FAITHFUL GATHER ON ANNIVERSARY OF ROE V. WADE TO PRAY FOR AN END TO ABORTION

The Office of Respect Life has announced a prayer initiative for the 35 th anniversary of Roe V. Wade where the faithful, joined by Most Rev. Gerald M. Barbarito, Bishop of Palm Beach, will gather in solidarity to pray for the end of abortion. The peaceful prayer service will take place on Tuesday January 22, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at the courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach at the intersection of N. Dixie and 3 rd Street facing the new court. The faithful have been asked to turn out not only for prayer, but as public witness against the horror of abortion.

Bishop Barbarito, in a joint statement with all the Catholic Bishops of Florida said "We must continue to proclaim to society that the 1973 Roe V. Wade Supreme Court ruling was wrong because it did not recognize the child in the womb as a human being but only as "potentiality of human life," all members must respect the fundamental rights of every person."

Don Kazimir, Director of the Office of Respect Life and organizer for this prayer event said, "Members of the pro-life movement are convinced that prayer will be what stops abortion in our nation. We need more of our faithful brothers and sisters to commit to pray for an end to abortion."

Additional resources on abortion can be found on the Florida Catholic Conference website, www.flacathconf.org, including a web-based educational program, offered in both English and Spanish, on general abortion facts and the Catholic Church's teaching on abortion.

Anyone who would like more information about how to join the Respect Life movement in the Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach should contact Don Kazimir at (561) 775-9565.