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The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is calling on Catholics nationwide to participate in a novena focused on the value of human life and its protection. The Respect Life Novena began on October 22 and will conclude on October 30.
This annual event, available in both English and Spanish, can be accessed through the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' website or by email. Each day of the novena features a specific intention, preceded by traditional prayers including an Our Father, three Hail Marys, and a Glory Be. Participants are also encouraged to perform acts of reparation such as fasting or praying the rosary.
The novena starts with prayers for safeguarding human life from conception until natural death and concludes with an appeal for Catholics to foster a culture that values every individual as "a precious gift from God."
Throughout the novena, different themes are addressed each day: children in the womb, mothers who are pregnant or parenting, individuals affected by abortion, people with disabilities, and those who are ill or near death. Days seven and eight focus respectively on aligning healthcare with God's design for life and ending capital punishment.
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, who chairs the pro-life committee for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has called for "a revival of prayer and action" to end abortion and promote respect for human life.
The Respect Life Month initiative by the USCCB began in 1972 before landmark Supreme Court decisions legalized abortion across the United States.
In his statement dated September 19 for this observance month, Bishop Burbidge emphasized that “Jesus, truly present in the Eucharist, gives us the fullness of life,” urging everyone to respect life's gift in every person.
Gina Christian reports for OSV News and can be followed on X (formerly Twitter) @GinaJesseReina.
Details about prayers and intentions for this novena are available online at https://www.usccb.org/respect-life-novena (English) and https://www.usccb.org/es/respect-life-novena (Spanish).
