Marriage, Family and Respect Life

October 2026

Happy October! In the past I have shared that October is my favorite month of the year. I absolutely love the cooler weather. I love the sights and smells of fall. Who doesn't love to watch the leaves turn deep colors of red, orange and brown? Who doesn't love to eat a pumpkin-flavored muffin or sip a hot pumpkin latte? It is also Major League Baseball play off season and the World Series! Who doesn't like baseball?

Fall is a time of preparation for the colder weather of winter. It is also a time to count blessings as we prepare for Thanksgiving next month. October is traditionally the month when we celebrate the gift of life during this month dedicated by the USCCB to the greater respect for human life.

At the end of this month, our diocese will also be celebrating married couples at our Idaho Catholic Marriage Conference; we will in particular recognize those celebrating special milestone wedding anniversaries. This year, we keep our theme of Anchored in Hope and will hear from our guest speakers Curtis and Michaelann Martin and Dr. Edward and Beth Sri. These internationally known speakers will be joining us at the Boise Centre on October 24, 2026. Tickets are on sale now. Click here to register. Returning are our emcees, Johnny and Lorissa Horn. Also, Bishop Peter F. Christensen will offer Mass for all the attendees including our milestone anniversary couples. See more information below; mark your calendars for this great event!

On the pro-life front, we are in the midst of the education campaign regarding Prop.1's challenge to Idaho's culture of life. Prop 1 will be on the ballot this fall. Its presence is an attempt to overturn our pro-life laws and greatly expand the availability of abortions in our State. We must clearly speak out against this measure. To learn more go to: https://stopprop1.org/.

Each October, the Catholic Church in the United States observes Respect Life Month. In Idaho we initiated a 30-day prayer campaign on the weekend of October 3 and 4, Respect Life Sunday. Our diocese is conducting the "Life is Beautiful" prayer campaign throughout October to encourage all Catholics to pray for life through Election Day, November 3. Life is beautiful, and we must do our part to stand up and defend it. See below for image on the prayer card and the prayer. Please pray this prayer in your homes with your families during the month of October.

Check out information about our other ministry offerings an online mental health series entitles Naming and Taming Anxiety and Stress with Catholic therapist, Jim Otremba. This is a great opportunity for personal healing.

May Mary, the Mother of God, watch over us and protect us in our defense of life. Mary, show us the fruit of your womb, Jesus!

Take a moment to review all of the October e-newsletter below. Please forward and share with others.

Enjoy October and pray for life!

Blessings,

Jay Wonacott, MTS

Marriage and Family Life

Respect Life

208-350-7535

Email: jwonacott@rcdb.org

Please pray with us!

Register at: dioceseofboise.regfox.com/idaho-catholic-marriage-conference-2026

St Mark's Respect Life Ministry is pulling together an awesome True Colors event, Sat. Oct 17th 6:30pm. This will be a wine and charcuterie social with expert testimonies (Attorney Megan Wold keynote), art, music, and meaningful conversations surrounding this moment in the pro-life history of Idaho and the country. Opportunities to donate to Right to Life will be available and will benefit the final digital marketing push before the election.

Tickets do need to be pre-purchased via RespectLifeMinistry.org

Right to Life of Idaho is hosting a "No" on Prop 1 rally featuring OB/GYN Dr. Anthony Levatino. Dr Levantino is featured in Live Action's videos about what abortion really looks like and also has a cameo as the abortionist in the movie Unplanned. Dr Levatino used to perform abortions before his conversion into a pro-life advocate. In addition to be a physician, he is also a lawyer. In his talk he will be slashing through lies and firing us up to take courage and get the votes to get the victory!

Monthly Reflection – October 2026

For mental health ministry

Let us pray that the mental health ministry be established throughout the Church, helping to overcome the stigma and discrimination of persons with mental illnesses.

In the Church where I grew up, these words are written over the altar: “Come to me all you who labor and are heavily burdened and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). I saw it many times, but it was not until my career as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor that I realized why this Scripture matters so much. I encounter people who have been rejected for their distress, labeled weak, and blamed for their emotional struggles. Tragically that rejection happens too often by “church people” who admonish, “If you had more faith, you would be ok” or “You have not prayed about it.” Regardless of the specific slight the message is clear: “you are not spiritual enough for God to answer.” Yet our gracious God gave us the ultimate 24/7 hotline to connect with him in prayer no matter what the need. Our challenge is to stop struggling and use it. Sure, our Can-Do culture encourages independence and responsibility which are important, but how much can we do in our human strength? Not always enough. There is no failure in doing your best, then letting God do the rest. As a professional counselor, I walk alongside people in their darkest hours. I remind each new Client that “God is the healer; I am just his helper.” In that role, I have seen God “set a captive free” from a horrific past or destructive choices. When that blessed moment of freedom happens, I am privileged to be present for the miracle of a life revived. Mental Health Counseling is indeed a calling; it’s also a ministry for those of us who work in his name.

