Members of the Treasure Valley Teens for Life present the gifts during the offertory to Bishop Peter Christensen and Father Germán Osorio, rector at the Cathedral. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer The needs of the world are numerous, and none is more pressing than protecting the dignity of human life. “There’s a great deal more healing that needs to take place in our world at this time,” Bishop Peter Christensen said in his homily for the Mass for Life on Jan. 24 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise. More than 600 attended. “Our world needs greater peace, hope, unity and love,” he said. “Our world needs prayer. We pray especially for the protection and the respect of all human life, for each and every life is precious in the eyes of God.” More than 600 attended the Mass for Life. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) Although the world is struggling with so many things, there is also a movement of renewed faith, Bishop Peter continued. “Something is going on in our world. There’s a darkness that I haven’t seen before in 73 years of life, but there’s also a light that is coming,” he said with encouragement. This light is a renewal of faith, which is a sign that “a new day is dawning,” Bishop Peter said, adding that at the Cathedral, a record number of 120 people are preparing to enter the Church on Easter Vigil through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). St. Paul’s Student Center at Boise State also has the most they have seen in OCIA in its history. They have 35 people who are planning to become Catholic this Easter. This renewal of faith “is happening all over the country, all over the world.” “However, many people remain who have been numbed by a mundane and hopeless understanding of life, in which life holds little value,” Bishop Peter explained. “They see this life on a two-dimensional level without much purpose or value. Each of us needs to be courageous in spreading the news of the Kingdom of God among us.” It is through spreading the Gospel that people “will come to see their own value as created in the image and likeness of God, that the God of the entire universe is their loving Father,” he continued. “If people truly value their lives as unique and precious in the eyes of God, they would never even consider taking the life of another.” Sharing a story from his time in seminary, Bishop Peter highlighted the importance of considering what is truly worth dying for. When he was struggling with several difficulties at seminary, he went to speak to his pastor about the things that were bothering him. His pastor told him: “Peter, not everything in life is worth laying down your life for. Can you name just a few? Those things you have strong conviction about. Think about it.” After considering the question, Bishop Peter realized he was willing to lay down his life for the protection of human life and for the Eucharist. Bishop Peter greets Zane and Isabelle Pulver, who presented roses to the Blessed Virgin Mary. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) "I believe a child in the womb is a human being, needing protection in life,” he said. “I’m also convinced of the importance of the Eucharist. I saw then, as I do now, that the Eucharist is our faith in Jesus Christ and his Church. The Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ. It is the faith of the Church that Jesus is here. I would lay my life down for that.” Bishop Peter asked the congregation to consider the same question. “What is the most important thing in your life that you would lay down your life for it? You can think about them in the days to come. Being focused on just two has helped me to be a lot less petty– that was brilliant of my pastor. Stop worrying about the little things. You’re giving way too much energy to those things that don’t matter. What really matters? What would you give your life for?” Bishop Peter used the life of St. Peter, who gave his life for Christ and the Church, to illustrate the power of God’s love to transform us and the world. In the Gospel reading from John 21:15-19, the Risen Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him. The first two times, Jesus uses the Greek word agape for love. Agape means a sacrificial, unconditional love. Peter says he does love Jesus, but each time he replies with phileo. Phileo means a friendly, brotherly love between people who have similar interests. The third time that Jesus asks Peter, he uses phileo, just as Peter used. “Jesus has switched it up,” Bishop Peter said. “Jesus never rejects Peter’s love. He’ll take the love he has to offer and grow it into agape love over time, as he does with each of us.” Although Peter confessed only a phileo love for Jesus each of the three times he was asked, Jesus ended each exchange with commands: “Feed my lambs,” Tend my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep.” He entrusted Peter with care for the Church, knowing that at Pentecost Peter’s love would be transformed. “Just 50 days after the Resurrection, the disciples are gathered back in the upper room, and the Holy Spirit is poured down upon them. It is at this point filled with the Holy Spirit that Peter is also filled with agape love for Jesus. Peter is no longer afraid. He’s no longer guarded, calculating his relationship with Jesus. He’s all in.” Peter immediately preached the Gospel to the crowd of thousands that were gathering near the apostles after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Because of Peter’s courageous witness, about 3,000 were baptized that day. “What happened to the betrayer? Peter figured out how much the Lord really truly loved him. Peter takes the grace of that love and incorporates it into his own mind and heart and being. Peter, is ready with agape love for the Lord, that unconditional, selfless, sacrificial love, a love that is willing to give all of one’s self for the other, which Peter certainly did.” Bishop Peter gives the final blessing at the Life Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) “We need to be courageous in spreading the Good News of our Lord’s agape love for others, by our words and our actions,” Bishop Peter continued. “If we do so, abortion will be no more.” “Let us follow Jesus above all else, for Jesus truly is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. May we join his mission, may we follow Him. The Lord hears our prayers. He hears you; he knows your heart; he loves you; he’s with you. Do not be afraid. He will direct you to all that is right and true.”

