VIDEO - Nationwide Prayer Vigil for Life from the Basilica in Washington for the March for LIFE

Nationwide Prayer Vigil for Life to Take Place from January 20-21 WASHINGTON – Catholics across the country are encouraged to observe a nationwide prayer vigil from Thursday, January 20 to Friday, January 21, 2022, marking the 49th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions legalizing abortion through nine months of pregnancy. Since those decisions, over 62 million abortions have been performed legally in the United States.

WATCH the Vigil Below: 

Holy Mass Starts at the 33:50 Mark 

  

A great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer. —Pope Saint John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae

Each January, the National Prayer Vigil for Life is hosted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Pro-Life Secretariat, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., and The Catholic University of America’s Office of Campus Ministry to pray for an end to abortion and a greater respect for all human life.

Due to pandemic precautions, the on-site January 20-21 Vigil events at the Basilica will be condensed to a shortened evening program. The Vigil is open to the public, but on-site participants will be required to wear masks at all times inside the building.

The Opening Mass will take place from 5:30-7:00 PM on Thursday, January 20. The principal celebrant and homilist for the Opening Mass will be Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities. After the Mass and during the night, holy hours led by bishops from various dioceses around the country will be shared on the USCCB’s website. The vigil concludes at 8:00 AM on Friday, January 21 with the Closing Mass celebrated by Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, OFM, Cap., of Boston.

The full schedule of the 2022 National Prayer Vigil for Life is listed below. (All times are in Eastern Time.)

Thursday, January 20:
5:15 PM          Chaplet of Divine Mercy
5:30 PM          Opening Mass with Archbishop Lori
7:00 PM          Holy Hour for Life
8:00 PM          Live-stream of bishop-led holy hours throughout the night

Friday, January 21:
8:00 AM          Closing Mass with Cardinal O’Malley

Live-streaming information for the overnight bishop-led holy hours from various dioceses will be provided on the USCCB’s website.

Source: USCCB