Saturday, March 15, 2008

Celebration of the Day of the Unborn Child, an effort to elevate maternity as a clear sign of life and hope

AMERICA/BOLIVIA -

La Paz (Agenzia Fides) - On March 25th, the feast of the Annunciation, the Family Pastoral Care section of the Bolivian Bishops' Conference will join the various teams from among the dioceses in presenting the Day of the Unborn Child, a pro-life initiative that has been taking place for several years and that has begun to acquire followers from among other institutions that work in favor of life and the family. This activity is an effort to elevate maternity as a clear sign of life and hope. With this in mind, preparations are already underway for the coordination of activities that will be organized in conjunction with pro-life movements.

On the 25th, Bishop Oscar Aparicio, Auxiliar Bishop of La Paz will celebrate Mass in the Basilica of Maria Auxiliadora. Following the Mass, there is a scheduled procession with pastoral care workers, in an effort to affirm the importance of life. There will also be a special blessing for pregnant mothers.

"This is an important celebration, because we consider it a fundamental message in the times we are living right now. Faced with the onslaught of anti-values that we are witnessing, we need to be heard and it has to be us - Catholics and those who believe in God - the ones who defend life," said Jose Iporre, executive secretary for Family Pastoral Care in the Bolivian Bishops' Conference.

The Family Pastoral Care in the Bolivian Bishops' Conference has made a special effort during the month of February in strengthening and encouraging the groups dedicated to family pastoral ministry in the dioceses, through their visits to various diocese such as Tarija, Oruro, and Corocoro. The committee's secretary affirms the positive results that have appeared as fruit of these efforts.

(RG) (Agenzia Fides 13/3/2008; righe 22, parole 288)