By Jay Wonacott Director of Marriage and Family Life for the Diocese of Boise with Jim Otremba, M.Div, M.S., LICSW Writer’s note: Many faithful Catholics in our Diocese find themselves caught in a cycle of “survival mode”—juggling the demands of growing families, the pressures of work, and an ever-increasing sense of anxiety. I had the opportunity to speak with Jim Otremba—a licensed therapist and a frequent voice on Relevant Radio—to discuss part of the solution: the upcoming virtual retreat, “Naming & Taming Anxiety and Negative Stress,” which begins March 3. Jay Wonacott: Jim, we are so pleased to bring you to the people of the Diocese of Boise again, even if it is virtually. You and your wife, Maureen, were here in the fall of 2024 to lead a marriage retreat. I know many people who love God and love the Church, but they are absolutely exhausted. They feel guilty that they aren’t “joyful” enough. Why do you think so many faithful Catholics struggle with this? Jim Otremba: Jay, it’s a pleasure to be with you. You hit on a major pain point right away: the “guilt of the stressed Catholic.” We often tell ourselves, “If I just trusted God more, I wouldn’t feel this way.” But that’s a misunderstanding of how God designed our bodies. Anxiety isn’t a lack of faith; often, it’s a nervous system that has been stuck on “high alert” for too long. Whether it’s the high cost of living, the pressures of parenting in a digital age or personal wounds, our brains get wired for survival. When we are in survival mode, we can’t be fully present to our spouse, our children or even the Holy Spirit. We end up “time-a-ciding”—killing our time with worry instead of living in the peace Christ promised. Jay: You’ve been a therapist for nearly three decades. What makes this retreat different from a standard secular stress-management course or a typical parish mission? Jim: It’s a “whole-person” approach. Most secular programs focus only on the brain, and some spiritual retreats focus only on the soul. But God created us as a unity of body and spirit. This retreat bridges 21st-century brain science with the timeless truths of our Catholic faith. We aren’t just “sprinkling Bible verses” on top of self-help. We are inviting Christ into the very biology of our stress. For example, in Week 2 of our four-week program, we look at the Gospel of John alongside brain biology to understand how to rewire our response to triggers. We use the tools God gave us—both scientific and spiritual—to move from chronic stress to Christ-centered calm. Jay Wonacot Jay: Let’s talk about the structure. It’s a four-week journey starting March 3, 2026. What can a busy dad or a stressed-out mom expect when they log onto Zoom each Tuesday night? Jim: I designed this to be “Maximum Engagement, Minimum Stress.” I know people are tired, so I don’t want to give them more “homework.” Here’s the four-week schedule. • Week 1: Name It to Tame It We use validated tools like the GAD-7 to see where you actually are. We look at the roots of your anxiety and start using Gospel-based self-talk to stop the cycle of negative thoughts. We also jump right into other interventions that will help your stress today. • Week 2: Rewire Your Response This is where we learn about the nervous system. We practice the “Prayerful Choice”—a specific way to shift from a state of panic to a state of virtue. • Week 3: Anchor Your Heart We dive into the “forgiveness fundamentals.” Unresolved wounds are often the fuel for anxiety. We also practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) to help the body physically let go of tension. • Week 4: Create a New Rhythm Finally, we build your “Rhythm of Peace.” This ensures that when the retreat ends, the transformation continues. Jay: I appreciate the fact that you use the terms “Gospel-based self-talk.” I think many of us are our own worst critics. We wouldn’t talk to a friend the way we talk to ourselves. God doesn’t speak to us this way either. Jim Otremba,  M.Div, M.S., LICSW  Jim: Exactly. One of our past participants, Colleen, mentioned she struggled with perfectionism. She learned that “little changes make positive differences” and that it’s okay not to do it all perfectly. That is the Holy Spirit at work. We replace the “garbage self-talk” with God’s Word. When you do that, your brain biology actually begins to change. Jay: You’ve helped thousands of couples throughout the U.S. through the Fully Engaged marriage prep program. How does this retreat impact marriages and parenting? Jim: It’s transformative. One mother who took the class mentioned she signed up because of her 11-year-old son who was struggling. After she started using the Catholic meditation that I teach and calming tools she learned in the first session, they went eight school mornings in a row without a panic attack! When a parent or spouse learns to “tame” their own anxiety, it changes the entire atmosphere of the home. You become “available” to the Holy Spirit and to your family again. You move from reacting to your children to responding to them with the gentleness of Christ. Jay: I know that some can be skeptical of “virtual” retreats. They wonder if they can really connect or get their questions answered through a screen. How do you handle that? Jim: Every session is live. This isn’t a pre-recorded video series. We spend 45 minutes on active skill-building—we actually fill out the handouts together—and then we have 15 minutes of dedicated, live Q&A. I am there with all the participants. Plus, if someone signs up before February 24, he will get the “Early-Bird” bonuses, which include two months access to unedited retreat recordings, and two months of email follow-up from me to help him integrate these habits. Jay: Jim, for the exhausted person who is reading this right now, feeling like they are just barely treading water, what is your message to them? Jim: My message is: You were not created to simply survive. God wants you to thrive in your vocation. Whether you are struggling with work stress, sleep issues or a constant “hum” of worry, there is a way out. I have seen patterns that work in my 28 years of clinical practice, and I’ve seen the power of the Holy Spirit move in ways science can’t explain. This retreat is a safe, Spirit-led environment where you can finally get the tools you need. It’s $97 for the whole four weeks—that’s about $25 a session. It is an investment in your mental health and your spiritual life that will pay dividends for your family for years to come. Space is limited, so register today. I truly believe this is going to be a blessing for the Diocese of Boise. To register, visit lowermyanxiety.com . Retreat Details at a Glance • What: Naming & Taming Anxiety and Negative Stress (a 4-Week Virtual Retreat) • When: Tuesdays: March 3, 10, 17, & 24, 2026 • Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM MST (Boise time) • Where: Live on Zoom (flexible replays available) • Cost: $97.00 total (less than $25.00 per session). • Early-Bird Deadline: Register by Feb. 24, 2026, for free recordings and email follow-up support. • Limited Space: Register today. Register here: www.lowermyanxiety.com

At right, from left, Natasha Mwiinga, Chloe Hey, Alexis Scott and Vanessa Gamero show their support for the sanctity of human life. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer Idaho is often considered one of the most pro-life states in the country. It’s Defense of Life Act and heartbeat laws protect the most vulnerable of society– preborn babies. However, preborn babies will not be protected at all if the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act (RFPA), currently a ballot initiative, is voted into law. The RFPA was the focus of this year’s Boise March for Life. The march was presented by Right to Life of Idaho (RTLI) on Jan. 24. More than 2,500 marched from Julia Davis Park in downtown Boise, according to Emily Naugle, president of RTLI. The march ended at the Capitol steps for a rally with singing, prayer and speakers. More than 2,500 walked from Julia David Park in downtown Boise to the State Capitol steps in the Boise March for Life, organized by Right to Life of Idaho. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) If the initiative passes, Idaho will no longer be the most pro-life state, said Matt Britton, keynote speaker at the rally. Britton, board ex-officio and general counsel for 40 Days for Life, is an attorney who has served in public office for four terms. He is an international speaker and commentator on pro-life issues. Everywhere at all times, abortion is homicide, Britton said. However, currently in Idaho, abortion is truly murder, because “murder” is a legal term. “You are facing an existential crisis with this constitutional amendment,” he continued. “Abortion will go from ‘being murdered’ to being a woman’s right.” Matt Britton was the keynote speaker at the Boise March for Life rally. