January 13, 2010

Respect Life Masses this month

By Julie Filby

In September 1969, Norma McCorvey was 21, single and drifting through a series of dead-end jobs when she discovered she was pregnant. Although illegal in Texas, where she was living at the time, she sought an abortion.
Frustrated to find out the abortion facility had been shut down by police, she decided to fight. In 1970, attorneys filed a lawsuit on behalf of McCorvey claiming state abortion laws violated her constitutional rights.
To protect her privacy they used the alias “Jane Roe.” The defendant in the case was Dallas County district attorney Henry Wade.

After nearly three years, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade on Jan. 22, 1973. In a 7-2 vote in Roe’s favor, their decision overturned state laws, legalizing abortion in the United States.

Every year since the ruling, the archdiocese’s Respect Life Office has organized events for the faithful to come together to pray for an end to abortion. This year there are two archdiocesan events to mark the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
At noon on Saturday, Jan. 16, the annual Respect Life Mass will be concelebrated by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput and Auxiliary Bishop James D. Conley at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, 1530 Logan St. in Denver. During the Respect Life Mass, Pro-Vitae (Pro-Life) awards will be presented to priests and laity who have witnessed for the sanctity of life in their parishes.

In addition, five $50 savings bonds will be awarded to the winners of the annual Respect Life essay contest. The topic for this year’s competition—open to all seventh- and eighth-grade students in the archdiocese—was “family.”
At 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 22, a penance and prayer Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Conley at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Jan. 22 shall be observed “as a particular day of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life” (“General Instruction of the Roman Missal” No. 373).

“Thirty-seven years of legalized child-killing is an atrocity and cries out to God for vengeance,” Bishop Conley said. “We need to offer prayers to God—with the Mass being the highest form of prayer—and acts of penance for the sin of abortion.”

Mimi Eckstein, director of the archdiocese’s Respect Life Office, echoed the importance of prayer and penance on the anniversary.
“We are called on this day to fast and pray—and it’s symbolic to perform these acts on the very day of the anniversary of Roe v. Wade,” she said. “In addition to the personal sacrifices asked of us in reparation and penance this year, this Mass presents an opportunity to grieve the loss of all our children from abortion.”

Following Friday’s penance and prayer Mass, attendees can join Bishop Conley in Colorado Right to Life’s peaceful March for Life to the west steps of the state Capitol. Speakers at the Capitol will include pro-life advocates Maria Lancaster and Rebecca Kiessling. Actor Eduardo Verastegui, star of the movie “Bella,” is expected to speak as well.
“We need to pray for mothers in difficult pregnancies, we need to pray for babies in their mother's wombs,” Bishop Conley said. “We need to pray for the conversion of abortionists—and we need to pray for lawmakers that they might see the light.”

In 1994, McCorvey converted to Christianity and expressed remorse for her part in the Supreme Court decision. Active since then in the pro-life movement, in 1998 she became a Catholic.
For more information about the Respect Life events, visit www.archden.org or contact the Respect Life Office at 303-715-3205 or Respect.Life@archden. org.

 RESPECT LIFE EVENTS:

 What: Annual Respect Life Mass
When: Noon Jan. 16
Where: Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, 1530 Logan St., Denver
Concelebrants: Archbishop Chaput and Bishop Conley

What: Day of Penance and Prayer Mass
When: 10 a.m. Jan. 22
Where: Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, 1530 Logan St., Denver
Celebrant: Bishop Conley
Followed by: March for Life to state Capitol (speakers at noon)
Information: Call 303-715-3205 or e-mail Respectlife.Office@archden.org