Footprints for Life Making Strides at St. Dominic

Started in 2019, St. Dominic School’s Footprints for Life Club meets monthly to promote the dignity of all life. “You are God's Masterpiece" is this year’s theme, and the 111-member group discusses the theme for the year at each meeting as well as addressing the value of each life, how each person is unique and the dignity each person possesses. Open to sixth and seventh grade students, members of the club are encouraged to be a voice for the voiceless.
 
“Whether this is a lonely new student or an unborn child, we can use our voices to promote life for the voiceless,” said Brigitte Ganucheau, faculty moderator. “Each month we will reflect on a particular group who remain voiceless in our community and our world, and how we can advocate for those individuals.”
 
Footprints For Life was started at St. Dominic by Melissa Wender, a parent volunteer, because of her passion for pro-life ministry and her belief that the earlier you become involved in understanding all human life deserves respect, the better.  
 
“After her children graduated from St. Dominic, other parent volunteers and school faculty members have stepped up to keep the club going strong,” said Ganucheau.  “Father Jeffrey Merritt (St. Dominic parochial vicar) also joins in at the meetings to help lead the club.”
 
The club is based on the program created by Natasia Kissinger, archdiocese respect life co-coordinator, which is designed to cultivate a culture of life in children by covering United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) right to life topics in an age-appropriate way. Several schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans use this program.
 
“The club has been using these principles to guide us in moderating Footprints for Life: God is good; life is good; we want to make life better for others; for each member to know that he or she is created in the image of God and has a unique purpose in the world; and, for members to know that the smallest action will make a difference in the world,”  Vanessa Piazza, parent volunteer, said. “This club seeks to educate the students and empower them to be a voice.”
 
During the once-a-month, early morning meetings before the start of the school day, there is a discussion on a monthly topic and often activities as well as spiritual and corporal works of mercy to go along with the topic.  Sometimes the club has a guest speaker, such as a representative from Louisiana Right to Life. The club also does a spiritual adoption of an unborn baby. Each month they discuss how the baby is developing and prays for that child.
 
“Students are drawn to this club because it is a call to advocate for the dignity of the human person from conception to natural death.  To share love for others, especially the marginalized and to be a part of Christ's work on earth,” said Amy Faciaene, former faculty moderator.
According to seventh grade student Leah Kilbert, “I joined Footprints for Life because it gave me another opportunity to provide service to others, and it helps me to think more about God.”
Club members have participated in corporal works of mercy including making blessing bags for adopting parents and birth moms, writing encouraging notes to those in prison, collecting items for those who are homeless, and participating in the Women’s New Life Center’s Baby Bottle campaign.

Seventh grade student Luke Arnold encourages other students to join the club because “It helps you get a better understanding of life. It helps you know more about the unborn and how you can help others in need.”
Ganucheau said they believe all choices are either life-giving or life-taking and they encourage their members to think, say and act in life-giving ways, and lead others to do the same.
 
“One of the favorite meetings of the year for members is when they get to 'chalk the black-top' with positive pro-life messages,” she added. “This is done early in the morning and when the rest of the students are arriving, they can see the club members doing this and read the messages at recess.”

Avery Tallet, seventh grade member said, “My favorite part of being in the club is when we get to write the chalk messages outside. We get to spread our message about the importance of life by writing it so everyone can see it.”

Each year, St. Dominic has a Respect Life Mass in October, and members of the club make a pledge:  "As members of the Footprints for Life, we recognize that we are all created in the image and likeness of God, and we are called to be his hands and his feet on earth. We pledge to uphold the dignity of all people, to protect and respect life at every stage and in every condition and promise to promote life through prayer and example."

“I joined Footprints For Life to learn more about why we need to be a voice for the voiceless. Also, to understand better why God made us who we are and what our purpose is,” said Kolbe Ganucheau, seventh-grade member.