St. Augustine, Fla. – The statewide Respect Life Conference, an event by the Florida Catholic Conference, will take place Friday, Oct. 11, at the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche (101 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine and Saturday, Oct. 12, at St. Anastasia Catholic Church, 5205 A1A South, St. Augustine. This year’s theme is “In the Heart of Our Mother.”

“This conference explores themes of life and the present culture that neither honors nor respects life,” said May Oliver, director of the Office of Human Life & Dignity for the Diocese of St. Augustine. “Through these nationally known speakers sharing their expertise and truth, we may learn to share a nurturing love thereby creating a Culture of Life.”

The event kicks off with a Mass on Friday at 7 p.m., celebrated by Bishop William Wack of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. Then Dr. Mary Soha, vice-postulator for the cause for canonization of the Florida Martyrs, will give a talk regarding the theme of this year’s conference.

On Saturday, the event begins at 9 a.m. with an incredible lineup of speakers, including Robert Raspa, a family physician at St. Vincent’s Medical Center; Modesto Sanchez-Torres, a diagnostic radiologist and chief of Florida Medical Center; Ron Wright, Jr., an exonerated death row survivor and member of Witness to Innocence; Vincent Rue, co-director of the Alliance for Post-Abortion Research and Trauma and founder of the Institute for Pregnancy Loss; Star Parker, founder and president for CURE (Center for Urban Renewal and Education) and many more.

There will be a separate Respect Life Leadership training for youth on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the St. Anthony Parish Hall of St. Anastasia Parish.

Megan Almon, a youth educator for Life Training Institute and Ruby Peters, a CRS Ethical Trade Ambassador for Catholic Charities, will give talks, in addition to a concert by Sean Forrest, founder Movin’ with the Spirit, Inc., and Haiti180.

Cost is $75 per person, $60 for students and $140 for married couples. The deadline to register is Sept. 20. To register online, visit https://www.dosafl.com/respectlifeconference/. For more information, Contact the Office of Human Life & Dignity at (904) 262-3200, ext. 159 or at moliver@dosafl.com.

DATE: September 9, 2019
CONTACT: Kathleen Bagg
(904) 262-1705/office
(904) 434-3909/cell