‘9 Days for Life’

Richard A. Sokerka

On Jan. 14, thousands of Catholics across the country will join in prayer for “9 Days for Life.” The prayer campaign, sponsored by the Committee on Pro Life Activities of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, leads up to the annual Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children on Jan. 22. The novena and day of prayer are a time of recollection and reparation in observation of the anniversary of Roe v. Wade — the Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal throughout the United States.

The overarching intention of the novena is that all human life is to be respected. Each day of the “9 Days for Life” novena highlights a related topic and provides a reflection, educational information, and suggested daily actions. Participants can subscribe to receive the daily prayers at www.9daysforlife.com.

The more than 56 million abortions since the 1973 decisions of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton reflect with heartbreaking magnitude what Pope Francis referred to as a “throwaway culture.”

With great trust in God’s providence, we are reminded time and again in Scripture to seek the Lord’s help, and as people of faith, we believe that our prayers are heard.

In all the U.S. dioceses, Jan. 22 will be observed as a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion.

As individuals, we are called to observe this day through the penitential practices of prayer, fasting and/or giving alms. Another way to take part is through participating in the March for Life in Washington, D.C. with other Catholics in the Diocese of Pater­son on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

While pro-life legislators and organizations remain optimistic about ongoing efforts to ban abortion in the United States despite an incoming House of Representatives led by a Democratic majority committed to abortion on demand, our prayers are needed more than ever to protect life in the womb.