By Laura Kizior
Education is one of the most important steps to building lasting respect for every human person in our society. That’s why the Culture of Life Studies Program stresses the importance of education to form students’ consciences and change hearts and minds to embrace the truth.
But what if your children are in college or you’re not a school teacher? How can you use the Culture of Life Studies Program to make a difference in your community? Here are three ways that you can build a culture of life with CLSP outside a traditional classroom setting:
At your parish
The Culture of Life Studies Program supplements are meant for any type of classroom setting—at home, at school, or in a religious education class. As children are being formed in their faith, they need to learn how to respect the people around them, not only with their actions, but also with their words.
During religious education class, students should be exposed to pro-life heroes, especially saints who devoted their lives to building a culture of life. Young students enjoy learning their prayers and learning how to protect others with our Ladybug Warriors free lesson.
In addition, many religious education teachers use Life Is Precious during the months of October or January to teach their K-2 students about how to stand up for their beliefs, even when it is difficult.
After-school activities
Volunteer to help start or run the pro-life group at your local private school or at your parish. Pro-life club movie nights lead to great discussions about pro-life topics. Not only will you teach students valuable leadership skills, but you will also help them learn how to work together to protect the weak and defenseless in our society.
However, a pro-life club is not the only place where you can discuss pro-life topics. The culture of life is found in every subject area. Talk about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech or Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” in a speech and debate club.
Learn the pro-life story of Beethoven during band practice. Encourage students to take positive action and start volunteering in their communities. Remember that you lead your students by example. The more that they see you striving to build a culture of life, the more they will want to imitate your example.
With adults
It is important for people of all ages to continue educating themselves about current pro-life topics. Some of our supplements and free lessons for high school students would make perfect discussions for adult Bible studies and support groups. Learn what the Church teaches about end-of-life issues with our 50-minute supplement Euthanasia: An Introduction.
Discuss the Planned Parenthood scandal with Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” or think about the pressure a woman feels from her family during an unplanned pregnancy as you read Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants.”
The Culture of Life Studies Program is flexible enough to use in any group setting—in a youth group, adult book club, religious education class, or Bible study. Pro-life education is not just for the classroom.
If we want to transform our culture into a society that respects the dignity of every human being, then we must bring pro-life education into our own backyards, teaching our friends and neighbors the pro-life basics and helping each other to respond to topics like abortion and euthanasia with zeal and compassion.
Laura Kizior is the digital media and communications manager for the Culture of Life Studies Program. Her work has appeared on Verily.com, CatholicMom.com, LifeSiteNews.com, Celebrate Life Magazine, TeachersSavingChildren.org, and in the Pro-Life Healthcare Alliance newsletter.