WASHINGTON – Catholics across the country are invited to take part in the “9 Days for Life” novena January 21-29 for the protection of human life.
The pro-life novena, sponsored by the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, encompasses the annual Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children January 22, the day the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Roe and its companion case, Doe v. Bolton.
Each day of the novena includes an intercession accompanied by prayers, a short reflection and one or more suggested actions for novena participants to take to help build a culture of life.
Participants can go to the novena website to learn more and sign up for emails or texts about each day’s intercession, in English and Spanish. The site also has a link to materials for the novena as well as resources for parishes.
The novena coincides with the annual March for Life usually held in Washington, D.C, every January to mark the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.
This year's national rally and march is planned for January 29 but it will be livestreamed, with pro-life advocates across the country asked to participate virtually.
Many of the bus caravans from the Midwest, long a staple of the event, were canceled last fall as a result of the pandemic, and the assault on the U.S. Capitol January 6 and threats of subsequent violence by domestic terrorist groups, as reported by the FBI, made security impossible.
Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life Defense and Education Fund, said she and a small group of other pro-life advocates, including clergy, maybe some politicians and a handful of Knights of Columbus, will walk from the National Mall to the Supreme Court to carry out the march portion of the national March for Life.
Besides the novena prayers and suggested actions, participants are also encouraged to read more about abortion on the U.S. bishops’ respect life website, in particular the article “Another Look at Abortion,” which provides a basic overview and summarizes key points. “This article will help you be better prepared to witness to the sanctity of human life,” the website says.
On January 15, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation declaring January 22, the Roe anniversary, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day.
Every human life is a gift to the world. Whether born or unborn, young or old, healthy or sick, every person is made in the holy image of God, he stated. He also called on Congress to protect and defend “the dignity of every human life, including those not yet born” and urged all Americans “to continue to care for women in unexpected pregnancies and to support adoption and foster care in a more meaningful way, so every child can have a loving home.”