By Val and Deacon Gary Streff
Special to the Herald
October is Respect Life Month and the month of the rosary. We pray to Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of our Creator, mother of the church, mother of hope, comforter of the afflicted, queen of families and queen of the most holy rosary — what better person to turn to whenever we need help?
Let us seek her wisdom when confronted with life issues from conception to natural death.
1. Why is the church against abortion?
All children conceived are a gift from God. As Christians, we believe human life is sacred and must be protected from the moment of conception.
2. What if I am unable to care for a child due to lack of financial support, disruption of career or schooling, or lack of maturity?
Pregnancy resource centers like Pearson Place — call (808) 942-0328 — offer free pregnancy tests, counseling and community resources that can be of assistance. They also provide baby clothes, diapers and other essentials for a newborn. The Mary Jane Home in Kailua offers a place to stay for the duration of the pregnancy, providing training on how to care for a newborn and preparing the mother for her future career or employment.
3. Why should I volunteer to participate in praying in front of Planned Parenthood?
40 Days for Life runs a 40-day campaign of prayer, fasting and peaceful vigils outside Planned Parenthood locations across the country. This nonprofit organization encourages people of all faiths to unite in support of women in crisis and save unborn lives. Praying in front of Planned Parenthood allows God to hear the cries of the poor.
As we continue to pray in front of Planned Parenthood, we pray for the workers in these facilities and for the conversion of hearts and minds to believe in the culture of life. Contact James Wallace at (808) 302-5968 if you are moved by the spirit to volunteer your time, treasure and talents.
4. What is the church’s perspective on in-vitro fertilization and surrogacy?
There are many women unable to conceive due to infertility. While the church empathizes with their desire for a child, IVF and surrogacy are considered morally wrong.
IVF involves the stimulating of the woman’s ovaries through medication to produce multiple eggs, which are harvested and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory. Some of the embryos are transferred into her womb with the intention that at least one embryo will grow to full term.
The unused embryos can be frozen for future use, discarded or used for scientific purposes. If each embryo were given a name as they truly deserve, how are we respecting their dignity and right to life?
Procreation is a sacred act in which the love between spouses, through the conjugal act, brings forth the transmission of life. (“Catechism of the Catholic Church” 2377 and “Donum Vitae”). IVF separates the conjugal act from fertilization in a laboratory.
Regarding surrogacy, the use of gametes (male or female cells) from a donor other than the spouse is prohibited. Participation in contracts or arrangements for surrogate motherhood is also not permitted as it denigrates the dignity of women. (“Ethical Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services,” sixth edition)
5. What is the church’s perspective on medical aid in dying?
In 2019, Hawaii legalized medical aid in dying, calling the law the “Our Care, Our Choice Act.” This permits terminally ill adult patients to make their own medical decisions and be prescribed an aid-in-dying medication.
Catholics respect the dignity of the dying and aim to bring hope. We have an obligation to provide food and water, loving care, psychological and spiritual support, and remedies to relieve pain and suffering until natural death occurs. We cannot participate in assisted suicide. (“Ethical and Religious Directives”).
6. If I have a miscarriage, what should I do?
If a miscarriage occurs at home, collect whatever tissue is present and place it in saline solution. If a miscarriage occurs at the hospital, request that the remains be given to you. Finding meaningful ways to honor your baby is an important part of the healing process. The remains can be cremated and buried accordingly with a funeral or memorial service. If there are no remains, a keepsake box with a letter to your child is a great way to honor your loss. A “naming of a child” ceremony can be provided by your local parish, or contact the Respect Life Office at (808) 203-6722.
7. How can I participate in the pro-life movement?
Pray unceasingly for respect of all human life. Contact the Respect Life coordinator at your parish to get involved, or call the Respect Life Office to be placed on the mailing list for more information. Hawaii’s March for Life will take place Jan. 23, 2026, at the state Capitol. “Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us.”
At top: Site leader James Wallace, kneeling at right, and speaker Art Hanneman, president of Fathers and Mothers for Children and standing second from right, join 40 Days for Life supporters at the opening rally for the fall season outside Planned Parenthood in Honolulu. (Courtesy Val and Deacon Gary Streff)