Respect Life

Thousands of pro-life advocates gathered at this year’s Colorado March for Life at the Colorado State Capitol on Friday, April 12, 2024. With loud voices and bright banners, individuals from pro-life organizations, schools, faith communities and ministries came together to honor the sanctity of life.

Many steps, conversations and connections later, hope and optimism filled the air around the Colorado Capitol. Everyone from infants, toddlers to seniors joined hands and voices for the cause. A sizable number of school-aged students also marched to show their support, and they represented their generation well. It’s truly a blessing to witness thousands of individuals from diverse backgrounds and ages uniting in support of life,” expressed Jeannine Duffield, Director of Respect Life Denver.

Among the organizations in attendance was Marisol Health, a ministry of Catholic Charities that provides prenatal, postnatal and mental health support to women facing unplanned pregnancies.

Community engagement specialist Mary Houtsma shared her passion for offering alternatives to abortion with compassion and care. “We just want to be an answer to let them know that there are plenty of other options,” she said. “People care about you and want to walk alongside you in this journey–we want to show that life is truly worth living.”

Brianna, a member of the Sidewalk Advocates for Life national team, shared their mission with attendees of the march. They aim to offer support and alternatives to those considering abortion with a compassionate approach. “Our core values are that we are peaceful, prayerful, loving. We also really focus on prayer, so that women always feel that we’re coming out a place of empathy and not as a judge.”

Victoria Trujillo, the Rocky Mountain regional coordinator for Students for Life, reflected on the rewards of mobilizing young student activists on college campuses and empowering the next generation. “My favorite part is talking with those students. They’re always so passionate and so excited to be standing up for life.”

With unity and purpose behind every step, all attendees took a victory lap around the State Capitol and left their mark. For them, the March for Life in Denver was not a protest, but a testament to the beauty of life and the power that we hold to protect it.

Saving lives one baby at a time

40 Days for Life is an internationally coordinated 40-day campaign that aims to end abortion locally through prayer and fasting, community outreach and a peaceful all-day vigil in front of abortion businesses.

Along the Front Range, seven communities gather twice a year for 40-day campaigns and some even participate in 40 Days for Life 365. Catholic Charities supports all of the campaigns and, for many years, has focused time and attention on the Denver location at 7158 E. 38th Avenue.

All told, the campaign has reached 1,000 cities in 63 countries and folks who participate believe their prayerful actions have a positive impact. They believe, as so many of us do, that prayer gives life.

Baby Saved in Greeley

40 Days for Life 365 participants were recently praying outside of Planned Parenthood in Greeley when a utility truck driver passed by. He told them that he had been here before. Rolling down his window, he called, “Hey! I just wanted to let you know that our baby just turned a year old because you were standing out here!”

A local Greeley leader’s calculations confirmed that this child’s life was saved during the leader’s first 40 Days for Life vigil in 2022.

If one day of prayer can yield one year of life, imagine what 40 can do. Join thousands of other like-minded people of faith across the world in this year’s powerful 40 Days for Life campaign, underway now through Easter 2024. One prayer from your heart can give life for years to come.

Volunteers Make a Radical Difference

Just as prayer is powerful, so are our volunteers. In just a few short months, four lives were forever changed—and four more were saved—by a group of devoted servants of Christ right here at home in Colorado.

Through the unconditional love spread daily by faithful food bank volunteers, four individual women pivoted toward a choice for life for each of their four children.

All of them chose to carry their soon-to-be babies to full term and birth four little world-changers that the earth simply couldn’t do without. But what made the difference?

For weeks and months, our servant-hearted volunteers shared openness and warmth to the most vulnerable, uncertain and even afraid. And after many heartfelt conversations and much loving acceptance, these women gave themselves a chance to become the brave new moms they were always meant to be.

So a huge hug and sincere congratulations to these four beautiful mothers, who helped make the world 4x better by giving life to their precious gifts from God.

Let this testimony remind us to always keep our eyes, ears and hearts open to those around us whose lives we can change with just a little love.

Nothing Better than a Grandma’s Love

And who gives love better than grandma herself? If asked about the importance of a praying grandmother, most of us could likely attest to her sheer power from direct, very personal experience.

And even at the tender age of less than two weeks old, so can baby Katherine.

