During October, the church celebrates Respect Life Month. In this issue, there are several articles about how our parishes and Catholic organizations in the Diocese of Austin are helping women and men who find themselves struggling to provide for themselves and their unborn or young children. We have many wonderful organizations that are striving to protect life from conception to natural death. Not only do we have pregnancy centers and maternity shelters, but we have people serving those in need across our diocese because they know the dignity of every human life. 

As I spoke to Carmen Adams (the woman featured on the cover of this issue), I could see the love in her eyes for the mothers and the babies she has helped make their way to independence. The legacy she leaves at St. Austin Parish and with the Gabriel Project Ministry across the diocese is profound. Thank you, Carmen, for being committed to helping all those mamas and their babies when life got messy! 

Also in this issue is a great piece on what the diocese has in store as we celebrate our 75th anniversary. Stay tuned to our social media channels and www.austindiocese75.org as the celebration begins. The roots of Catholicism in Central Texas run deep, and they are actually much older than 75 years, just read the story on St. Martin Parish in Tours for proof of that!