Pro-Life Brainstorming

[kafka]

One idea I have is simple and has probably been thought of before, or maybe it has already been attempted or maybe there is a day and I dont know of it. But it goes as follows:

All Christians in the U.S. should agree on at least one day a year set aside as a day of prayer and fasting for the end of legal and illegal abortion. The Catholic bishops and leaders of all Christian Churches should agree on one day and announce an invitation months in advance so that all who plan to participate may make preparations. The leaders should strongly encourage the laity to participate. The laity should encourage one another to participate. Those who are disposed to participate should do so at the cost of suffering minor bad consequences e.g. loss of a day of pay, loss of esteem or co-workers, being made fun of, a day behind in schoolwork, etc., but should not do so if there would be severe consequences if they should participate, e.g. loss of job, loss of enough money not to be able to eat or meet ends meet and so on.

A good day would be in the middle of a non-summer work week, for example a Wednesday in Lent. Everyone who decides to participate should take off of work and simply privately, pray and fast all day in their homes or apartments with family and/or friends. Students who want to participate should take off of school for the day. Children may stay home with their parents to pray and fast.

I think this type of event would be effective in the sight of God and merit innumberable actual graces for those in need of repentance. Plus it has the advantage of being in one sense public and bold, yet in another sense private and peaceful without any activism, marches, signs, disruptions, etc. This sort of day of prayer and fasting has been effective in salvation history, and I think it would be effective with God today if done in simplicity, sincerity, goodness, etc. Those who decide to participate may suffer to some degree but these sort of minor sufferings will be rewarded by God.

I do not know if this plan is feasable in the current situation we find ourselves in, but I think the idea has merit and we should work towards accomplishing it to end legal abortion in our country.

Any other ideas?

Edited February 19, 2011 by kafka

[Cherie]

I think we should at least ask (and encourage!) our pastors to offer a prayer for the end of abortion at every Mass they celebrate; whether it be a special prayer at the beginning or end of Mass, or simply make it part of the intercessions.

Imagine what good could be done for the pro-life cause if [i]every Catholic church in America prayed to end abortion at every Mass.[/i] It's not too far-fetched an idea, in my opinion; the bishops could very easily write a letter to the parishes in their diocese and tell them to do so.

Sometimes a pastor will permit the folks who come to daily Mass to pray a rosary before Mass begins. Perhaps this could be prayed with the intention of ending abortion.

Edited February 23, 2011 by CherieMadame

[AudreyGrace]

Thumbs up to both ideas
I especially like kafka's- it's important that we spend more time in prayer for the unborn.
There's a day every year where people put red duct tape over their mouths with the word LIFE on it. The idea is to spend a day in silence in memory of those lost to abortion. I think a fun similar idea would be to use binkies or pacifiers to signify the lost infants.
Someone once told me a trick to offer up pain to God for specific intentions: put a rosary in your shoe, so when you'd step and feel pain, you would be reminded of your intention and pray a Hail Mary for your intention. In our case, the end to abortion. This way, those of us with inelastic schedules don't have to compromise as much time.
Just... make sure the rosary isn't blessed. It would seem kinda wrong to step on it if it were... lol.

[findinghumility]

[quote name='CherieMadame' timestamp='1298434131' post='2214824']
I think we should at least ask (and encourage!) our pastors to offer a prayer for the end of abortion at every Mass they celebrate; whether it be a special prayer at the beginning or end of Mass, or simply make it part of the intercessions.
[/quote]

Considering our priest seems quite liberal at times I've been very pleased that our church does include the intention of an end to abortion within our intercessions at every mass. The intention is phrased as ending any attacks on human life and dignity...or something like that, followed with the specifying examples of "abortion and war".

I just think that we need to expand the idea of "pro-life" into a cultural concept. Obviously abortion is a primary evil and one of the most direct attacks on human dignity, but I think of all the ways we could promote a true culture of life.....of really embracing the value of each life both born and preborn and finding ways for groups to work together to support a community as a whole. I think it would all come full circle in having a lasting effect on putting a stop to the abortion industry......hmmm...

[kafka]

here is my new and improved Pro-Life Brainstorming for the United States post:

http://embryoadoptionisgood.blogspot.com/2011/03/pro-life-brainstorming.html

[Santa Cruz]

What a great topic of discussion and such good ideas being shared. Prayer is so important and of course should be the spring board of any action taken. The culture of death also needs to be educated, shown the light of Christ. So many people are being raised in this culture of lies and are never told or shown the Truth. I hope and pray that somehow young folks being raised in a secular home environment and also attending a secular school could be reached and educated about the culture of life. So many children are being reared to believe that a child in the womb is not a baby or even human and that a woman should have a right to kill her child. Prayer of course is the most effective way to reach them but I also hope we can find a way to be the hands, feet, eyes and voice of Christ to these poor souls who truly do not realize what they are doing in being pro abortion.

Thank God for the growing success of 40 Days For Life and for all who make it happen.