Priests for Life Newsletter
Volume 15, Number 1
January-February 2005
Table of Contents
Priests for Life Launches Special Campaign of Daily Prayer
to End Abortion
Priests for Life Advisory Board of Bishops
Commission Your Respect Life Group
Priests for Life Mass Cards Available
Plan to attend the National Memorial for the Pre-born and
Their Mothers and Fathers!
Prayer in Spanish for the Year of the Eucharist: "My Body"
Defending Life Series 2004
Priests for Life note pad or cube pads
Prayer Intentions
Priests for Life Launches Special Campaign of Daily
Prayer to End Abortion
As you know, Priests for Life led an intense
campaign of prayer prior to Election Day. Now, this prayer movement continues
with a "Daily Prayer to End Abortion", reprinted below. We are asking all
Christians to make a commitment to say this prayer each day, and to indicate
that they have joined this effort by going to www.PrayerCampaign.org to sign up.
If you do not have internet access, please use the form below to indicate your
participation in this effort.
You may obtain prayer cards from us, in quantity, with this prayer on them.
Contact orders@priestsforlife.org or call 888-PFL-3448, ext. 237 to request
them.
Here are some other suggestions for using the prayer:
Have students recite it in classrooms; use it as a prayer to begin or end
meetings of pro-life groups; have your parish insert it in the front of the
hymnal or misalette, and encourage parishioners to pray it before or after mass;
obtain the prayer cards from us and distribute them to friends; make a link from
your website to www.PrayerCampaign.org; alert your email list to this site with
an encouragement to join the campaign.
Prayer to End Abortion
Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life,
And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters.
I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion,
Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death
by the Resurrection of Your Son.
I am ready to do my part in ending abortion.
Today I commit myself
Never to be silent,
Never to be passive,
Never to be forgetful of the unborn.
I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement,
And never to stop defending life
Until all my brothers and sisters are protected,
And our nation once again becomes
A nation with liberty and justice
Not just for some, but for all,
Through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Priests for Life Advisory Board of
Bishops
His Eminence Alfonso Cardinal Lopez-Trujillo
President, Pontifical Council
for the Family
His Eminence Renato Cardinal Martino
President, Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
Most Rev. John F. Donoghue
Archbishop of Atlanta
Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput OFM Cap.
Archbishop of Denver
Most Rev. Edwin F. O'Brien
Archbishop of Military Services
Most Rev. John J. Myers
Archbishop of Newark
Most Rev. John W. Yanta
Bishop of Amarillo
Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted
Bishop of Phoenix
Most Rev. Ronald M. Gilmore
Bishop of Dodge City
Most Rev. Sam G. Jacobs
Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux
Most Rev. Emilio S. Allue
Auxiliary Bishop of Boston
Most Rev. Rene H. Gracida
Bishop Emeritus of Corpus
Christi
Most Rev. Paul V. Donovan
Bishop Emeritus of Kalamazoo
Most Rev. James D. Niedergeses
Bishop Emeritus of Nashville
Most Rev. James C. Timlin
Bishop Emeritus of Scranton
Most Rev. James S. Sullivan
Bishop Emeritus of Fargo
Most Rev. Francis A. Quinn
Bishop Emeritus of Sacramento
Most Rev. Albert H. Ottenweller
Bishop Emeritus of Steubenville
Most Reverend Juan Fremiot Torres
Bishop of Ponce
Most Reverend John Quinn Weitzel
Bishop of Samoa Pago Pago
Commission Your Respect Life Group
Each year, many parishes and
schools hold commissioning services for various ministerial groups: servers,
catechists, choirs, and so forth.
How about commissioning the respect life group? Promoting the sacredness
of life is certainly a ministry. It is a work that especially requires fortitude
and prudence.
A suggested format would be to call the members forward after the homily,
ask them some questions, say a prayer of blessing, and present them with a
symbol of their mission.
Questions could be:
Are you resolved to promote the church's teachings on the dignity of
human life, as outlined in The Gospel of Life?
Are you ready to work together with your pastor, under the guidance of
the Bishops' Pastoral Plan for Pro Life Activities, to pray, educate, shape
public policy, and provide concrete assistance to women in crisis pregnancies?
The prayer of blessing can be:
Father of all life, we thank you that you have called us into being
and made us the people of life. Bless our brothers and sisters who dedicate
themselves to be a voice for the voiceless, a defense for the defenseless. By
their example enable all of us to proclaim, celebrate, and serve the Gospel of
Life. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
The symbol given to members of the committee can be the Precious
Feet, the pro-life rose, or a copy of The Gospel of Life. Such a ceremony
could be done at any time of the year. If your parish decides to do this
commissioning, please let us know at Priests for Life!
