Thursday, March 25, 2010

15th anniversary of Venerable Pope John Paul II's encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life)

The Annunciation: A Feast of Life

Three national Catholic pro-life apostolates, Priests for Life, Human Life International, and the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, have drafted the following statement and have invited other Catholic leaders to join them in giving special attention to the pro-life meaning of the Feast of the Annunciation.

If you are the leader of a Catholic organization and would like to add your name to this statement, email us at mail@priestsforlife.org.

The Magisterium's most comprehensive statement on the sanctity of life, the encyclical Evangelium Vitae, was issued on March 25, 1995, the Solemnity of the Annunciation. This feast marks the moment at which the Incarnation took place. At Mary's "Fiat," God began existing in a human nature - a human nature at the earliest stages of its development within Mary's body.

"Mary's consent at the Annunciation and her motherhood stand at the very beginning of the mystery of life which Christ came to bestow on humanity" (Evangelium Vitae, 102).

As Catholic leaders at a time when our society is beset with the evil of abortion, and when the human embryo is treated as a mere object for scientific research, we believe that the celebration of the Feast of the Annunciation is more important than ever. By celebrating this Feast with special solemnity, and by spending more time meditating on its doctrinal and spiritual lessons, the faithful can be even more solidly rooted in their pro-life convictions, and spurred on to effective action in defense of life.

We pray that the pastors of the Church will lead their congregations in special pro-life observances on this Solemnity each year.

For a list of all the signers, including CPLC Executive Director Karen Garnett, click here.

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So far today:

Since Jan. 22, 1973:

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