By Dr. Kathie Erwin

Dr. Kathie Erwin is a Professor in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Divine Mercy University, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and author of six professional books. She was team leader for Green Cross Academy of Traumatology in Trinidad, India and Romania, She also served as a guest faculty member at University of Iceland and International Institute for Postgraduate Education in Ukraine.

October 22-30, 2026

Join thousands of Catholics across the country in prayer for the protection of human life from conception to natural death.

Each day of the novena features a different prayer intention, as well as a short reflection, ideas for building a culture of life, and more.

Sign-up here to get the daily prayers delivered straight to your inbox!

Dr. Jessica Miller was trained at the Pope Paul VI Institute, where she completed fellowship training in NaProTechnology, developed by Dr. Thomas Hilgers.

NaPro (Natural Procreative Technology) is not alternative medicine; it is restorative medicine. It involves detailed cycle charting, targeted hormone evaluation, treatment of underlying endocrine and ovulatory disorders, as well as meticulous fertility-preserving surgical evaluation and treatment. NaPro works to identify and treat the root cause of a woman's gynecologic issues, especially infertility.

Dr. Miller is licensed in the State of Idaho; her practice is based in Glendive, MT. In addition to receiving new patients, she is willing to serve as an educational resource for the Diocese of Boise—whether through presentations, workshops, parish events, or consultations related to NaPro Technology and Natural Family Planning.

Find out more at: https://www.gmc.org/providers/jessica-miller-md/

November 7 - 14, 2026

There will be a Creighton Model FertilityCare Practitioner education program in the Seattle area (Kent/Renton) beginning November 7-14 with Margaret Howard, CFCE as the program educator.

This program is designed to prepare those who wish to teach natural family planning and fertility awareness through the Creighton Model FertilityCare System. This is a 13-month course of study incorporating two in-person classroom instruction phases and a remote supervised teaching experience.

To learn more about Creighton Model FertilityCare, click here or visit the AOS Natural Family Planning webpage for other general resources,

Have you considered starting a Trinity House Community Group at your parish? Trinity House Community was founded to help families make home “a taste of heaven,” rooted in the Church’s vision that the family is a communion of persons (CCC 2205). Through simple, parish-based gatherings that combine a shared meal, fellowship, and faith formation, families build authentic community—many describe it as “date night plus family night.” It’s easy to launch and fully supported—just bring families together and let the model do the rest. Learn more about bringing Trinity House to your parish, watch this 2-min. video, and schedule a brief 15-minute discovery call here.

In the wake of world events in the past few years, the world has been experiencing a mental health pandemic. The Church can be a place of healing and help for all people, especially for those suffering with mental illness. Mental health is an important aspect of caring for the whole person—body, mind and spirit. We welcome creative ways you would like to use some funding to promote mental health awareness or education in your faith community.

The Diocese of Boise Mental Health Team is extending the opportunity for parishes to apply for mental health mini-grants through the Office of Marriage and Family Life (up to $500 per grant). These grants are for our parishes to promote mental health and wellness among parishioners using parish-based programs.

The application deadline is August 31, 2026. Distribution of accepted grants will occur in the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027.

If your parish is interested in applying, see the grant application attached below.

The recordings from the 2025 Idaho Catholic Marriage Conference are now available on the diocesan website. Please click the button below to access the talks.

(DUE TO CONTRACT TERMS, recordings of the Hahn's talks are only privately accessible. If you'd like to access them, please contact Jay Wonacott at jwonacott@rcdb.org or 208-350-7535 for the access information.)

Are you navigating through the pain of anger, resentment, conflict, anxiety, or fear in your relationships, making life more challenging than you ever imagined? Discover a path to healing and support with Abounding Joy Ministry.

Calix is an association of Catholic alcoholics, drug addicts, family members and friends affected by addiction, who are maintaining their sobriety through participation in their Catholic faith and a 12-Step program. Our first concern is to interest Catholics with these concerns in the virtue of total abstinence. Our second stated purpose is to promote the spiritual development of our membership.