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) Abortion is construed as helping women. “An abortion minded woman believes the lies that abortion will make her life better. Ask any woman who’s had an abortion: If they’re uneducated, did they come out [of the abortion clinic] with a PhD? If they’re homeless, do they come out with a home? If they are poor, did they come out with money? If they’re being abused and beaten, do they get away from their abuser after they come out? Abortion solves no problems. It’s never solved a problem. And it sends a woman home alone, bleeding.” Although protecting the unborn through good, life-affirming laws is important, ultimately what is needed is to change hearts to be pro-life. “When no woman wants an abortion, It won’t matter how bad our laws are,” he said. “Support Her, Protect Them” was this year’s pro-life theme. Pregnancy care centers are a main resource for supporting pregnant mothers in Idaho, Naugle said at the rally. “Idaho has 25 pregnancy resource centers to help women in crisis pregnancies. They offer emotional as well as material support. They just love on these moms, walking with them step by step during this very vulnerable time.” Although Idaho is protecting babies with its laws, with the RFPA ballot initiative “a storm is coming,” Naugle continued. “2026 is going to be a critical year for the pro-life movement in Idaho,” she said. Naugle presented the RTLI 2026 Pro-life Warrior Award to Blaine Conzatti, president of the Idaho Family Policy Center. Emily Naugle, president of Right to Life of Idaho, speaks to the crowd from the Capitol steps. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) “Blaine has been relentless in his pursuit to protect and defend the unborn,” Naugle said. “He has an established, proven track record of achievements in the family policy movement, including successfully drafting and championing the Heartbeat Bill, the No Public Funds for Abortion Act, and the Children’s School and Library Protection Act. All this work takes strength, strategy, and a servant’s heart.” Megan Wold, attorney and lobbyist, presented the legislative update for RTLI and addressed the misinformation from proponents of the RFPA ballot initiative at the rally. “The Idaho Supreme Court has made it clear that a woman does not need to be in imminent risk of death for a doctor to act,” she said. “But unfortunately we hear misinformation about Idaho’s laws. They say that doctors can’t practice medicine here or that they must transfer women out of state in medical emergencies. And that is not true.” Proponents of RFPA, she explained, are using misinformation to trigger empathy in voters and convince them to make abortion legal in Idaho. “This misinformation is also politicizing the relationship between women and their doctors and interfering with women’s care,” she continued. “Women are the victims of this misinformation.” Bishop Peter Christensen, Bishop of Boise, gave the convocation prayer and blessing. He affirmed Naugle’s feeling that a storm is coming with the ballot initiative. “It’s going to be a tough one,” he said. “But the good news is that we’re going to get through it.” Bishop Peter Christensen, Bishop of Boise, gave the convocation prayer and blessing at the rally. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) Bishop Peter told the story of Jesus calming the storm, from the Gospel of St. Luke, chapter 8: the apostles and Jesus were sailing on Lake Galilee when a furious storm caused waves to break over their bow. Jesus was asleep during the storm, while the apostles feared for their lives. When they wake up, he asks, “Where’s your faith?” And then he calmed the wind and the waves, and there was peace. “The apostles marveled at this. Jesus was with them, and he is with us,” Bishop Peter said. God also encourages us, he explained, as he encouraged the Old Testament prophet Daniel. “The Lord speaks to him and says, ‘Daniel, fear not, beloved, you are safe. Take courage and be strong,’” Bishop Peter continued. “I want us to take that to our hearts. ‘Take courage’— I love that because I’d rather take the Lord’s courage than rely on my own. Take courage, and use it.” He then quoted St. Francis de Sales, whose feast day was the day of the March for Life: “We shall steer safely through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intentions fervent, our courage steadfast and our trust fixed on God.” Visit rtli.org for more information.

Lauren and Mike Trana with their six children. “We want to keep family first,” Lauren said. (ICR photos/Joe Egbert) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer Lauren and Mike Trana did not have an elaborate business plan when they got married in 2009. However, their family business, River Valley Auto Repair, has stayed successful through economic downturns, a pandemic and all the unpredictability of raising a family of six children. “We’ve always been of the mindset to do what’s best for the family,” Lauren Trana said. “We’ve made our decisions through prayer and discernment.” Mike and Lauren met in 2007 although their paths had crossed years before. They both attended Holy Spirit Parish in Meridian, which eventually consolidated with St. Matthew’s Parish in Eagle to form Holy Apostles Parish in north Meridian. They both attended Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, but because Mike was five years older, they were never on campus at the same time. After high school, they both left the Catholic faith. “We met in a recovery group with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Mike was already involved again with the Church, but I had just come back to the faith. We got to know each other doing charitable work together,” Lauren said. They started dating at the beginning of 2008. “Mike went to daily Mass at Holy Apostles and was really active in the church. We talked a lot about the faith,” she explained. During that time, Mike was studying the Theology of the Body by Pope St. John Paul II through books by author and speaker Christopher West. “I would read Christopher West’s books in Adoration and really pray about how to apply Theology of the Body to my life,” Lauren continued. “Mike and I talked a lot about Theology of the Body before we got married.” Just months after they began dating, Mike was laid off, and decided to start his own auto repair business, Michael’s Mobile Autoservice. “He would go to people’s houses to repair their cars. Because he knew so many people from daily Mass, he never needed to advertise. He also helped people in AA with their cars so they could keep going to work. He did a lot for people who were trying to get their lives back on track. Even though the economy was really bad at that time, he always had business.” Lauren and Mike Trana at the new location for their business, River Valley Auto Repair. (ICR photo/Joe Egbert) But continuing in auto repair was not what Mike envisioned for the rest of his life. After the couple married at Holy Apostles on August 15, 2009, he went to Boise State to pursue a degree in counseling. “He loves helping people, and he’s really good with academics. So, he had no trouble taking classes while keeping up with his business,” Lauren said. Lauren became pregnant on their honeymoon. Because of her severe morning sickness, she had to quit her job. “After Miryana was born, I just knew my calling was to be a stay-at-home mom,” she said. “Mike totally supported that calling. He looked me in the eye, told me not to worry about it, and that we would make it work.” Mike went back to work for the powerline company after their first child, Miryana, was born. “He really wanted to provide well for our family, but he had to travel a lot. The powerline company had fleets in different states, including Kansas and Texas. So, he was gone a lot.” Lauren began having complications during her third pregnancy in 2013. “It was then that we decided it wasn’t worth it to have Mike work for a large corporation,” she said. “It just wasn’t good for the family for him to be gone so much. So, we opened Trana’s Garage.” They used property near his parents’ house in Meridian to set up shop for his auto repair business. Around that time, they found a larger home for their growing family in Boise and joined St. Mark’s Parish. They tried to sell their property in Meridian, but each time it fell through. Mike continued his work at his garage in Meridian. He also decided to pursue a degree in counseling again at Boise State. Although he did well in his classes, he discerned that God wanted him to be involved in his work as a mechanic. “People often just open up to him about things while they’re hanging out at the shop waiting for their car,” Lauren said. “He really listens to them.” At the beginning of 2025, the company had grown so much that they needed to move. “It was definitely a God-thing when we found the building in Boise for our business,” she explained. “We really needed to move; Mike had more work than he could do on his own. Every now and then, he would hire someone to help him, but the garage in Meridian was too small to have more than one employee. So, we rebranded as ‘River Valley Auto Repair,’ and we found a new garage in March in Boise.” They now have three mechanics and the space to work on more than one car at a time. Lauren also works part-time as the office manager. “Mike goes above and beyond to help customers with their cars. He still works on cars even though he’s a supervisor, but it’s so nice because the business isn’t completely dependent on him now. It gives him more freedom.” The arrangement has given Mike more time with family. “Our oldest is at Bishop Kelly now,” Lauren explained. “We are homeschooling our five other kids through a co-op, St. Benedict’s Academy in Eagle. The time just flies by, and we want to keep family first.” For more information about River Valley Auto Repair, visit rivervalleyautorepair.com .

