Jeanette Kostyrka "Prayers for the Unborn" collection, 1978-1993
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Summary
- Creator:
- Kostyrka, Jeanette, 1928-2022 and Sallie Bingham Center for Women's History and Culture
- Abstract:
- Jeanette Kostyrka was a Catholic anti-abortion activist who distributed prayer cards encouraging "spiritual adoption" of "unborns." The collection primarily consists of requests for and acknowledgements of receipt of prayer cards, as well as a small amount of other correspondence and anti-abortion brochures and pamphlets, including some with images of fetuses.
- Extent:
- 1.5 Linear Feet
- Language:
- Materials in English.
- Collection ID:
- RL.13041
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This collection comprises the correspondence of Jeanette Kostyrka from 1978 to 1993, as well as a small amount of related material. It consists of requests for and acknowledgements of receipt of prayer cards encouraging the spiritual adoption of "unborns" in order to stop abortion. Prayer cards contained the prayer proposed by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: "Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I love you very much. I beg you to spare the life of [baby's name], the unborn baby that I have spiritually adopted who is in danger of abortion". Jeanette Kostyrka's correspondence shows her alignment with the Catholic Church's anti-abortion stance, and her adoration of the Virgin of Guadalupe as patroness of the unborn. The collection includes letters from members of the Catholic Church who oppose abortion. The collection also includes a small amount of anti-abortion brochures and pamphlets, including some with images of fetuses.
- Biographical / historical:
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Jeanette Kostyrka was born in Lynbrook, New York in 1928. She was a Catholic pro-life and anti-abortion activist who advocated for the idea of "spiritual adoption". This consisted of praying "that one particular but unknown child's life be spared abortion and be allowed to continue to live." Spiritual adoption was promoted by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, in response to the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade legalizing abortion in 1973. Kostyrka introduced, promoted, and distributed prayer cards encouraging spiritual adoption from 1978 to 1993. She died in 2022.
- Acquisition information:
- The Jeanette Kostyrka "Prayers for the Unborn" collection was received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase from Johnson Rare Books and Archives in 2018.
- Processing information:
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Processed by Ofelia Lopez, December, 2023.
Accessions described in this collection guide: 2018-0093.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Subjects
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Contents
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Collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
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- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Jeanette Kostyrka "Prayers for the Unborn" collection, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
- Permalink:
- https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1vt8b