The first of nine days of prayer and readings to encourage a flourishing of a culture of life and end abortion.
Start the novena with this prayer each day, taken from St John Paul II’s concluding comments in his encyclical letter ‘The Gospel of Life’, followed by the daily quote or reflection as set out below and finish with the Glory Be
Prayer
O Mary, bright dawn of the new world,
Mother of the living, to you do we entrust the cause of life.
Look down, O Mother,
upon the vast numbers of babies not allowed to be born,
of the poor whose lives are made difficult,
of men and women who are victims of brutal violence,
of the elderly and the sick killed by indifference or our of misguided mercy,
Grant that all who believe in your Son
may proclaim the Gospel of life with honesty and love
to the people of our time.
Obtain for them the grace to accept that Gospel as a gift ever new,
the joy of celebrating it with gratitude throughout their lives
and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely,
in order to build,
together with all people of good will,
the civilization of truth and love,
to the praise and glory of God,
the Creator and love of life.
‘All life has inestimable value even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.’
Pope Francis, Message to Catholics participating in Day for Life in Britain and Ireland, 28 July 2013.
Glory be to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning
is now, and ever shall be
world without end. Amen.
Back to Novena main page.
Day Seven of our Novena for Life calls on us to Stand up for Life; to work and pray against abortion.
Day Three of our Novena for Life sees us reflect on how we will be judged on our treatment of societies weakest members.
The final day of our Novena for Life calls on us to never tire of firmly speaking out in defence of life.