By Tish O’Hagan Worship Director Diocese of Boise   The Church has two liturgical seasons whose main purpose is to prepare us for our great feast days — Christmas and Easter — and both seasons have a twofold nature. Advent is both eschatological (looking forward to the end times) and rooted in the coming celebration of the birth of Christ (looking backward to, and celebrating, a profound event in the history of salvation).   Lent, the season we are about to enter, is a season of repentance and baptism: “…the Lenten liturgy prepares for celebration of the Paschal Mystery both catechumens, by the various stages of Christian initiation, and the faithful, who recall their own Baptism and do penance” ( Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar , No. 27).   In keeping with the emphasis on penance, during Lent the Church is vested in purple. Music is muted, and there should be no flowers in the sanctuary (nor any other unnecessary decor, such as elaborate displays meant to represent a “desert” time of the soul). At Mass, there is no Gloria, and the Alleluia is not sung or said.   Nonetheless, Lent is at its root an optimistic season (the word Lent comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word for springtime, the most optimistic time of year). For those anticipating baptism at Easter, Lent is the initiation period into a life of grace as a Christian.   Meanwhile, we, the already baptized, are called to deepen our commitment to this life of grace through acts of charity and atonement that hopefully reflect more than surface asceticism. These acts acknowledge a collaboration with God that began with our own baptism, a collaboration in which we willingly take on the aspects and obligations of Christian life that are clearly delineated in the Gospels.   Lenten liturgies are also a communal summons to enter this collaboration. We celebrate the scrutinies along with those about to be baptized. The readings on the Sundays of Lent speak of transformation, resurrection and the complicated history of God’s relationship with his children. We fast and pray, spiritually accompanying the catechumens as they prepare to become new creations in Christ.  Lent’s twofold nature springs from our fallen human nature — born to sin and repent, to be saved and exalt. Through our participation in the Paschal mystery, in our observance of the rites and character of this liturgical season, and in our accompaniment of the catechumenate, we encounter the ever-unfolding, ongoing Christian story.   Our Lenten liturgies acknowledge in a particular way that our salvation is rooted in the mercy of God, whose abundant love provides the reparation we ourselves cannot provide. We recognize that we have entered into divine life with God, and we pray for those about to undergo that same transformation at Easter. We see that this new life springs into being not in isolation, but in the body of Christ, which is the Church.   Lenten Observances and Guidelines Lent begins Feb. 18, on Ash Wednesday, and runs until the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday (April 2).   The faithful support those preparing for baptism at Easter and undergo their own conversion process through the three spiritual disciplines of Lent: penance, almsgiving and prayer. Catholics are encouraged to observe the season by attending Lenten services such as the Stations of the Cross; by “fasting from” particular habits and indulgences; by cultivating additional practices of prayer and service; and by being deliberate in their almsgiving. It is also recommended that Catholics receive the sacrament of reconciliation before Easter.   • Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence. • For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 through age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together do not equal a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding on members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onward. • If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast,” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus and to prepare to share more fully in the celebration of his resurrection. • Those excused from fasting and abstinence outside the age limits include the physically or mentally ill, including individuals suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, as well as pregnant or nursing women. In all cases, common sense should prevail, and ill persons should not further jeopardize their health by fasting.

Over 70,000 signatures needed to qualify for Nov. 2026 election Thousands participated in the 2026 March for Life and rally at the Capitol building on Saturday, March 24. Speaker Blaine Conzatti and keynote speaker Matt Britton urged the public to education themselves on the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act (RFPA), which seeks to legalize abortion and sex change surgeries for minors. (ICR photo/Philip A. Janquart) By Philip A. Janquart ICR Editor   An abortion rights group is proposing a ballot measure that would privatize abortion decisions, overriding Idaho’s pro-life laws and effectively dismantling decades of legislative work, according to the pro-life organization Right to Life of Idaho (RTLI).   Boise-based Idahoans United for Women & Families (IUWF) is proposing the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act (RFPA), which the group wants added to the Nov. 3, 2026, election ballot.   Supporters have until April 30 to submit the 71,000 signatures, or 6% of registered voters in 18 of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts, required for the initiative to be added to the ballot.   “A storm is coming,” said Right to Life of Idaho President Emily Naugle at the Jan. 24 March for Life rally at the steps of the Capitol building in downtown Boise. This year’s theme was “Support Her, Protect Them.”   “Just like the Gospel of Luke, we know that we don’t need to panic, but we do need to be sure that Jesus is awake in the boat,” she said, noting that prayer and educating others are the keys to preparing for that storm.   Blaine Conzatti was one of the speakers at the Jan. 24 March for Life, winning the “2026 Pro-life Warrior Award.” He emphasized that the initiative is “too extreme for Idaho,” and encouraged supporters to visit tooextremeforidaho.com . The online home for the Decline to Sign campaign seeks to educate the public about the RFPA, specifically what it would mean for pro-life laws in Idaho and how it would affect women, minors and the preborn.   “According to a poll released just a few days ago by Boise State University, if the election were held today, about 60% — that’s six-zero — of Idaho voters would support this ballot initiative,” he said, addressing a crowd of about 2,500 pro-life supporters, an increase in attendance of about 500 over the 2024 event.   Conzatti is the president of the Idaho Family Policy Center and drafted and championed the Heartbeat Bill, the No Public Funds for Abortion Act and the Children’s School and Library Act, among other notable contributions to the pro-life cause.   “Ballot initiative supporters have already raised $1 million, and we expect them to raise millions more … so, more likely than not, they are going to get this on the ballot, and we’ve got our work cut out for us,” he said.   