As Christmas approaches, it is important to take a break from the commercialism overload and reflect on the true meaning of the season. Faith, family, and life should be the tenants of all holiday celebrations. It is in this spirit that Pope Benedict XVI has called for a worldwide, solemn “Vigil for All Nascent Human Life” to begin the Advent season.
The Pope will celebrate the vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, November 27th. The Pope is encouraging all Catholic parishes to participate in analogous celebrations worldwide. There is also a very large ecumenical outreach included in the vigil. The Pope is calling for all the faithful “in their respective parishes, religious communities, associations, and movements” to participate and pause to remember the most vulnerable among us.
Mary McClusky, Special Projects Coordinator at the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, applauds the Pope’s decision to celebrate such a vigil. McClusky released a statement that those who attend a vigil “may help increase awareness among family and friends about abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and other threats to children in their earliest days and weeks of life.” She also confirms that now is the perfect time to have such a vigil as we live in a society that is “endorsing the killing of humans as a perceived solution to social, economic, and environmental problems.”
All Pro-Lifers should prayerfully consider pausing on November 27th as part of this unprecedented worldwide prayer for the unborn. Whether a Catholic or not, this is a worthy opportunity to share our Pro-Life values with society. For more information about the “Vigil for All Nascent Human Life” in both English and Spanish visit: www.usccb.org/prolife/papalvigil.