Thousands at Day of the Unborn Child in Australia with #PROLIFE Procession

Cathedral Mass & Procession to Mark Day of the Unborn Child

Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
19 Mar 2015

The unborn child parents never had a chance to know or love

For the first time ever an Archbishop of Sydney will lead the Day of the Unborn Child's rosary procession through the streets of Sydney on Sunday, 22 March.

In previous years Auxiliary Bishops for the Archdiocese, the Most Rev Julian Porteous, who is now Archbishop of Hobart, and Bishop Terry Brady have led the procession. But this year Sydney's Archbishop, the Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP who was installed last November, will celebrate Mass for the Unborn Child at St Mary's Cathedral and then lead the procession through the CBD.

"On average each year depending on the weather between 2500 to 3000 join the procession. But this year with Archbishop Anthony leading the procession, even though rain is forecast, we think the numbers will be at a record level and may even exceed 4000," says Paul Hanrahan, Executive Director of Family Life International which helps organise the Mass for the Unborn Child and the rosary procession each year in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Sydney's Life Marriage and Family Centre.

Last year's procession on Day of Unborn Child makes its way to Parliament House

A leader and author in the field of bioethics, Archbishop Anthony  was the founding Director of the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family.

"He has been a strong advocate for God's precious gift of life and was a member of various Pro-Life groups campaigning against abortion when he was still a still a law student at the University of Sydney and before he entered the legal profession or began to discern his vocation as a priest," Paul says.

Each year in Australian more than 100,000 unborn children are aborted, losing their chance at life.

The Madonna and Child Memorial to Unborn Children at Rookwood Cemetery

"As many as 2000 babies are aborted every week. These are shocking statistics but this number doesn't include the number of chemical abortions women are having using drugs such as RU486 or some other abortifacient to trigger a miscarriage," he says admitting that no one has any idea of just how many babies may be lost this way through drug-induced abortions.

Each year the Day of the Unborn Child is celebrated on the nearest Sunday to the Feast of the Annunciation on 25 March. One of the most important Feasts in the Catholic liturgical calendar, the Feast of the Annunciation commemorates the day the Holy Virgin was visited by the Angel Gabriel and told that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus Christ, son of God.

Paul says the Feast of the Annunciation is the ideal time to remember and pray for the unborn child, particularly as we are now entering the final weeks of Lent.

Since the start of Lent, Paul and members of Family Life International as well as all those who believe in the sanctity of life have gathered to pray each day on the corner opposite Sydney's oldest and best known Preterm abortion clinic in Surry Hills as part of the annual 40 Days for Life prayer vigil.

Priests and Religious join young Catholics to participate in 40 Days for Life Prayer Vigil

"The tragic reality of abortion continues on a daily basis and claims the lives of tens of thousands of unborn children and causes untold suffering and pain to mothers, fathers, abortion workers, families and society at large," Paul says. "Each human life is uniquely initiated by God and every baby is precious from the moment he or she is conceived."

Following Sunday's Mass for the Unborn Child which will be celebrated at St Mary's Cathedral at 10.30 am by Archbishop Anthony, the Archbishop will lead the praying of the Angelus after which he will walk in front of the procession down through the CBD and then back up to Macquarie Street to the NSW Parliament where different speakers will celebrate the sanctity of each and every human life, and the pray for the Unborn Child.

The procession will then return to the Cathedral for Benediction.