In the U.S. Catholic Church, October is Respect Life Month.

What I would hope to see promoted and organized by the U.S. bishops and each diocese from “cradle to grave” is lobbying for continuation of the Affordable Care Act to provide prenatal and postnatal care for babies, moms and all family members.

Respect Life from “the cradle” means advocating for women who have an unplanned pregnancy and publicizing the Rachel Project, which gives support to women and families who have chosen an abortion and need compassionate advocacy.

Promoting research and medical investigations into the increased maternal mortality rates is a life issue.

Demanding the federal government resume funding WIC (Women, Infants and Children) is a means of respecting life as is returning SNAP benefits to needy families and raising the minimum wage from an unlivable $7.25 an hour.

Respect Life requires care for the immigrants who seek asylum in our country by following immigration laws and procedures in each case.

Maintaining the Clean Air and Water laws to care for the Earth and address climate change for the future generations, as Pope Francis supported in his document Laudato Si, is necessary.

Approaching “the grave” requires we maintain social safety nets like Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security for the elderly and ill to have dignity in old age.

Eliminating the death penalty (capital punishment) is the final respect life tenet … an opinion supported by the majority of Americans.

Respect Life is a 12-month-a-year endeavor.

Karen Davis

Bedford