The Annunciation: A Feast of Life

Three national Catholic pro-life apostolates, Priests for Life, Human Life International, and the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, have drafted the following statement and have invited other Catholic leaders to join them in giving special attention to the pro-life meaning of the Feast of the Annunciation. Note that for 2008, this feast is observed on Monday, March 31, since March 25 falls in Easter Week.

If you are the leader of a Catholic organization and would like to add your name to this statement, email us at mail@priestsforlife.org.
To keep informed about similar initiatives by means of our bi-weekly pro-life commentary, ask to receive it at subscribe@priestsforlife.org

The Magisterium’s most comprehensive statement on the sanctity of life, the encyclical Evangelium Vitae, was issued on March 25, 1995, the Solemnity of the Annunciation. This feast marks the moment at which the Incarnation took place. At Mary’s "Fiat," God began existing in a human nature - a human nature at the earliest stages of its development within Mary’s body.

"Mary’s consent at the Annunciation and her motherhood stand at the very beginning of the mystery of life which Christ came to bestow on humanity" (Evangelium Vitae, 102).

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. 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.

We pray that the pastors of the Church will lead their congregations in special pro-life observances on this Solemnity each year.

Fr. Frank Pavone
Co-Founder and Senior Advisor, Priests for Life

Fr. Tom Euteneuer
President, Human Life International

Dan Lynch
Director, Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Jesus King of All Nations Devotion

David G. Abele
Executive Director, National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers (NACFLM)

Mary Cunningham Agee
President, The Nurturing Network

Tom Allen
President, Catholic Exchange.com

Christopher Bell
Executive Director, Good Counsel Homes

Johnnette S. Benkovic
Founder and President, Living His Life Abundantly International, Inc.

Eric Bowman
National Director, Seminarian Life Link

Raymond and Florence Brady
Our Lady of Victory Right to Life

Barbara Braun
Rockland County Catholic Coalition

Judie Brown
President, American Life League

Mother Nadine Brown
Foundress, Intercessors of the Lamb

Theresa M. Burke, Ph. D
J. Kevin Burke
Directors, Rachel's Vineyard Ministries

Annie Byrne
Executive Director, The Gabriel Project, Pennsylvania

Mary Kay Clark
Director, Seton Home Study School

Dr. Freddy Contin
President, Santo Domingo Catholic Medical Association

William F. Cueto, Esq.
Founder, Builders of Hope

Joseph W. Cunningham, Esq.
President, The Society of Blessed Gianna Beretta Molla

Rev. Thomas F. Dailey, OSFS, STD
President, Fellowship of Catholic Scholars

Bernard Dobranski
President and Dean, Ave Maria School of Law

Peter J. Droege
Director, Solidarity Institute

Vincent Druding, III
Co-Founder, Colebrook Society

Pat Fagan
The Heritage Foundation

Bruce A. Fahey, SFO
Minister, Brothers and Sisters of Penance

Rev. Angelus Ferrara
Superior, The Society of the Annunciation of the Lord

George Finnin
Vice President, Philadelphia Natural Family Planning Network

Kenneth M. Fisher
Founder and Chairman, Holy Innocents Reparation Committee

Timothy C. Flanagan
President, Catholic Leadership Institute

Ted Flynn
President, MaxKol

Jon S. Foster, MI
President, Apostles of the Real Presence

Kathleen E. Foster, MI
Apostles of the Real Presence

Brian Gail
President, Gailforce Communications

Michael Galloway
President, Catholic Online

Karen Garnett
Executive Director, Catholic Pro-Life Committee of North Texas

Father James E. Goode, OFM
President, National Black Catholic Apostolate for Life

E.F. Hansen, Jr.
Steering Committee, Catholic Leadership Conference

Fr. John F. Harvey, OSFS
Director, Courage

Mark E. Hayden
Executive Director, Maternal Life International

Nicholas J. Healy, Jr.
President, Ave Maria College

Barbara B. Henkels
Legatus
Franciscan University of Steubenville

Paul M. Henkels
Vatican Observatory Foundation
Catholic Leadership Conference

Thomas W. Hilgers, M.D.
Director, Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction

George Isajiw, M.D.
Vice President, World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations

John F. Kippley
Co-Founder, The Couple to Couple League

Mrs. Jack Koester
Effingham County Right to Life

Steve Koob
Director, One More Soul

Stephen M. Krason, JD, Ph.D.
President, Society of Catholic Social Scientists

Mary-Louise Kurey
Miss Wisconsin 1999, Author, National Chastity Speaker

Gregory Joseph Ladd
Director, The Archbishop Fulton John Sheen Foundation

Gregory P. Lloyd, M.A.
Executive Director, National Coalition of Clergy & Laity

Magaly Llaguno
Executive Director, Vida Humana International

Pat Lohman
Director, AAA Women for Choice Pro-Life Pregnancy Ctr.

Mrs. Magaly Llaguno
Executive Director, Vida Humana Internacional

Bud Macfarlane, Jr., MI
Founder, CatholiCity
The Mary Foundation

Drew J. Mariani
President, Marian Communications
Host, The Road Less Traveled Radio Program

Rev. C.J. McCloskey, III
Director, Catholic Information Center

Norma Leah McCorvey
Director, Roe No More Ministry

Alan Napleton
President, Catholic Marketing Network

Barbara Neilan, MD
President, Philadelphia Catholic Medical Association

Timothy T. O'Donnell
President, Christendom College

Jose' Luis Orella
President, ARBIL

Jean-Francois Orsini
President, St. Antoninus Institute

Madeline Pecora Nugent
Executive Director, Saints' Stories, Inc.

Frank A. Rauscher
President, The Aquinas Funds

Patrick J. Reilly
President, Cardinal Newman Society

Msgr. Philip J. Reilly
Helpers of God's Precious Infants

Thomas Rutkoski
Director, Gospa Missions

Robert J. Saxer, M.D.
President, Catholic Medical Association

Joseph and Ann Scheidler
Pro-Life Action League

Bob and Barb Smith
Directors, Marian Peace Center in Joy Valley, Inc.

Gerald Solitario
President, Catholics for the Unborn

Ernesto J. Sosa
Vice President, Plastec USA, Inc.

Bryan S. Thatcher
Founder, Eucharistic Apostles of the Divine Mercy

Geri Urrutia
Director, Shield of Roses

Dean S. Weber
Leader, Presentation Ministries

Mo Woltering
Executive Director, Human Family Foundation

Stephen Wood
President, Family Life Center International

Kevin J. Wright
Catholic Travel Author