Diocese prays for end of abortion during Mass for the Unborn
SALT LAKE CITY — Despite the pandemic, despite the wintery weather, the Cathedral of the Madeleine was almost as full as social distancing requirements would allow on Jan. 22 for the Mass of the Unborn and Ceremony of Life.
The annual event was celebrated this year on the second day of the 9 Days for Life campaign by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, a novena prayed to end abortion. The novena “is an opportunity for recollection and reparation in observation of the anniversary of Roe v. Wade – the Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal throughout the United States,” according to the USCCB press release.
The U.S. Supreme Court handed down the Roe v. Wade decision on Jan. 22, 1973. The novena will end Jan. 29, the same day as the March for Life in Washington, D.C., which this year will be primarily a virtual event because of the pandemic.
In his homily at the Mass for the Unborn, Bishop Oscar A. Solis said that those gathered that night were present because they believe in the sanctity of life.
Speaking in both English and Spanish, the bishop noted that since abortion was made legal in the United States, millions of children have been denied the right to life. Many people are under the misperception that abortion is a right and an exercise in the freedom of choice, he said; “however, the right to kill an unborn human life is terribly and morally wrong. That is why the Catholic Church in the United States continues to call our nation to restore love, to promote a culture of life faithful to the Gospel, and to protect all human life from conception until natural death.”
The Scripture reading from Genesis 1, 1-2 pointed out that human life was the apex of God’s creation; “therefore life is precious and must be cherished, and protected above all else,” the bishop said.
The Gospel reading of the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth “teaches us to greet and welcome new life with joyful enthusiasm and gratitude. In other words, we must always celebrate, treat with dignity, nourish and protect God’s gift of precious life,” he added. Acknowledging that unexpected pregnancy can bring many challenges, the bishop said that Mary’s example is an inspiration for people to be of service to mothers and their families.
Abortion is morally wrong and should be banned “because it denies the fundamental and preeminent truth that all life is sacred, and disregards the human dignity of every child of God,” Bishop Solis said.
He thanked those present, saying, “We are here because we believe that we will be judged on how we treat the most innocent and most vulnerable: the unborn, the elderly and disabled, the incarcerated and terminally ill, the foreigners and the immigrants.”
He asked for prayers for those who have committed the sin of abortion, that they “can find healing, forgiveness, peace and reconciliation with God. Also pray for ourselves, that we may learn to live rightly, act justly and walk humbly with God in accordance with his will and divine plan.”
The bishop also prayed that, through the intercession of the Blessed Mother, “may God inspire us with his grace to be prophets of hope, and deepen our commitment to build a culture of life, and a genuine civilization of love and peace in our world, in our society where every human life is regarded as sacred, loved and protected.”
After the Communion rite came the Celebration of Light. The lights of the cathedral were dimmed; the candles that had been placed on either side of the altar to represent the lives lost to abortion, and the lives affected by abortion, illuminated the nave as the congregation prayed the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be. Because of the weather, the plan to have candles carried out to the cathedral steps as a display of the commitment to life was abandoned. Instead, the Knights of Columbus maintained an honor guard beside the candles inside the cathedral.
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