U.S. Bishops Bring Pro-Life Prayer to the Digital Age

Here is some news that makes this pro-life, techie girl super excited.

The U.S. Catholic bishops are asking Catholics to pray for life from January 17-25, to make those 9 days a special period of prayer, penance and pilgrimage. They are even making it digital age friendly by providing the 9 day prayer (aka novena) available via email, app or text! Content will also be shared via a Facebook event (accessible from www.facebook.com/peopleoflife) and other social media with the hashtags: #9daysforlife and #9díasporlavida.

An end to abortion is not the only intention. We’ll also be praying for life at all stages: children in need of adoptive homes, those mourning the loss of a child through abortion, those near the end of their lives, and many others” USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life

As an adoptive mom, I found the additional prayer intentions for this novena especially touching. My daughter, Faith was adopted at nearly 4 years old from China. Our decision was not based on a fertility issue but on a series of events that made it very clear to our family that God was calling upon us to open our hearts and home to a child in need of a forever family. It was never part of our "plans", we worried about everything from how would we pay for an adoption to will we be able to help her transition into our family. Through it all we offered MANY novenas for peace, guidance and providence. God never abandoned us for a minute in the process, and we can honestly not imagine our lives without Faith (both the one with a capital F and the one we cling to with a lowercase f).

In addition to the novena the Conference of Catholic Bishops invites all Catholics to consider approaching these 9 day (January 17 – 25^th) as a digital pilgrimage.

Together, people across the country can unite in prayer for the protection of life at all stages

Along with daily prayer intentions, “9 Days for Life” also provides reflections, suggested acts of reparation, and additional resources. One important aspect of pilgrimages is that the participant grows spiritually and perhaps even develops some resolutions by the pilgrimage’s completion. “9 Days for Life” seeks to foster a deeper understanding of the value of life and encourages participants to continue to pray, support and advocate for life long after the pilgrimage’s end.”

USCCB: 9 Days for Life App – overview:

“Your prayers matter. Your sacrifice makes a difference.”

The app lands you on the NOVENA page:

9 days for life app screen views

One of the hardest parts about completing a novena is remembering to pray the novena each day for the 9 days. 9 Days for Life uses the beauty of technology to make participating in this novena, in their words, ‘unforgettable”. The app -- via text and/or email -- reminds you to pray and even keeps track of which day by opening each link to the novena prayers, one day at a time.

For anyone unfamiliar with the tradition of praying novenas, there is an explanation page for that as well.

Select “i” icon at the top right of the screen to:

Set the time you would like to receive your daily notifications.
Share this app with a friend.
Peruse additional resources such as Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities; People of Life e-newsletter; Call to Prayer for Life, Marriage & Religious Liberty.

For more information or to sign up now at www.9daysforlife.com, and invite others to the same.

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