On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court legalized abortion throughout the United States in its companion decisions Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton. Since that time, millions of children have lost their lives, and millions of women and families have been wounded by abortion.
On June 24, 2022, the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturned Roe v. Wade, and we praise God for the great opportunity state and federal legislators now have to protect pre-born children. While God, in His mercy, ended the nearly fifty-year nationwide regime of abortion on demand, right now state and federal laws, in many instances, are still hostile to pre-born children. So, great prayer and advocacy is very needed.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), no. 373, designates January 22 as a particular day of prayer and penance, called the “Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children” Not sure how to observe this day of prayer and penance? Pick from the ideas below or offer some other prayer or sacrifice that you feel called to do.
- Go to Mass
- Abstain from meat
- Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet
- Fast
- Pray a decade of the Rosary
- Give up TV and movies for the day
- Offer A Prayer for Life to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament
- Sacrifice some of your free time to do a small act of service for someone else
*Prayers are also available by visiting https://www.usccb.org/January-22
