic therapists. Each listing includes the provider’s religious affiliation, and if it lists Catholic, they have successfully completed the Office for Persons with Disabilities' vetting process. If you know of a mental health professional who may be interested in joining the network, please share the attached post outlining the requirements. Especially in need of mental health professionals that speak multiple languages. Click on the image to be redirected to the network website.
Please share this information with the attached website widely in your parish. Consider including it in your bulletin.
Religious Education for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children:
Local Bereavement Ministries
St. Jude, Chalfont ; 267-270-6188
Assumption BVM, Feasterville ; 215-355-8897
St. Andrew, Newtown ; 215-968-2262
Nativity of Our Lord, Warminster ; 215-675-1925
St. John Bosco, Hatboro: 215-672-7280
This list is not exhaustive. Please contact your local parish to inquire about possible bereavement ministries that exist.
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Downloadable Event Flyers to post in your church:
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Dr. Daniel Drain, Director ddrain@archphila.org; 215-587-5661
Maria Riedlmeier, Operations Coordinator mriedlmeier@archphila.org; 215-587-0500
Dcn. Pat Kennedy, Marriage Prep pkennedy@archphila.org; 215-901-8446
