Cardinal Dolan Invites Nationwide Participation in '9 Days for Life' Prayer, Action Campaign

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities, is inviting Catholics and others to join the nationwide 9 Days for Life campaign.

"We bring many needs to God this month, including care for displaced persons, racial harmony, Christian unity, and the protection of all human life," Cardinal Dolan said. "I invite our brothers and sisters in Christ to join me and my brother bishops in 9 Days for Life from Thursday, January 18 through Friday, January 26. Our prayers matter. Every prayer matters, and if you can't start at the beginning, jump in when you can!"

9 Days for Life is the U.S. bishops' annual, pro-life prayer and action campaign surrounding the anniversary of the1973 Supreme Court decisions legalizing abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy.

The overarching intention of the centerpiece novena is the end to abortion, and each day treats a different aspect of respecting the dignity of the human person—from the beginning of life to its natural end. This year, as part of the "Share the Journey" campaign supporting displaced persons, one day addresses human trafficking, something migrants and refugees are particularly at risk of suffering.

By responding to the U.S. bishops' invitation, participants can make a "digital pilgrimage." Joining tens of thousands nationwide, they can build a culture of life through prayer and action, and share their experiences on social media with the hashtags #9DaysforLife and #OurPrayersMatter. There's also a Facebook frame participants can use on their profile picture to show their support for life.

The website, www.9daysforlife.com, features a video with Cardinal Dolan calling the campaign "a great way to put our faith into action. "The site offers a print version of the novena, as well as four ways to automatically receive the daily prayers, reflections, and suggested actions in either English or Spanish: free "9 Days for Life" mobile app (with customizable reminders), email, text message, and a Facebook event.

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Keywords: USCCB, Catholic, U.S. bishops, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Roe v. Wade, abortion, anniversary, Pro-Life, Prolife, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, 9Days for Life, People of Life, #9daysforlife, #OurPrayersMatter, Share the Journey, migrants, refugees, human trafficking, "digital pilgrimage", prayer, novena

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