Our conversations and association together is intended to be a source of inspiration and encouragement to each other, geared to our growth toward spiritual maturity. Our participation in all other spiritual activities of Calix, such as the frequent celebration of the Liturgy, reception of the Sacraments, personal prayer and meditation, Holy Hours, Days of Recollection and retreats, aids us in our third objective, namely, to strive for the sanctification of the whole personality of each member. We welcome others who are not members of our Catholic faith, and anyone concerned with the illness of alcoholism and addiction who wish to join with us in prayer for our stated purposes.” (Calix Credo)

Those interested in The Calix Society are encouraged to email Jay Wonacott (jwonacott@rcdb.org) with their interest to learn more about starting a unit in the Diocese of Boise.

ABOUNDING JOY MINISTRY - for Catholic divorce and healing support.

https://www.aboundingjoyministry.com/

FOR YOUR MARRIAGE - helps couples at all stages of life to understand and live God’s plan for happy, holy marriages by providing educational and spiritual resources. https://www.foryourmarriage.org/about-us/

HOPE'S GARDEN - accompanying and guiding women on their healing journey, especially those who have suffered spousal and/or familial wounds. https://hopesgarden.com/

LIFE-GIVING WOUNDS - helping young adults & adults with divorced & separated parents give voice to their pain & find transformative healing in Christ. https://lifegivingwounds.org/

PEARL & THISTLE - providing menstrual cycle and fertility education for Catholics of all ages and stages. https://www.pearlandthistle.com/

RETROUVAILLE - Retrouvaille is designed for couples who want to improve their marriages. It can support couples experiencing serious challenges, as well as couples who simply want to deepen an already good relationship. The only requirement is a shared commitment to working on the marriage, with both spouses attending the program together. https://helpourmarriage.org/

RECLAIMING CATHOLIC INTIMACY (formerly Vines in Full Bloom) - learn how to have a great sex life without going to confession. Website: https://reclaimingcatholicintimacy.com/

Podcast: https://reclaimingcatholicintimacy.com/podcast

SACRED SORROWS - helping bereaved mothers and grandmothers integrate deep grief through the mystery of grace. https://www.sacredsorrows.org/

SPRINGS OF LOVE - The mission of Springs of Love is to raise up more Catholic foster and adoptive families and to support those touched by fostering and adoption through educational programming, small groups, and parish care teams. https://springsoflove.org/

C A T H O L I C C O U N S E L I N G R E S O U R C E S

Association of Idaho Catholic Mental Health Professionals - www.catholictherapistsidaho.org.

Archangel Catholic Counseling - https://www.archangelcatholic.com/

For simple lessons to help with everyday life: https://www.youtube.com/@ArchangelCatholic

Mental Health Hotline - for immediate support, reach out the the national mental health hotline by calling 988.

“Marriage for Life” English and Spanish decals are available. The cost of a single decal packet in English or Spanish is $3.00. However, the bulk rate price is $2.50 for the purchase of 25 or more decals. These funds go toward sustaining the Marriage for Life Campaign. Each packet includes a decal, instructions for application and a beautiful Marriage for Life prayer.

“Marriage for Life” lapel pins are also now available. The cost is $2 per pin. Orders can be made through the Marriage and Family Life Office. You can contact us directly at 208-350-7535 or email jwonacott@rcdb.org.

Please continue to support this effort by directing your parishioners to the www.marriageforlifedecal.com webpage.

Tenemos calcomanías disponibles en inglés y español de “Matrimonio para toda la vida”. El costo de un paquete de calcomanías en inglés o español es de $ 3:00. Sin embargo, el precio de mayoreo es de $2.50 por la compra de 25 o más calcomanías. Estos fondos se destinan a sostener la campaña Matrimonio para toda la vida. Cada paquete incluye una calcomanía, instrucciones para la aplicación y una hermosa oración de Vida Matrimonial.

Los pines de solapa “Marriage Life” ahora también están disponibles. El costo es de $2 por pin. Los pedidos se pueden hacer a través de la Oficina de Matrimonio y Vida Familiar. Puede contactarnos directamente al 208.350-7535 o enviar un correo electrónico a jwonacott@rcdb.org

Continúe apoyando este esfuerzo dirigiendo a sus feligreses a la página web http://www.marriageforlifedecal.com/