By Jeffery Patterson, Executive Director, Texas Catholic Conference

All of us, at one time or another, have had an opportunity to advocate for our beliefs with friends, family, or co-workers, only to find that our words failed us.  How many times have we hit upon a brilliant point or perfect piece of information--but only long after the conversation has ended? We are left to grumble, "What I should have said was. . ."

It is frustrating, but it happens to everyone.  It does not mean we lack conviction in our beliefs, but only that we may not always have data or reasoning readily at our fingertips.  Pope Benedict XVI has noted even with the Catholic laity's deep love and respect for the Church, not everyone possesses the vocabulary to fully articulate the theological and moral reasoning that underlies our faith.

Fortunately, we have resources.  The Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities under the guidance of the USCCB's  Committee on Pro-Life Activities (chaired by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston), has developed a comprehensive and easy-to-use website for Catholics to read, learn, and prepare themselves for the opportunities to promote and engage others on issues of preserving and promoting life.

The website,  www.usccb.org/prolife, provides a wealth of information on issues ranging from abortion and capital punishment, to end-of-life treatment and stem cell research.  Each subject contains an exhaustive amount of Catholic teaching, fact sheets, articles, research, commentaries, and prayers that puts the Church's into plain words and explains the sensible reasons for protecting every human life.

The Secretariat also has newsletters. People of Life is an e-mail newsletter on the latest pro-life issues and can be subscribed to by emailing your name and diocese to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . A printed newsletter, Life Insight, provides more in-depth analyses and talking points on current pro-life issues; you can subscribe by calling the Secretariat at 202-541-3070.

There’s no reason not to take advantage of this resource.  Recall the Lord's command when Moses protested that he unprepared to advocate for the Israelites before Pharaoh:

"The Lord said to him: Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” (Exodus 4:11-12).

When we are given the opportunity to speak, it wouldn't hurt to have equipped ourselves to accomplish the task.  Think of it as giving the Lord something to work with, so to speak.