If the RFPA is added to the Nov. 3 ballot, Idahoans will vote on a proposed measure that asserts women have the “right to make decisions about their own bodies,” paving the way for them “to make private reproductive health care decisions, including abortion up to fetal viability and in medical emergencies,” IUWF stated in a certificate of review submitted to Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane on Nov. 21, 2024.   Brian Conzatti speaks at the Jan. 24, 2026 March for Life.  (ICR photo/Emily Woodham)  “Up to fetal viability” typically means the point at which a baby can survive outside its mother’s womb, or 23-24 weeks’ gestation. But the act redefines “fetal viability” as the “significant likelihood” of survival without “extraordinary measures,” according to RTLI. This could extend legal abortion in the third trimester.   “The Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act recognizes that reproductive health care choices — such as the use of contraception, fertility treatments, childbirth care, miscarriage care, the decision to continue one’s own pregnancy and abortion — are deeply private matters that should be decided by a person in consultation with their health care provider,” according to IUWF’s statement of purpose, which adds that women and their health care providers should not be subjected to external pressures, punitive consequences or government interference.   Conzatti said the RFPA is about more than “reproductive rights.” “If you thought this was just about abortion, it’s not: this ballot initiative would even establish a statutory right for minor children to undergo sex-change surgeries behind the backs of parents,” he said, pointing to what he described as a real-world struggle between good and evil, which is sure to culminate in eternal consequences.   “Right now, these children do not have voices to advocate for themselves,” Conzatti said. “One day, each of us will give an account to God for how we stewarded the opportunities he entrusted to us. We must earnestly desire to defend the preborn with all the strength that God has given us.   “It’s my prayer that God will use you in mighty ways to defeat this attack on preborn life, women and families in our state … we still have a long way to go, especially with the black-market chemical abortion pills that are flooding into our state. The biggest fight is still ahead of us.”   Fellow keynote speaker Matt Britton said Idaho, as a leading pro-life state with robust pro-life laws, faces an existential threat, stating that abortion is never health care, but rather an intent to end life, making it “homicide, not a constitutional right.” Matt Britton speaks at the Jan. 24, 2026 March for Life.  (ICR photo/Emily Woodham)    “Abortion never saves a life,” he said. “The definition is taking the life of an unborn child. That is the definition of an abortion in every medical textbook on earth … it causes death.”   Britton has had an expansive legal career, including four terms as an elected prosecutor, county attorney and counsel to many nonprofits in the U.S. He is a major law firm litigator and general counsel. He has written and spoken on a range of legal and pro-life issues across the U.S., Europe, Asia and South America. He leads the Institute of Law and Justice, a special project of 40 Days for Life, in protecting American freedoms as pro-life supporters and the unborn across the country.   (Visit 40daysforlife.com for more information on a campaign whose slogan is “The beginning of the end of abortion.”)   He lauded Idaho’s partial-birth abortion ban, restrictions on abortion pills and various bills that have made the state consistently pro-life, a distinction, he said, that is rare among other U.S. states.   Britton noted that 100,000 babies are aborted in the U.S. every month.   “We talk about the drug epidemic and the people dying. Do you know how many people die of drugs in America every year … 100,000,” he said. “We’ve turned the entire country upside down, and every death is a tragedy. Every early death is a tragedy.”   Like Conzatti, Britton said there will be eternal consequences.   “You are facing an existential crisis (in Idaho) with this constitutional amendment,” he said. “It will go from being murder to being a woman’s right. Every embryology textbook on earth says life begins at conception, and we are all made in the image of God. We will be judged as a society on how we treat the most vulnerable among us.”   For more information about Right to Life of Idaho, visit rtli.org .

De izquierda a derecha: Ralph May, director ejecutivo de SVdP Southwest; Rigo González Jr., tesorero; Carolina Carachuri, secretaria; Memo Gutiérrez, vicepresidente; Guadalupe Rodríguez, presidenta; Becky Swartz, presidenta del Consejo; y Cathy Hagadone, tesorera del Consejo, durante la instalación del comité de la recién establecida Conferencia Hispana. (ICR foto/Vero Gutiérrez) Vero Gutiérrez Editora Asistente Desde el espíritu de su fundador, Federico Ozanam, y la inspiración de su santo patrón, San Vicente de Paúl, se iniciaron las primeras reuniones formales, en las que quedó legalmente constituido el comité para la Primera Conferencia Hispana, cuya misión será brindar atención personal a las familias más necesitadas de habla hispana en esta región del Estado. El nombre de la Conferencia es Espíritu Santo y su primer comité quedó integrado por Guadalupe Rodríguez, presidenta de la Conferencia, Memo Gutiérrez, vicepresidente, Carolina Carachuri, secretaria, y Rigo González, Jr. Tesorero. “Una red de amigos, inspirados por los valores del Evangelio, para crecer en santidad y construir un mundo más justo a través de las relaciones personales y el servicio a las personas en necesidad”. Es la misión de la espiritualidad vicentina que ahora este nuevo grupo que conforman la Primera Conferencia Hispana están llamados a hacer realidad en su comunidad. Los integrantes de la Conferencia Hispana avanzan cumpliendo con cada uno de los requisitos de la Sociedad de San Vicente de Paúl, como paso previo al inicio de su labor de servicio a la comunidad hispana en situación de necesidad. (ICR foto/Vero Gutiérrez) Como parte del proceso de conformación para una nueva conferencia, se llevó a cabo la instlación del comité en las oficinas de San Vicente de Paul. Cada uno de los miembros aceptó el compromiso de cumplir con los estatutos de la Sociedad de San Vicente de Paúl. Becky Swartz, Presidenta del Consejo, Ralph May, Director Ejecutivo, Cathy Hagadone y Norma Pintar Coordinadora de Asuntos Hispanos estuvieron presentes para atestiguar este importante acontecimiento y tomar protesta a los nuevos miembros del comité que dirigirá la Conferencia Hispana una vez que se haya cumplido con todos los requerimientos administrativos. Como parte de la formación que deben recibir los miembros de la Sociedad Vicentina parte de los miembros del comité se sumaron a la clase de Orientación Ozanam el pasado 24 de enero en la parroquia de Holy Apostles en Meridian. Cathy Hagadone, tesorera del Consejo SVdP, durante su presentación en la Orientación Ozanam. (ICR foto/Vero Gutiérrez) La clase tuvo una duración de seis horas, donde los nuevos integrantes hispanos recibieron temas sobre la historia, la organización y la espiritualidad de la Sociedad, junto con información básica sobre la pobreza y las visitas domiciliarias. Además de recibir información sobre la historia de los vicentinos, su misión y los detalles de su labor de servicio a lo largo de los años —desde su fundación hasta su llegada a Estados Unidos—, este encuentro fue también un tiempo especial para compartir experiencias y testimonios con quienes cuentan con más años de servicio en otras conferencias. La Conferencia