Recently in Pro Life Category

"The Church welcomes with joy and compassion the mothers who, recognizing that all life is a gift from God, come to the Church seeking a blessing for their unborn child. Such a blessing sustains the parents by imparting grace and comfort in time of concern and need, unites the parish in prayer for the unborn child, and fosters respect for human life within society."

Several days ago the Business Insider published a fascinating story: "Time To Admit It: The Church Has Always Been Right On Birth Control" by Michael Brendan Dougherty and Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry. Read it. You may agree with the exposition of the authors. Can't contradict experience. Recall: this publication is not connected with the Catholic Church.

The intention for today is for those who have died as a result of abortion and for the women and men directly affected by abortion.

Day of Penance and Prayer to be observed on January 23rd this year.

In November, 2001, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved the adaptation of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Following confirmation by the Holy See in February, 2002, the following became particular law for the dioceses of the United States of America:

In all the dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 (or January 23, when the 22nd falls on a Sunday) shall be observed as a particular day of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life. The Mass "For Peace and Justice" (no. 21 from "Masses for Various Needs") should be celebrated with violet vestments as an appropriate liturgical observance for this day.

On January 22, 2003, a "day of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life" will be mandatory in the dioceses of the U.S. for the first time. As an "Optional Memorial," the Mass celebrated that day may be the Mass "For Peace and Justice" or follow the normal weekday Mass readings and prayers for the day found in the Ordo, with or without optional prayers related to St. Vincent of Saragossa whose Feast Day falls on January 22.

Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, NE
Washington, DC 20017-1194

(202) 541-3070

Protecting women and motherhood ought to be our daily work. For physicians all the more.  In fact, this week in Rome, the Internation Federation of Catholic Physicians (FIAMC) is meeting on the realtionship between http://www.matercare.org/women and doctors. The English language congress, "The Dignity of Mothers and Obstetricians - Who on Earth Cares!" is organized by the MaterCare International and sponsored by FIAMC) with the assistance of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

"An estimated 2 billion human beings have died through abortion in the last forty years alone. This is something most people don't realise and it needs to be emphasized," says Joseph Meaney, Director of International Coordination at Human Life International. In addition, Meaney pointed out: "its becoming increasingly clear that the vast majority of Americans are against abortion on demand, and over the years more pro-life justices have been appointed to the Court, but yet the law itself and the court's decision has not changed. The result is a growing frustration among Americans that the will of the people is not being respected." 

Today tens of thousands of people will march on Washington DC, to mark this weekend's anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States. Yesterday, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, celebrated Mass for thousands in DC. Since 1973, more than 50 million babies have been aborted, and 300K women developed breast cancer as a result of having an abortion.

In his letter to the priests of the Archdiocese of New York on the founding of the new Pro-Life Commission, Archbishop Timothy Michael Dolan said, "These professional men and women, from a variety of backgrounds, fields, and areas of expertise have generously offered their time and talent to engage in research, writing, coordination of events, and so much more on behalf of life.  For this I am most grateful, and look forward to working with them over the years that lie ahead."

Today marks the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the USA. It is possible according to Law to end a pregnancy throughout all nine months. A prayerful response to this atrocity the Church has proposed to us to observe January 22 as the Day of Prayer and Penance making reparation for the sin the abortion, praying that true freedom would be engaged in respecting all of human life, from conception to natural death, and that the Law would be changed.

The rubric for prayer for the day:

In all the dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 (or January 23, when January 22 falls on a Sunday) shall be observed as a particular day of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life. The Mass "For Peace and Justice" (no. 22 of the "Masses for Various Needs") should be celebrated with violet vestments as an appropriate liturgical observance for this day. (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 373)

More and more we are seeing research demonstrating that abortion has caused breast cancer. A few months ago I posted an article saying as much. LifeNews.com published an article on January 17th giving the statistic that in 38 years --since the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe vs Wade-- that "a least 300,000 cases of breast cancer" have been identified. Baruch College Professor Joel Brind published a 1996 paper in which he made the claim that women who had induced abortion had a "30% greater chance of developing breast cancer." Steven Ertelt's article "Abortion Has Caused 300K Breast Cancer Deaths Since Roe" connects the dots. 

Marquette Law hired Russ Feingold, the ex-senator from Wisconsin, as a visiting law professor. A clear liberal politician with a long track record of pro-abortion voting. Marquette Law Dean Joseph Kearney is giving a platform to a bankrupt senator and certainly not caring too much for the Catholic and Jesuit identity of the university. Opps, perhaps being Catholic and Jesuit are no longer virtues to abide by....

You who faithfully visit and fulfil with your Presence

the Church and the history of men;

You who in the miraculous Sacrament of your Body and Blood

render us participants in divine Life

and allow us a foretaste of the joy of eternal Life;

We adore and bless you.

Prostrated before You, source and lover of Life,

truly present and alive among us, we beg you.

Reawaken in us respect for every unborn life,

make us capable of seeing in the fruit of the maternal womb

the miraculous work of the Creator,

open our hearts to generously welcoming every child

that comes into life.

Bless all families,

sanctify the union of spouses,

render fruitful their love.

Accompany the choices of legislative assemblies

with the light of your Spirit,

so that peoples and nations may recognise and respect

the sacred nature of life, of every human life.

Guide the work of scientists and doctors,

so that all progress contributes to the integral well-being of the person,

and no-one endures suppression or injustice.

Gift creative charity to administrators and economists,

so they may realise and promote sufficient conditions

so that young families can serenely embrace

the birth of new children

Console the married couples who suffer

because they are unable to have children

and in Your goodness provide for them.

Teach us all to care for orphaned or abandoned children,

so they may experience the warmth of your Charity,

the consolation of your divine Heart.

Together with Mary, Your Mother, the great believer,

in whose womb you took on our human nature,

we wait to receive from You, our Only True Good and Saviour,

the strength to love and serve life,

in anticipation of living forever in You,

in communion with the Blessed Trinity.