BEGINNING PRAYER: Lord, heavenly creator, source of all life, thank you for creating me. Thank you for desiring my presence in this world. You said that the world needed me and you formed me, breathed your very life into me, and put within me a specific purpose that I will someday soon discover. Help me to remember that you created each and every one of us in the same love and unique desire. Help me to treat others and myself with respect and give me the strength to turn to you when I find that difficult to do or understand. *Pray one Our Father* Amen.

TOTALLY CATHOLIC [Ch. 34]: Why Do We Respect Life?

MAILBOX PRAYER POSTCARD: Please choose one of the Mailbox Prayer postcards from your GIFT kit and color it. Flip it over and in the message section, write something uplifting, encouraging, or an expression of gratitude for: Young Expecting Mothers

• An unexpected pregnancy at a young age is a very scary situation to be in. Please color a postcard for them and write an encouraging note, letting them know you are praying for them and their baby, hoping for them that they find the support they need through the pregnancy and after. Maybe even find a loving and hope-filled Bible verse to write on there that they can cling to throughout this scary time.

THE PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

Pray one GLORY BE (below).