Hispana podrá ofrecer acompañamiento y servicio a las personas en situación de necesidad, brindando información, referencias y apoyo en casos de emergencia o requerimientos especiales. Asimismo, ofrecerá atención cercana a quienes se encuentran solos o afligidos. voluntarios de San Vicente de Paúl de diversas conferencias, entre ellos integrantes del Comité de la Conferencia Hispana, participaron en la Orientación Ozanam llevada a cabo en la parroquia Holy Apostles . (ICR foto /Vero Gutiérrez) Los puntos clave de la misión a la que están llamados como conferencia comienzan desde el interior del propio grupo que ha iniciado este nuevo proyecto de San Vicente de Paul. Según el Manual de la Sociedad Vicentina, quienes forman parte de esta conferencia están llamados a ser amigos entre sí, a cuidarse unos a otros y a vivir con fidelidad las prácticas religiosas de la Sociedad, siguiendo el ejemplo de Cristo. Desde esa vivencia fraterna, se identifican con los pobres, a quienes están llamados a visitar con prontitud, regularidad y atención, reconociendo en ellos el rostro mismo de Cristo. Además, se busca que los voluntarios puedan establecer relaciones a largo plazo, basadas en la confianza y la amistad, que ayuden a las personas a transformar sus vidas. Un aspecto fundamental de este esfuerzo será también la promoción de la justicia. Este pequeño grupo que conforma la Primera Conferencia Hispana de la SVdP está integrado por personas pertenecientes a la Catedral Saint John The Evangelist, Sacred Heart, Saint Mary y Saint Paul. Sin embargo, la invitación permanece abierta para todos aquellos que sientan el llamado al servicio de los pobres y deseen integrarse como voluntarios. Si están interesados en participar o necesitan más información favor de comunicarse a las oficinas administrativas de San Vicente de Paul con Norma Pintar, Coordinadora de Asuntos Hispanos al teléfono 208- 484- 1482 o bien enviarle un correo a la dire- cción norma.pintar@svdpid.org

Photo of St. Mary's Catholic Students at All Schools Mass By Bishop Peter F. Christensen Catholic Schools Week invites our diocesan family to pause in gratitude and hope as we celebrate the life of our Catholic schools—their academic excellence, their communities of care, and their generous service. Yet this week also calls us to something deeper: to renew our commitment to the distinctly evangelical vocation of Catholic education entrusted to us as shepherds, educators, parents, and families of faith, flows from fidelity to the Church’s mission of evangelization fulfilled in making disciples and building the Kingdom of God. In a cultural moment that often prizes neutrality over conviction, Catholic schools are called to a particular kind of courage: the courage to be unmistakably Catholic. This courage does not reject dialogue or academic rigor; rather, it flows from fidelity to the Church’s mission to exalt the risen and victorious Christ as Lord and Savior for all humanity.  The Directory for Catechesis  reminds us that education and evangelization are inseparable in the life of the Church. Catholic schools are not simply institutions that include religious content alongside secular subjects; they are communities where the Gospel permeates the entire educational climate. Their purpose is not limited to conveying information about the faith, but to propose Christ as the definitive meaning of human life. To dilute or bracket this evangelical purpose in the name of neutrality is not an act of respect, but a failure to live the vocation entrusted to Catholic education. The challenge of truth stands at the heart of this vocation. In the Passion narrative, Jesus stands before Pontius Pilate and declares, “For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate responds with a question that continues to echo through history: “What is truth?” That question—asked with skepticism and distance—captures a temptation that still confronts Catholic education today. When truth is treated as relative, provisional, or purely subjective, the proclamation of the Gospel is reduced to one opinion among many. Catholic schools, however, are called to stand not with Pilate’s doubt, but with Christ’s witness. The Church has never taught that all religions are equal in their truth claims or moral vision. While she acknowledges that elements of truth and goodness can be found in other religious traditions, she also professes—clearly and consistently—that the fullness of truth is revealed in Jesus Christ and entrusted to the Church. The General Directory for Catechesis  insists that catechesis and Catholic education must present this fullness faithfully and confidently. Authentic dialogue does not require the suspension of truth; it presupposes it. For this reason, Catholic schools must resist the temptation of false neutrality. A purely descriptive or non-committal presentation of Catholicism—one that avoids doctrinal clarity or moral claims for fear of controversy—empties Catholic education of its missionary heart. Evangelization is not coercion. As the Directory for Catechesis  makes clear, it is the loving proposal of Christ, offered with respect for freedom and conscience, yet never reduced to vague spirituality or a lowest-common-denominator ethic. This evangelical vocation extends to all students, not only those who are already Catholic. Catholic schools rightly welcome families from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds, and such diversity enriches the school community. Yet hospitality must never be confused with silence. To enter a Catholic school is to enter a community that believes something definite about God, the human person, morality, and salvation. To obscure those convictions in the name of inclusivity is neither honest nor charitable. The Church’s educational vision has always been one of integral formation—intellectual, moral, spiritual, and human. Catholic education seeks not merely to inform minds, but to form hearts and consciences in truth and freedom. Truth, as the Church teaches, is not an abstract idea imposed from without; it is a Person who liberates. When Catholic schools confidently proclaim Christ, they serve not only Catholics, but every student entrusted to their care, offering a vision of life grounded in dignity, meaning, and hope. In an age shaped by relativism and uncertainty, Catholic schools must recover the courage that belongs to their vocation. This courage does not close doors; it opens them—inviting students to encounter the living Christ and to discover the truth about themselves and the world. As your bishop, I give thanks during Catholic Schools Week for educators, administrators, and families who understand that Catholic schools are not called to mirror the culture, but to evangelize it. By presenting the fullness of the faith with clarity and charity, Catholic education remains faithful to its mission and to the truth that sets all humanity free. References Sacred Scripture: John 18:37–38. Congregation for the Clergy. Directory for Catechesis . Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2020. Sacred Congregation for the Clergy. General Directory for Catechesis . Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1997. Second Vatican Council. Gravissimum Educationis  (Declaration on Christian Education), 1965. Congregation for Catholic Education. The Catholic School , 1977. Congregation for Catholic Education. Educating Together in Catholic Schools: A Shared Mission Between Consecrated Persons and the Lay Faithful , 2007.

