Life Office

Respect, protect, love and serve life, every human life!
Only in this direction will you find justice, development, true freedom, peace and happiness.
( John Paul II, The Gospel of Life, 5.)

The Life Office promotes an understanding of human life and health which respects the lives and wellbeing of all members of our human family, especially the unborn, the sick, the disabled, the elderly and the dying.

What is the Life Office?

The Life Office is an agency within the Archdiocese, established to extend the research, policy and educational activities the Church undertakes in life and related issues.
These include pro-life issues generally, but with particular attention to abortion and euthanasia, as well as reproductive technology, embryo experimentation, genetics, family planning, population and other issues, insofar as they bear upon issues of life and death.
The office operates under the direction of the Archbishop, George Cardinal Pell.

Why have such an office?

Christian faith brings a just and loving recognition of the value of each and every human life. The Church is already actively promoting the dignity of human life through our healthcare systems, schools and parishes, pro-life organisations, welfare organisations, media and the indispensable witness of personal acts of care and concern.

but this work needs to continue and expand.

This mission is to be carried out day after day, to people of every age and culture. Pope John Paul II calls us to proclaim, celebrate and serve the dignity of the human person - each and every human person.

To this end, the Life Office seeks to:

work with existing groups engaged in pro-life activities
promote pro-life education, within the Church and the wider community, where necessary producing and distributing literature and resources, as well as organising speakers and events.
support health professionals, welfare workers, parish priests and teachers.
encourage local church pro-life initiatives.
assist pro-life youth and university groups.
conduct research and prepare public submissions to assist the Church in its lobbying work to defend to the dignity of the human person
seek new ways to proclaim, celebrate and serve life within Australian society.