NATIONAL CATHOLIC REGISTER
March 31 - April 6, 2002
(CNS - Catholic News Service)
WASHINGTON - More than 50 national Catholic leaders have signed a statement
co-written by three major pro-life apostolates to draw special attention to the
pro-life dimensions of the feast of the Annunciation.
Priests for Life, Human Life International and the Missionary Image of Our
Lady of Guadalupe drafted the statement regarding the feast, to be celebrated
April 8. Usually it is observed March 25, but this year that date falls in Holy
Week.
"As Catholic leaders at a time when our society is beset with the evil of
abortion, and when the human embryo is treated as a mere object for scientific
research, we believe that the celebration of the feast of the Annunciation is
more important than ever," the statement said.
"By celebrating this feast with special solemnity, and by spending more time
meditating on its doctrinal and spiritual lessons, the faithful can be even more
solidly rooted in their pro-life convictions, and spurred on to effective action
in defense of life," it added.
"We pray," the statement concluded, "that the pastors of this church will
lead their congregations in special pro-life observances on this solemnity each
year."
Leading the list of signers were Father Frank Pavone, co-founder and senior
adviser of Priests for Life; Father Tom Euteneuer, president of Human Life
International; and Dan Lynch, director of Missionary Image of Our Lady of
Guadalupe.
Among the other signers were the heads of the American Life League, the
Solidarity Institute, the Catholic Leadership Institute, the National Black
Catholic Apostolate for Life, the Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human
Reproduction, the World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, the Society
of Catholic Social Scientists, the Catholic Medical Association, the Eucharistic
Apostles of the Divine Mercy, the Human Family Foundation and the Family Life
Center International.
The statement and list of signers are available online
www.priestsforlife.org/news/annunciation.htm.
Celebrate the
Annunciation!
