This weekend, we are in the midst of two special and important prayer events for the Church.
    First, we are more than half way through the “9 Days for Life.”  This coming Tuesday marks the anniversary of the tragic Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion throughout the United States.  In the 36 years since that decision, tens of millions of lives have been destroyed.  It is not just the innocent babies who are killed by abortion, but so many other lives are also destroyed through abortion.  For many mothers, abortion causes severe and long-lasting emotional, psychological, and spiritual trauma. Many women experience overwhelming guilt, shame, and grief. Other effects have also been documented: depression, withdrawal from others, eating disorders, self-punishing behaviors like “cutting,” sexual dysfunction and problems with intimacy, alcohol and drug dependency, problems bonding with other or subsequent children, abortion-related nightmares, and other sleep problems.
    Family relationships may suffer as the aborted child’s father, grandparents, or other family members experience their own guilt, grief, or loss. Even if the mother keeps her abortion secret, family members can be distressed by changes in the mother’s behavior and mental or emotional health.
    In April 2018, Pope Francis wrote: “Our defence of the innocent unborn … needs to be clear, firm and passionate, for at stake is the dignity of a human life, which is always sacred and demands love for each person, regardless of his or her stage of development.”  So what are we, faithful Catholics, suppose to do?
    Love them both! Support women who need help during and after difficult pregnancies through the work of our diocesan Respect Life office and local pregnancy care centers.  Educate yourself and others about struggles some experience after abortion, and find out where to refer those seeking help.  Stay informed about key federal legislation and the voting records of your elected representatives by visiting www.humanlifeaction.org and www.usccb.org/prolife. Stay updated on state issues by signing up to receive information from your state Catholic conference or diocesan pro-life office.  Most importantly, pray daily for the end to abortion, that all mothers and children experience the loving support of the Church community, and that all who suffer after abortion find healing and peace.
    The other prayer event we are in the midst of, is the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.”    On the night before He endured His Passion and Death, Jesus prayed that all of His followers may be one, just as He and His Father are one.  Sadly, we have done a great job living out that prayer of Christ.  Popes down the centuries have urged the Faithful to pray for the unity of Christians.  The Association for the Promotion of the Unity of Christians was founded in 1857 with Anglican, Roman Catholic and Orthodox participation. Its purpose was “for united prayer that visible unity may be restored to Christendom.”  
    The first Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was held in 1908 in the chapel of the Atonement Franciscan Convent of the Protestant Episcopal Church, on a remote hillside fifty miles from New York City.  Since then, the idea has spread not only throughout the United States, but throughout the world.