Christians Should Stand Together Against Abortion, Join the March for Life January 18th

Opinion   |   Father Frank Pavone   |   Jan 2, 2019   |   1:30PM   |   Washington, DC

This year, the annual March for Life in Washington DC (Friday, Jan. 18) takes place on the first day of the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Jan. 18-25).

This highlights a critically important aspect of the pro-life movement, namely, that it is one of the most fruitful areas of cooperation between Christians of different denominations. And that cooperation, in the task of saving children from the violence of abortion, will be on full display that day, not only in the marching, but in the praying too, as Christians gather for the National Prayer Service in Constitution Hall that morning.

Although the anniversary is tragic — namely, the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion throughout pregnancy – the prayer service will be marked by the conviction that Jesus Christ has conquered the power of death, and therefore the power of abortion!  He is Risen! Because Christ is Life, to stand with Christ is to stand with life, and to stand against whatever destroys it!

On that proclamation, Christians stand together, and will stand together strongly on January 18th.

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And this brings to mind St. John Paul II’s words in The Gospel of Life:

“Service of the Gospel of life is thus an immense and complex task. This service increasingly appears as a valuable and fruitful area for positive cooperation with our brothers and sisters of other Churches and ecclesial communities, in accordance with the practical ecumenism which the Second Vatican Council authoritatively encouraged. It also appears as a providential area for dialogue and joint efforts with the followers of other religions and with all people of good will. No single person or group has a monopoly on the defense and promotion of life. These are everyone’s task and responsibility. … [O]nly the concerted efforts of all those who believe in the value of life can prevent a setback of unforeseeable consequences for civilization.” – (March 25, 1995, EV, #91)

The National Prayer Service has been held on the morning of the March for twenty-five years now. It has always been held either in a government building or one that has explicit connections with our civil government. This is so because we come to Washington precisely to speak truth to power, and to urge our public servants to serve all the public, including the unborn.

Moreover, it has always featured the participation of deacons, priests and bishops of multiple denominations, including some of the key Church leaders in North America. Some years, we’ve had denominations representing every letter of the alphabet! The educational opportunity this event affords, especially on our young people who come to DC for the March, is unique when it comes to teaching them that Christians can in fact pray and work together across denominational lines.

In 2019 the National Prayer Service speakers will be Fr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ of EWTN, Evangelist Alveda King, Civil Rights for the Unborn and Sandra Merritt, who was instrumental in uncovering Planned Parenthood’s widespread trafficking of baby body parts in 2015 with the Center for Medical Progress.

Go to www.NationalPrayerService.com for all the details!