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New Respect Life director stresses networking and education |
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Written by PAIGE E. SCARLETT, Special to the Chronicle
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Friday, 01 February 2008 |
TOLEDO—Jan Kahle, the new Respect Life director of the Toledo Diocese, spoke with the Catholic Chronicle about the Respect Life director position.
Q: What date did you officially assume your new position?
A: My first day on the job was Jan. 2, though my role became official on Jan. 1. I am stationed at Lima St. Charles Borromeo, but I serve the whole Toledo Diocese.
Q: How did you get this position, and where were you before?
A: It’s rather funny how I got this position. I was happily working as a Director of Religious Education (DRE) at Kalida St. Michael Parish for five and one-half years, teaching students in grades 1 through 8 about the Mass and other aspects of Catholic doctrine. I was also in charge of the staff, chose religious curriculum, ensured that courses were theologically sound, gave presentations and managed inventory.
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Jan Kahle
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Before that position, I had served for 22 years as a religious education teacher for Kalida Public Schools’ “release program,” a school period when students can go off-premises to learn more about their religious faith.
Recently, I attended a deanery meeting as part of my DRE job, and that’s when I learned about the Respect Life job opening. This opportunity to delve into the right to life cause caught my interest, and I proceeded to apply.
Q: What is your background/activity in the pro-life movement?
A: Among the pro-life activities I’ve done are teaching a modified course of John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” to elementary school students and volunteering at a pro-life booth at the Putnam County fair.
Q: What degrees, qualifications, or experiences do you have that prepared you to be an effective Respect Life director (RLD) for Toledo?
A: As far as my own education, I graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in elementary education (K-8) — a degree I have definitely put to good use!
Q: What does the director of Respect Life job involve and what are your day-to-day duties?
A: My main focus will be to foster networking between parishes, priests and individuals. I want to be a resource to pro-life people and organizations in our diocese to call upon for assistance — I want to be the link in the chain that helps get people in touch with the right information, contacts, organizations and more.
Q: If people contact you, will you provide them with pro-life opportunities, activities or volunteer work?
A: I am always open to calls from local individuals who have questions or need help finding pro-life resources. Since I’ve begun, I’ve already attended four deanery meetings where I was introduced as the new RLD; at these I’m an ambassador for my new diocesan position who encourages the parishes in each deanery to take advantage of the expertise, guidance and contacts I can offer.
Q: Will you interact with priests, parishes, parishioners and organizations?
A: I have a list of pro-life spokespeople, organizations, church leaders and others who I will be calling or meeting over the next several weeks to introduce myself and offer my services.
Q: Will you coordinate pro-life events or will you serve as a wing to publicize local events that people are hosting?
A: I won’t be coordinating a parish’s pro-life projects, but being a support system in that process.
Q: Do you deal with abortion only or do you help to combat euthanasia, contraceptives, etc.?
A: As for the scope of a RLD, we deal with the spectrum of life issues — from conception to natural death — though abortion and its alternatives are a main focus.
Q: Do you intend to increase pro-life awareness in the Toledo Diocese, and if so, how?
A: I will help publicize and promote pro-life events; I’ll connect people to these events, as well as to one another.
Q: How much impact do you anticipate your role will be able to bring about?
A: I certainly hope to increase pro-life awareness and make an impact with my new role, but it’s a bit hard to measure. However, I will try to do my best to adapt to the needs and desires of the parishes, priests and people who ask for my help — really my job is flexible and my objective is to function with people more than for them.
Q: Will you be in charge of implementing new programs or assisting current ones, like Project Rachel, and how will you do this?
A: My focus is not to create new, radical programs, but to assist the existent structures and programs, enabling these to be re-enlivened, to benefit from having a fresh face on the scene. Plus, I want to be there for any person, priest, or parish that needs any type of pro-life information.
Q: Lastly, are you scheduled to appear or speak publicly soon?
A: Yes, I’m among the speakers at Port Clinton Immaculate Conception’s Parish Respect Life Forum at 7 p.m. Feb. 17. I’ll be speaking on “end of life issues.”
I invite anyone who is interested to attend — I’d love the chance to meet the people of Toledo who I’ll be serving every day in my position as Respect Life director!
Paige E. Scarlett is a freelance writer and development director of the Foundation for Life in Toledo.
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