40-day prayer kicks off upcoming pro-life efforts

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Several parishes in the Diocese of Salt Lake City, including Christ the King in Cedar City (shown), have memorial markers for the unborn.

SALT LAKE CITY — Bishop Oscar A. Solis invites all Catholics in the Diocese of Salt Lake City to participate in a 40-day prayer for an end to abortion. The Prayer for Life will begin Saturday, Dec. 8 and end Thursday, Jan. 17.

During this time, the faithful are requested to pray the following prayer:

Virgin of Guadalupe, patroness of unborn children, we implore your intercession for every child at risk of abortion.

Help expectant parents to welcome from God the priceless gift of their child’s life.

Console parents who have lost that gift through abortion, and lead them to forgiveness and healing through the Divine Mercy of your Son.

Teach us to cherish and to care for family and friends until God calls them home.

Help us never to see others as burdens.

Guide our public officials to defend each and every human life through just laws.

Inspire us all to bring our faith into public life, to speak for those who have no voice.

We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who is Love and Mercy itself.

Amen

Prayers in Spanish, along with bookmarks in Spanish and English, may be found on the diocesan website, www.dioslc.org under the Office of Marriage and Family and then the Respect for Life Commission tab.

The 40-day Prayer For Life will culminate in a Mass for the Unborn on Thursday, Jan 17 at 6 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Madeline. Bishop Solis will preside at the Mass, which will be celebrated five days before the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion. Since that time, more than 60,000 abortions have been performed in the U.S.

Also marking the anniversary will be the annual bilingual rosary at the Monument for the Unborn in Mount Cavalry Catholic Cemetery, which will be Jan. 20.

Respect for the Dignity of Life Day workshops will be held Jan. 26 at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church.

On that same day, the Utah Knights of Columbus plan to invite local Catholic laity, priests and religious to join them, along with other members of the Pro-Life Utah coalition, in a March for Life around the Utah State Capitol. This year’s route has been modified to accommodate the elderly who might want to participate.

In addition, The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is sponsoring a nine-day “digital pilgrimage” Jan. 14-22. For materials and “a multi-faceted novena highlighting a different prayer intention each day” that will provide reflections, additional information and suggested actions, visit  http://www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/january-roe-events/nine-days-of-prayer-penance-and-pilgrimage.cfm