By Jay Wonacott Director of Marriage and Family Life for the Diocese of Boise I am amazed at the complexity and the many levels of the Catholic Church and how they function together. Tip O’Neill, U.S. Speaker from the Reagan-era, once said that “all politics is local.” It may also be said that the experience of the Church is local, but there is much more to the Catholic Church. A universal, worldwide Church is a big Church. Most Catholics experience living the faith in their homes and at their local parishes. Sometimes people visit their diocesan cathedral and maybe see their local bishop once or twice. The bishop, of course, represents the diocesan Church, but also the universal Church as one of the successors of Christ’s Apostles. Most Catholics do not know much about the workings of the Church at the diocesan, national conference or Vatican levels. Church life is experienced at the local level, with the drama and politics of one’s local parish. However, all of these parts of the Church are intimately connected. It is important for people to know these layers of the Church and how they collaborate and interact. I would like to take the idea of National Marriage Week as an example, not only to talk about the value of marriage, but also to illustrate how the levels of the Church help promote marriage. Last November, Pope Leo’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued an official note on marriage, specifically addressing the idea of monogamy and the nature of marriage. It is officially titled Una caro: Doctrinal Note on the Value of Matrimony as an Exclusive Union and Mutual Belonging . Jay Wonacott The head of this Vatican office, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, describes the purpose of the note: “In this Note, we will consider the most important interventions of the Magisterium on the given theme, as well as a series of authors from antiquity to the present — including theologians, philosophers and poets. We have found a great wealth of reflections that affirm the unity of the spouses, their mutuality and the all-encompassing significance of the marital relationship. In this way, the various texts come together to form a beautiful mosaic that will surely enrich our understanding of monogamy.” Having some theological training, I am one of those people who will read a document like Una caro for clarifying teaching, but also because it is part of my job to try to keep up with documents issued by the Vatican and the Magisterium of the Church. Here is a passage from Una caro that teaches about the nature of marriage: This expression is a verbal manifestation of a deeper reality: a conviction and a decision to belong to each other mutually, to be ‘one flesh,’ and to walk together along the path of life. As Pope Francis said: ‘Married couples, too, should form a first-person plural, a “we.” [They should] stand before each other as an “I” and a “you,” and stand before the rest of the world, including the children, as a “we.”’ This happens because, although they are two different people — two individuals who each retain their own unique and inalienable identity — the spouses have, by their free consent, forged a union that places them together before the world. It is a union that generously opens itself to others, but always starting from that unique and exclusive reality of the conjugal ‘we.’ There is great food for thought in this one small paragraph. Global teachings like these are shared with the universal Church, and then national churches work to develop practical programming or teaching based on what is coming from Rome. A great example of this is National Marriage Week. As the director of marriage and family life for our diocese, I received an email from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), promoting National Marriage Week 2026. The U.S. bishops have a website dedicated to marriage ministry called For Your Marriage. The email stated: Dear Marriage and Family Life Directors, Feb. 7-14 is National Marriage Week. The celebration of National Marriage Week is an opportunity to focus on the beauty of building a strong and dedicated life together through the sacrament of matrimony. World Marriage Sunday will be celebrated Feb. 8. This year’s theme from National Marriage Week USA is ‘Together With Purpose.’ Inspired by this national movement, our theme will be: Man and Woman He Created Them: Together With Purpose. This theme honors the unique gifts of men and women and how these gifts are expressed in a spirit of complementarity. We see men and women today lacking a sense of purpose, both in their personal lives and in relationships. This sacred week will honor the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia (‘The Joy of Love’). In an effort to emphasize that we have been created to complement one another, the Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth is offering various resources to all dioceses for those discerning marriage, engaged couples and those already living the vocation of marriage. These resources include an at-home weeklong retreat, a marriage-centered lectio divina, a preaching resource and flyers for parishes. Resources can be found through the USCCB and For Your Marriage. Check back regularly for updates, as new resources will be added. At the diocesan level, I share this information with our parishes, which then decide how to share it with parishioners through social media or parish bulletins. The parish level decides what it would like to do to support marriage in local communities. A great example of this process is our upcoming local marriage retreat at St. Mark’s. I am collaborating with leaders at St. Mark’s and St. John’s Cathedral to promote a Valentine’s Day weekend marriage retreat at St. Mark’s Catholic Church. The retreat will be held Friday, Feb. 13, from 6 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 14, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is titled Tools to Cultivate Your Marriage. The retreat will include fun Friday night activities, practical content to nurture marriage, Saturday morning Mass and meals. It is open to engaged and married couples. It is at the parish level where “faith” meets “life.” The multiple levels of the Church make it rich and complex. The Body of Christ has many parts working together for the benefit of the everyday Catholic who is simply trying to live the faith, follow the Lord and receive the grace Jesus wants to give through his imperfect servants striving to do his will. Do something for your marriage this February. Read a Church document on marriage and discuss it, participate in the at-home weeklong retreat provided by the USCCB, or join us at St. Mark’s for our local marriage retreat.

By Emily Woodham Staff Writer St. John the Almsgiver (also known as “the Almoner,” “the Merciful” and “the Compassionate”) has spurred saints to charity and magnanimity for centuries. John was born in Amathus, Cyprus, around A.D. 560 to a wealthy, devout family. He was well educated. His father owned land and was involved in politics. John enjoyed praying, reading and studying, and he especially loved reading about the saints. One night, when John was 15, he had a vision of the most beautiful and joyful woman he had ever seen, who wore a garland of olive leaves around her head. She said that she was the cause of God’s coming in the Incarnation and that she would bring him to God. John believed he had seen a vision of the virtue of compassion, or charity, because it was God’s compassion and charity that brought about the Incarnation. Excited by the vision, John quickly dressed and, just before dawn, went to the church to pray. On his way, he saw a beggar shivering in the cold. He gave the beggar his goatskin cloak. Then a man in white appeared and gave him a bag containing 100 gold coins, telling him to use the money however he liked. Before John could return the sack, the man in white disappeared. John was astonished and vowed to outdo God in generosity. However, God continued to be more generous than John ever could be. One day, John realized that his vow was a vain effort to tempt God, and he marveled that God remained merciful and generous anyway. He repented. From then on, he gave generously and without judgment to everyone in need or who asked for help, simply in imitation of God’s generosity and love. At his father’s insistence, John married as a young man. He and his wife had several children; however, none survived early childhood. After his wife died — possibly from complications of childbirth — John devoted his spare time to helping the poor and sick in his community. His wisdom and benevolence became well known throughout the region. Nicetas, the newly appointed governor of Alexandria, and Emperor Heraclius (610–641) insisted that John become patriarch, or archbishop, of Alexandria, “the throne of St. Mark the Apostle.” (This was a time when bishops could be elected by the people of their dioceses or appointed by a ruler.) John attempted to dissuade them, but to no avail. He was consecrated patriarch around 611. John cleared the churches of Alexandria of heresy. Heretical clergy were required either to repent or to leave. Those who repented were required to sign declarations affirming adherence to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Although Nicetas believed John was too forgiving, the Church in Alexandria flourished. John was deeply concerned for the spiritual care of everyone in his archdiocese — clergy and laity, rich and poor alike. He treated his clergy with fatherly care, ensuring they had adequate income and housing so they would not be tempted by bribes. He also arranged to sit in a chair outside the cathedral every Wednesday and Friday, assisted by only a few staff members, so that anyone could approach him with spiritual or physical needs. In 611, the Sassanid Persians conquered Antioch. Hundreds of Syrians fled to Alexandria for safety. John’s biographers said he ensured that all the refugees were provided for “as brothers.” He built poorhouses and hostels for them, provided money for food and necessities, and ensured hospitals offered free medical care. Soon afterward, a famine struck. John learned that mothers who had recently given birth were standing in long lines to receive food for their families. Deeply moved by compassion for these vulnerable women and their infants, he had seven lying-in hospitals — each with 40 beds — built throughout the city. Mothers were allowed to rest with their infants for at least seven days after childbirth. When they returned home, each was given money to assist with food and other needs. When the Persians sacked Jerusalem in 614, John sent clergy with food and supplies to assist Jerusalem and surrounding towns. He was especially concerned for nuns who had been attacked. He arranged care for survivors and paid ransom for the return of 1,000 nuns taken captive, ensuring they were able to return safely to their convents. By this time, John became widely known as “John the Almsgiver.” Persian governors, astonished by his generosity, sent bribes just to meet him, but he refused to go to them. In 619, the Persians began efforts to seize Alexandria. Through prayer, John believed the Lord was calling him to return to Amathus. Nicetas opposed the idea and urged John instead to travel with him to Constantinople to see the emperor. John agreed as a favor to his friend. However, when storms battered their ship, even Nicetas became convinced that God intended John to return to Cyprus. John died peacefully after returning home. Many miracles were reported at his funeral and later at his tomb. St. John the Almsgiver is a patron saint of Egypt.

