To join the thousands of Catholics across the country in prayer and action in observing the National March for Life and Pro-Life Activities , January 18th, 2019, the Office of Family and Sanctity of Life of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma encourages our parishes and families to participate in this Campaign in Support of Life.
A great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God. . . . Let us therefore discover anew the humility and the courage to pray and fast so that the power from on high will break down the walls of lies and deceit: the walls which conceal from the sight of so many . . . the evil of practices and laws which are hostile to life.
—Pope John Paul II, The Gospel of Life, no. 100
In response to this invitation, the following petitions are provided as an aid in your prayer. The following link to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offers many various suggestions and resources for your use.
http://www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/index.cfm
Sanctity of Life petitions (Great Litany):
That He will grant to the people of this nation the will to do good, to flee from evil, and to practice all righteousness, making us respectful of life and sharers of Your blessings, caring for one another in mercy and truth, let us pray to the Lord.
That He will banish all evil from our hearts and wickedness from our laws, enabling us to be servants of His holy will and performers of His love, let us pray to the Lord.
That He will kindle in our hearts the will to care for the needy, to show kindness to the poor, to aid the homeless and help the helpless, let us pray to the Lord.
Sanctity of Life petitions (Insistent Litany):
- O God, our heavenly Father, Creator of all human life, we adore You and worship You. You create all people in Your image and likeness. May we, Your people, dedicate ourselves to defending the pre-born, the terminally ill, the disabled and all those threatened by the culture of death from all seen and unseen evil. We pray that the Gospel of Life may inspire and encourage those entrusted with its proclamation, in particular for our Fathers: His Holiness Francis, Pope of Rome, and His Beatitude Sviatoslav Patriarch of Kyiv-Halych and all Rus’-Ukraine, and all synods of bishops, episcopal conferences, bishops, priests, and deacons; and that the growth of local, diocesan and national pro-life groups may be nurtured by all, and that they may work together effectively. We pray that the Gospel of Life may shed its light on the most vulnerable human beings of all, the unborn children, that their dignity may be recognized and their lives protected, Lord, we pray You hear us and have mercy.
(2) O God, our heavenly Father, Author of all life, help us to always respect all human life, from conception to natural death. Let your Most Holy Spirit enlighten the minds and open the hearts of those who do not fully respect all human life according to Your will. May the Gospel of Life challenge government leaders to recognize the limits of their authority and to protect the right to life, which comes only from God. Reveal Your loving presence to expectant mothers [and fathers] who experience fear, doubt, isolation and confusion. Lighten their burdens; granting them guidance, reassurance and peace by Your grace. And finally, O Lord, have regard for Your servants who have miscarried that which was conceived in them. Heal their suffering, granting them, O Loving Lord, health and strength of body, soul and spirit. Guard them with a shining Angel from every assault of sickness and weakness and all inward torment. O Lord, Who accept the innocence of infancy in Your Kingdom, comfort the minds and hearts of Your servants and bring them peace, we pray You hear us and have mercy.
- We also pray for those who are marginalized or oppressed in any way but
especially by gender confusion, hunger, homelessness, lack of employment or basic health care, for those who are despondent because of age or illness or the virtuous struggle against the passions; especially for those tempted to end their lives; for all who are alone and afraid: for those who sit on death row; for single mothers feeling abandoned by all: that our heavenly Father would grant them all the patient endurance to do His will, hear us and graciously have mercy.
(4) We also pray that You, O Lord and Lover of Mankind would remember the souls of Your departed servants, not only those who have been victims of abortion, but also of infants who died accidentally in their mother’s wombs from unknown causes, and who therefore did not receive the Mysteries of Holy Baptism, Chrismation and Eucharist. Baptize them, O Lord, in the sea of Your compassions, lead them to Your and our generous and eternal Father, surround them with Your Most-Holy and Life-Giving Spirit, and nourish them in Your Saving Presence with Your inexpressible grace; Yes, O Lord Who watches over children in the present life and in the “world” (age) to come, because of their simplicity and innocence of mind, abundantly satisfy them with a place in Abraham’s bosom, bring them to live in radiantly shining places where the spirits of the righteous dwell: receive in peace the souls of Your little servants, for You Yourself have said, “Let the little children come to Me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven”, Lord, we pray You hear us and have mercy.
Sanctity of Life Prayer (may be used as a second Ambon Prayer):
O Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son, Who are in the bosom of the Father, True God, source of life and immortality, Light of Light, Who came into the world to enlighten it: You were pleased to be conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary for the salvation of our souls by the power of Your All-Holy Spirit. O Master, Who came that we might have life more abundantly, we ask You to enlighten the minds and hearts of those blinded to the truth that life begins at conception and that the unborn in the womb are already adorned with Your image and likeness;
enable us to guard, cherish, and protect the lives of all those who are unable to care for themselves. For You are the Giver of Life, bringing each person from non-being into being, sealing each person with divine and infinite love. Be merciful, O Lord, to those who, through ignorance or willfulness, affront Your divine goodness and providence through the evil act of abortion. May they, and all of us, come to the life of Your Truth and glorify You, the Giver of Life, together with Your eternal Father, and Your +All-Holy and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
