Intercession
May civic leaders work for the protection of all human life, in every stage and circumstance.
Prayers
Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be
Reflection
The
Declaration of Independence boldly affirms that first among our
inalienable rights is the right to life, given to us by the Creator. Yet
despite being so solemnly proclaimed, the right to life is today
threatened and often denied, particularly at the moments when life is
most fragile. Our laws should—first and foremost—protect life. Even with
the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade,
many states still do not recognize children in their mothers’ wombs as
persons and still claim that abortion is a right. Further, many
political leaders work actively to increase access to abortion. Some
falsely describe it as health care and even as a basic human right. Laws
and policies that legalize or promote an intrinsic evil like abortion
violate the virtue of justice.
Those
who work as public officials and civic leaders have a duty to serve the
common good, and therefore have a profound obligation to safeguard this
most fundamental right to life. Through our own prayer, witness, and
civic participation, we can encourage our leaders to truly answer their
call to protect the rights of all people. For “there can be no true
democracy without a recognition of every person’s dignity and without
respect for his or her rights” (Evangelium vitae 101).
Acts of Reparation (Choose one.)
- Sacrifice
some of your free time to do a small act of service, such as making
breakfast for a family member, writing a note of encouragement to a
coworker, or praying for the intentions of a friend.
-
Sometimes restrictions
on religious freedom constrain our efforts to live out the Gospel of
Life. We must be free to live out our Catholic faith in the public
square. Offer this Prayer for Religious Liberty, that Christians may always be free to respect, protect, and defend human life.
- Offer some other sacrifice, prayer, or act of penance that you feel called to do for today’s intention.
One Step Further
When
discussing faithful citizenship in 2019, the U.S. bishops reaffirmed,
“the threat of abortion remains our preeminent priority because it
directly attacks life itself, because it takes place within the
sanctuary of the family, and because of the number of lives destroyed.”
Archbishop Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas and former Chair of the
Committee on Pro-Life Activities, explains more in Priorities at the Polls.
Living the Gospel of Life, no. 14 © 1998, United States Catholic Conference, Inc., Washington, DC. All rights reserved. Evangelium vitae (The Gospel of Life),
no. 101 © 1995, Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission. All
rights reserved. iStock.com / YayaErnst. All rights reserved. Copyright ©
2022, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. All
rights reserved.
| 
