2010 Respect Life Collection Grants Awarded
Thanks to the generous contributions to the Respect Life Collection, twenty five grants were awarded to further the pro-life efforts in our Diocese. A total of $70,047 was received which is a slight increase over last year’s total of $69,750.

Grant applications were reviewed by the grant committee and recommendations were made to Bishop LaValley.  Bishop LaValley reviewed and approved the grant amounts in May and checks were awarded the first week in June.  Special thanks to Bishop LaValley and the grant committee who spent hours reviewing the applications:  Fr. Kris Lauzon, Deacon Gary & Gayle Frank, Mr. & Mrs. Angelo Pietropaoli  and Mr. & Mrs. John Miner.

Of the twenty-five who received grants, five were Gabriel Projects. Those receiving funds to help with the parish-based hands-on crisis-pregnancy ministry are:  St. James in Gouverneur, St. Mary’s in Potsdam, Our Lady of Victory in Plattsburgh, St. Patrick’s in Brasher Falls and Gabriel’s Helping Hands which serves the Massena parishes.  Monies were also allocated for A Gabriel Project Day of Enrichment which will be held on Monday, August 30th at the Guggenheim Lodge.

St. Mary’s in Clayton received funding for their parish’s Elizabeth Ministry which began last year and Catholic Charities Teen Pregnancy Program in Malone received funding. Two grants were also awarded for pro-life county fair booths. Those grants went to Lewis County Right to Life and Champlain Valley Right to Life.
Four pilgrimages to the National March for Life in Washington DC were partially funded: Lewis County Bus for Life, Lake Champlain Bus for Life and two Youth Buses for Life.

Five pro-life groups received funding to help with advertising and general operating expenses: Bishop’s Apostles for Life in Plattsburgh, Champlain Valley Right to Life in Jay, Liferight of Watertown, Birthright in Plattsburgh and NYS Right to Life.

Two Lifematters groups received funding. Lifematters of St. Peter’s in Plattsburgh received funds to start a pro-life library. Lifematters Willsboro received funds for promotion of the 40 Days for Life program. A grant was also given to the after-abortion retreat program Rachel’s Vineyard, which is offered twice yearly in our Diocese.

The Family Life office received a small grant to purchase Marriage Enrichment materials and The Natural Family Planning office received monies to purchase materials for the national Natural Family Planning week. A small grant was also awarded to All Saints Parish in Chaumont for their Parkinson’s support group.

The Respect Life office directors would like to thank the parishioners of the Diocese of Ogdensburg for their generous monetary support. And thank you to the folks who year after year donate their time and talents to these programs that help to build and spread the Gospel of Life in our diocese.