From left, Senator James Risch, Representative John Shirts and Weiser Memorial Hospital (Weiser, Idaho) CEO Beau McNeff. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer More than 70 people, including approximately 20 legislators, attended the annual Mass and breakfast for Idaho legislators just hours before the opening of the 2026 legislative session. The Mass, held on Monday, Dec. 12 and celebrated by Father Dennis Day at St. John’s Cathedral, is intended as a time of prayer and reflection for public officials as they seek God’s guidance heading into a new session of lawmaking. “My brothers and sisters, you face complex and often volatile issues,” said Father Day, a retired priest of the Diocese of Boise and a former board member of the National Right to Life Committee, in his homily. “You work under intense scrutiny and carry heavy burdens. This work is not easy. It was not easy for those first disciples either.” Father Dennis Day, retired priest of the Diocese of Boise, celebrated the Mass for legislators at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise. At the end of Mass, he blessed the legislators and prayed for their new session. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) To weather the difficulties of the session, it is important for legislators to appreciate the friendship of colleagues and remember that the Church is praying for them. “God’s people pray continually for you and ask the Holy Spirit to grant you wisdom, courage and consolation,” Father Day said. “Rely on those prayers, but nurture your own prayer life as well, for that is essential.” Father Day encouraged all those present that American citizens should never feel self-conscious about praying, even in public. The Founding Fathers of the United States secured religious freedom by clearly distinguishing religious authority from state power, “but their intent was never to exclude people of faith from the public square,” he explained. “Their intent was having a public square where people of all religious traditions could participate freely. Separating Church and State was never meant to separate religion from society or to prevent faith from flourishing.” Just as Jesus called each of his disciples to a vocation, each legislator is called as a minister of the law, Father Day said. “In the ancient world, law was inseparable from justice. In that sense, legislators are ministers not only of law, but of justice and truth. Today, the Church honors that vocation and invites you to remember why you first chose to serve and to reflect on how you can continue to grow as servants of truth and justice for the common good.” Their mission includes “protecting the sacredness of all human life, upholding the dignity of every person without exception, safeguarding religious freedom, defending marriage and family and being a voice for the poor, the vulnerable and the weak.” Following the Mass, the Diocese of Boise hosted a breakfast for legislators in the cathedral’s parish hall.

Pro-life advocates assemble on the Capitol steps in Boise during the March for Life Rally in 2025.  (ICR photo/Philip Janquart) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer The 2026 Mass and March for life is scheduled for Saturday, January 24. This year’s theme is “Support Her, Protect Them.” “It’s so important to do both: to support the mother and protect the babies, just as our bishops have led us to do,” said Emily Naugle, president of Right to Life of Idaho. “We need to keep working so all babies may be welcomed in love and protected in law.” A Mass for Life is at 11 a.m. that day at St. John’s Cathedral, located at 807 N. 8th St in downtown Boise. The March for Life, presented by Right to Life of Idaho, will follow the Mass. It begins at 1 p.m. from the Gene Harris Bandshell at Julia Davis Park in downtown Boise. The march ends with the rally at the Capitol steps at 1:30 p.m. Matt Britton, Esq. is the keynote speaker for the rally. He is the general counsel and ex-officio for the 40 Days for Life Institute for Law and Justice. He has served as an elected prosecutor for four terms and as a county attorney. He has also served as counsel to many not-for-profits and U.S. companies operating globally. He is an international speaker on a wide range of legal and pro-life issues. The rally will focus on the “Decline to Sign” campaign of Right to Life of Idaho (RTLI). The campaign challenges the ballot initiative for the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act (RFPA). The RFPA would permit late-term abortions, abortions to be performed on minors without parental consent, and allow children to have sex change drugs and surgeries, according to the RTLI website, rtli.org . “‘Decline to Sign’ has goals of first and foremost making known that the RFPA exists and how it is a grievous assault to the dignity of the unborn,” Naugle said. “Sadly, we will most likely see the RFPA on our Idaho ballots in November. If the RFPA passes, all pro-life protections and laws will be made null and void in Idaho, and barbaric second trimester abortions will be legal.” Naugle said that solidarity among pro-life advocates is crucial this year. “Attending the Boise March for Life is more important than ever because it kicks off 2026 as the year Idaho fights for its life. As Mother Angelica said, ‘Let no one call to death someone God has called to life.’” The March and Rally for Life will continue no matter the weather. Participants are encouraged to bring positive, “family friendly” signs in support of the right to life. Some pro-life organizations will have signs to distribute. Restrooms are located in the Capitol. Immediately after the Life Rally on the Capitol steps, a cookie reception is being hosted in the basement of St. John’s Cathedral. For more information, visit rtli.org .