Just a few months ago, complications threatened to cause a premature delivery. But that was before prayer and a faith-filled grandma entered the fight.

After weeks of fervent petitions to God from her and her community of prayer warriors, Katherine defied all odds and arrived right on time as a perfectly healthy baby girl.

And the blessing doesn’t stop there! She even brought with her a wholesome 7 pounds and 2 ounces–not at all packing light because she’s here to stay.

To all who’ve prayed for little Katherine, Grandma is sending a life-sized THANK YOU! And to all who continue to partner with us in prayer for life–a great big thanks, God bless and keep going to you, too.

Denver, Colorado – November 13, 2023 – Catholic Charities of Denver proudly announces the appointment of Jeannine Duffield as the new Respect Life Denver Director. Jeannine’s journey has been defined by her unwavering Catholic faith and an impressive background in healthcare quality, data analytics and strategic planning. Her commitment to the values of Catholic Charities has been evident through her years of dedicated volunteer work at Samaritan House Denver, Marisol Health and Marisol Homes. Her appointment as Director of Respect Life Denver represents a significant milestone in her service to the pro-life community.
“Throughout my years of volunteering, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the exceptional and inspirational culture that defines Catholic Charities. Joining this remarkable team is a true honor. I’m excited about the opportunity to apply my professional skills and expertise to serve and uplift the lives of our neighbors across Northern Colorado. As I embark on this journey, I am filled with excitement and a deep sense of gratitude.”
With a career spanning over two decades, Jeannine has established herself as a healthcare industry leader, consistently delivering outstanding results. For the past eight years, she moved through the ranks, ultimately serving as the Executive Director of Client Solutions for MDinteractive, ensuring healthcare providers delivered exceptional patient outcomes. Jeannine held positions at Brookdale Senior Living and Procter & Gamble’s Healthcare division and holds a Master of Public Health degree from UCLA and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from UC, San Diego. She is a devoted wife of over 23 years, a mother to three daughters and an active parishioner of St. Thomas More parish in Centennial.
Together with the entire Catholic Charities community outreach team, the Respect Life Denver office will focus on:
• Parish Engagement: The team’s goal is to support the amazing work Respect Life offices are accomplishing across the Archdiocese and share best practices and good ideas to improve the culture of life across our state. Jeannine will be working with Mark Hahn to bring Respect Life Representatives together with Parish Ambassadors to coordinate parish-based events, educational programs and spiritual activities supporting the profound respect for life.
• Community Partnerships: Collaborations with pro-life leaders, non-profit organizations, healthcare providers and community volunteers will be cultivated to collectively foster a culture of life within the broader Colorado community. A key focus in this area will be to support the work of the Colorado Catholic Conference as the bishops of Colorado serve to uphold the dignity of human life and the common good in public policy.
• Alliance within Catholic Charities Ministries: Catholic Charities is filled with ministries that support neighbors at every age and at every stage of life. Marisol Serivces, Samaritan House, St. Raphael Counseling, Catholic Charities Housing, Early Childhood Education, Emergency and Victim’s Assistance, food support and a host of additional ministries make up the comprehensive network of Catholic Charities that serves neighbors across the Archdiocese of Denver. Respect Life is an integral part of that network, and Jeannine will unite and highlight the existing principles of respect for life across every ministry within the organization.

One of the first efforts Jeannine will support will be the launch of Catholic Charities’ newest pregnancy resource center, Marisol Health Northern Colorado. Opening in Spring ‘24, the fully equipped medical center will help women along the northern Front Range make important decisions about their reproductive health in an open and accepting atmosphere.

Jeannine’s focus on connections, collaborations and leadership in the active pro-life space will ultimately benefit all people from conception to natural death and build on the work of her predecessor, Lynn Grandon.

“Lynn Grandon’s Respect Life Denver leadership has been profound for the past decade and her impact will live on for generations,” said Stacy Baum, Vice President of Marketing & Community Engagement for Catholic Charities. “Building on that life-changing work, we are eager to support Jeannine and the entire team as Respect Life Denver advances to a new and exciting chapter.”

Respect Life Denver champions Church teachings regarding the sanctity of all human life, and we seek to transform Colorado into a place where every human being is valued and protected from the moment of conception until natural death.