Priests for Life Mass Cards Available
We have begun our 2005 series of Mass cards,
which you can request from us in any quantity free of charge. Then, when you
want to enroll a deceased friend or loved one, you can use the card, and the
person will share in the benefit of all the prayers and Masses of the Priests
for Life Association worldwide.
Contact our orders department to place your order today: 888-PFL-3448, ext.
237, orders@priestsforlife.org, Fax 718-980-3900, or write to Priests for Life
Mass Cards, PO Box 141172, Staten Island, NY 10314
Plan to attend the National Memorial for the
Pre-born and Their Mothers and Fathers!
Pray for an end to abortion, for our national
leaders and the victims of abortion on Monday, January 24, 2005 starting at 8:45
AM in the United States Senate, Washington, DC. (Doors will open at 8 AM)
Join Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, Dr. Paul Chaim
Schenck, Executive Director of Gospel of Life Ministries, Rev. Kirk van der
Swaagh, Vice President of the National Pro-Life Religious Council and many other
Pro-Life Clergy and Laity for the only pro-life prayer service in the US Capitol
itself.
Priests for Life, Gospel of Life Ministries, The National Clergy Council and
The National Pro-Life Religious Council will host the eleventh annual Memorial
for the Pre-Born at the Capitol in Washington. It is ecumenical in scope, with
more than fifty clergy from numerous churches and Christian traditions leading a
beautiful liturgy for the victims of abortion. Come be a part of this
magnificent and historic witness to life in the United States Senate. " This
year’s service will be held in the Russell Senate Building Room 325 (Senate
Caucus Chamber). No reservations are needed."
Invite your pastors, youth ministers, Respect Life and pro-life groups,
social justice committees and everyone to come with you! Young people are
especially needed and welcome.
Prayer in Spanish for the Year of the Eucharist:
"My Body"
"Mi Cuerpo"
"Este es mi cuerpo, entregado por ustedes." Señor Jesús,
escuchamos tus palabras cada día en la misa. Pronunciaste estas palabras, para
enseñarnos el significado de Tu amor por nosotros, un amor que te llevó a la
cruz a dar Tú vida, para que nosotros tuviésemos vida. También utilizas estas
palabras para que comprendamos el significado de nuestro amor hacia el prójimo,
un amor que nos lleva a entregarnos completamente para que otros puedan vivir.
"Este es mi cuerpo." Señor, también escuchamos estas palabras
de los labios de esos que piensan que pueden tomar la vida de otro, solo porque
esa vida esta creciendo dentro de sus cuerpos. Escuchamos estas palabras con
significado diferente por los que apoyan el aborto.
Te suplicamos, le concedas a toda Tu gente, el poder
comprender, que la plenitud del ser humano nunca se puede conseguir eliminando a
otros, sino que se puede conseguir únicamente cuando nosotros mismos nos
gastamos por los demás. Que toda Tu gente Señor, pueda vivir sus vidas, de
acuerdo a Tus Sagradas palabras, "Este es mi cuerpo, entregado por ustedes!."
Our Latest Products
Defending Life Series 2004
Enjoy thirteen half-hour episodes (on
three video tapes) of Fr. Pavone's TV series with guests discussing diverse
aspects of the pro-life movement.
Learn what YOU can do to end abortion!
Learn how to help others who have had an abortion or are considering it!
Learn startling facts about the abortion industry!
Includes one episode never before seen on TV!
Great for viewing in your local church, school and political groups!
Makes a fantastic gift for your pro-life friends or your parish priest! So
order today! Use the form below, or call 888-PFL-3448, x237, or email
orders@priestsforlife.org
Priests for Life note pad or cube pads --
Great for home or office, these note pads will be daily reminder that you are
part of the Priests for Life family! 5.5 x 8.5 note pad at $1.50 each or
4x4 cubed @ $3.00 each. Call 888-PFL-3448, x237, or email
orders@priestsforlife.org
Support our Work: www.priestsforlife.org/donate
Can you make a gift to enable us to send this newsletter to every priest
in your diocese? Call Jerry at (718) 980-4400
Prayer Intentions
You are encouraged to remember the following intentions as you pray the
Liturgy of the Hours:
January intention: That all bishops will be
strong and fearless defenders of innocent children in danger of abortion.
February intention: For pregnancy resource centers, especially those that
need more volunteers.
