U.S. Bishops Launch Prayer Crusade that SCOTUS Confirmation Will Serve Pro-Life Cause

The United States Catholic Bishops have launched a nine-week prayer crusade “with the intention that a change in the U.S. Supreme Court move our nation closer to the day when every human being is protected in law and welcomed in life.”

The “nationwide Novena for the Legal Protection of Human Life” will take place each Friday from August 3 through September 28, a statement on the bishops conference (USCCB) website announced this week.

While the bishops noted that they have no official position on the confirmation of presidential Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Catholic League president Bill Donohue said the bishops’ decision clearly regarded “the upcoming hearings on Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court.”

“The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops begins a nine-week novena today on behalf of Senate confirmation hearings on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court,” Mr. Donahue said.

Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan, the chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, has invited all people of good will “to join in this campaign of prayer that the change in the U.S. Supreme Court will move our nation closer to the day when every human being is protected in law and welcomed in life.”

As part of the Bishops’ Call to Prayer, participants will receive weekly prayer reminders by text message or email reminding them to fast on Friday, and encouraging them to pray one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be for this intention. They will also receive “important facts about how Roe is not health care, is bad law, and fails women.”

“As soon as Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement, pro-abortion groups began lobbying the U.S. Senate to reject any nominee who does not promise to endorse Roe v. Wade,” Cardinal Dolan said.

“While the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops does not support or oppose the confirmation of any presidential nominee, we can and should raise grave concerns about a confirmation process which is being grossly distorted by efforts to subject judicial nominees to a litmus test of support for Roe v. Wade,” he said.

“And we must pray,” he said, especially “for the healing of our nation and our people from decades of abortion on demand.”

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