November 27th - Pray for Life

Pope Benedict XVI is calling on all Catholics to join in a “Vigil for all Nascent Human Life”, to be celebrated in local parishes and dioceses on Saturday, November 27th, the eve of the first Sunday of Advent.

The purpose of the vigil, according to the Holy See, is to ‘thank the Lord for his total self-giving to the world and for his Incarnation which gave every human life its real worth and dignity’ and to ‘invoke the Lord’s protection over every human being called into existence’.

The Pope will celebrate the vigil on that date in St. Peter’s Basilica and is requesting that “all diocesan bishops (and their equivalent) of every particular church preside in analogous celebrations involving the faithful in their respective parishes, religious communities, associations and movements,” according to a communiqué from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments and the Pontifical Council for the Family collaborated in creating an outline for the vigil and the following options have now been suggested for parish use:

Full Option One: Evening Prayer, Rosary and Benediction
Full Option Two: Marian Procession, Rosary, Evening Prayer and Benediction
Simplified Option One: Evening Prayer and Benediction (no Rosary)
Simplified Option Two: Marian Procession, Rosary and Benediction (no Evening Prayer)