Join the Worldwide Celebration: 20th Anniversary of Evangelium Vitae

Anniversary to be marked with prayer and study

Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life


March 25 will mark the 20th anniversary of the publication of one of the most important documents for the Church and the pro-life movement: Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life). Pope St. John Paul II wrote the encyclical in 1995 to stir the world "to activate a great campaign in support of life " (EV #95) and to end the "war of the powerful against the weak" (EV #12).

The worldwide focus on this important anniversary will give pro-lifers an opportunity to demonstrate how far we have come in 20 years to protect the lives of the unborn, through legislation, education, and direct intervention, and to bring healing to those wounded by abortion.

And it will also give us a worldwide platform for insisting that we have much farther to go to reach our ultimate goal of ending abortion and resisting efforts to see the elderly and infirm as burdens.

I have been invited by the Vatican to help lead a special prayer vigil in Rome on March 24 to commemorate the anniversary. Along with that, all of us at Priests for Life are urging dioceses, churches and families to join these special prayers wherever they are, on the night before the anniversary, or on the day itself.

Prayer is the most important resource we have to advance the Culture of Life!

So please tell your pastors, tell the members of your church groups, spread the word to the pro-life groups you work with to organize prayer services on March 24 or 25 to commemorate this important anniversary.

Another key activity in these days is to study the encyclical.

Priests for Life has published a Study Guide to Evangelium Vitae that is designed to be used by an individual or group as a side-by-side companion with the encyclical itself. Each section of the encyclical should be prayerfully read, followed by use of the study guide as a springboard to delve more deeply into the text and to stimulate reflection and discussion.

We can end abortion and euthanasia in our lifetime. Evangelium Vitae can help show us the way!

So please click here for the information on how to spread the word on this important anniversary and the best way to commemorate it!