From the Bishops Prayer and penance for life

Jan 20, 2011

For a number of years now Jan. 22 has been observed as a particular day of prayer and penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion and for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life. Jan. 22 has been so designated because it is the anniversary of the tragic Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion in this nation. Jesus once stated that there are certain problems that can only be confronted by prayer and fasting. The tragedy of abortion is one such contemporary problem.

In his landmark encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II stated, “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, the Creator and lover of life and from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and the heart of every believer.” Our Lady of Guadalupe has been designated as a special protectress of unborn children. Through her intercession we shall be praying on Jan. 22 on behalf of all those whose lives are threatened, especially children in the womb of their mother.

Without prayer, we easily stray from the beliefs and convictions of our Catholic faith and embrace the laissez-faire morality so widespread in the secular culture.

Fasting, however, is something that has faded as a spiritual practice in the lives of many Catholics. There are only two days on the church calendar which require us to fast, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Because of the abortion crisis in our world today, we Catholic bishops have asked our people to observe an optional day of prayer and fasting on Jan. 22.

Fasting is a very special form of penance and has been a part of Catholic tradition from the beginning. Who among us is perfect? Many people deal with addictions to smoking or alcohol consumption. Others misuse their sexuality. Some gamble uncontrollably. Still others succumb to the use of stimulants, an immoderate use of the Internet, an excessive amount of television watching or even preoccupations with other forms of entertainment. When we fast we take a significant step forward in an effort to lead a life of moderation. We also have a lot more energy to devote to what God wants of us and not our own petty and often selfish desires.

The ordinary form of fasting that has been recommended in the church for centuries is refraining from eating between meals and providing nourishment for the body with only one main meal and two small meals on a given day.  Many of us, of course, look forward to Lent because it’s a time when we think such a penitential practice will help us trim our waistlines. That indeed is a side benefit but it’s not the primary purpose. Hopefully fasting from food or other things we crave will help deepen our compassion for those who are forced to live on the margins or without food. If this makes us somewhat uncomfortable, then fasting becomes a wonderful way of uniting our discomfort with the sufferings of Christ. But refraining from certain foods strictly for dietary purposes is not really Christian penance.

Another aspect of fasting that many overlook is the Eucharistic fast. When I was a youngster Catholics fasted from food and beverages, except for water, from midnight until the moment they actually receive the Lord in Holy Communion. Nowadays we are expected to fast for one hour before receiving Holy Communion, not too burdensome a fast. The purpose of the Eucharistic fast is to help us experience more deeply the coming of the Lord. It expresses our seriousness and reverence for His coming into our lives.

Fasting is intended to help us grow in our life in Christ. It also is a signal that we do indeed take God’s call seriously and that we are willing to hold ourselves accountable. Most Catholics are not in the pro-abortion camp, but we are citizens of a nation and a world in which the immorality of this act is taken so lightly that the deaths that result are catastrophic in number. There are other important penitential practices that Catholics are encouraged to embrace. I am thinking of the corporal works of mercy and spiritual works of mercy, all of which are wonderful activities that strengthen our faith and our solidarity with one another. But the practice of fasting uniquely invites us into the Lord’s experience of self-offering in his own passion and death.

On the weekend of Jan. 22-23, I encourage all our parishes to offer special prayers for a change of hearts and minds in our great land as people confront the evil of abortion. Thousands of Catholics will again be gathering in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. to pray for an end to abortion at the National Prayer Vigil for Life Opening Mass on Jan. 23, the day following the 38th anniversary of Roe v Wade.  Many of those present will be our youth from schools around the nation. The principal celebrant of the Mass will be Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the present Chairman of the Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

This past October as we observed Respect Life month, we recalled the sacredness of every human life and reflected on the theme of this year’s Respect Life program, “The Measure of Love is to Love Without Measure.” The tragic effects of Roe v Wade have resulted in a narrowing of our loving embrace, even of parents, for their own children. Please pray and fast with me on Jan. 22 for an end to abortion and for all who suffer the consequences of abortion.


Reprinted with permission from the Catholic Sentinel.

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