Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Reminder - Thursday is a Day of Prayer and Penance for Life

Mitchell here.

To follow up on Ray's note about the March for Life on Thursday, remember that the USCCB has declared January 22 to be a "Day of Prayer and Penance for Life":


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

In many dioceses and parishes (including St. Olaf here in downtown Minneapolis), January 22 is a day of fasting as well. (From the various sources I've read, this does not appear to include abstainance, but if anyone has additional information please let us know.)

But whether or not your parish has encouraged this, I think it's a very easy way (and a very small price to pay) to unite yourself with the millions of others praying for an end to this dark scourge against human dignity, particularly since we are now at the outset of a new, and decidedly anti-life, administration.

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