Following the passing of a ballot proposal that altered the state constitution to legalize abortion on demand, the archbishop of Detroit is urging Michigan Catholics to spend the first two weeks of Advent performing penance.
Archbishop Allen Vigneron sent a letter to all parishioners the day following the passage of Proposition 3 by 56.7% of the vote.
“An unprecedented amount of abortion is now allowed in Michigan, and millions of lives are at risk. “We must pray and seek God’s mercy for allowing this wickedness to occur in our state,” commented Vigneron.
“Because of this, I would like to invite all the faithful to join me during the first two weeks of Advent, from November 27 to December 9, in performing penance, giving alms, praying, and fasting. “We must employ these spiritual activities to atone for the grave sin of abortion in our midst,” he stated.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Jesus instructed his disciples to pursue “interior penance,” which is defined as a “radical reorientation of our entire life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed” (No. 1431). Christians can “manifest their conversion in relation to themselves, God, and others” through almsgiving, prayer, and fasting (No. 1434).
This year, as part of the “I AM HERE” initiative of the Detroit Archdiocese, special eucharistic Holy Hours will be held daily at 7 p.m. during Advent. The campaign was launched in June to coincide with the launch of the Eucharistic Revival effort by the U.S. Catholic bishops.
The inaugural Holy Hour will be held at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit on November 27 at 7 p.m.
In his letter, Vigneron also emphasized the significance of assisting pregnant women in times of difficulty.
“We also reaffirm our commitment to supporting women and families in need with more determination than ever before. This effort is particularly important now that the unborn have been deprived of their fundamental right to life and their mothers are exposed to the terrible myth that euthanasia is a solution to their difficulties.
“In reaction to the passage of Proposal 3, we must move forward with no judgment, open doors, and effective resources to encourage women to reject the’solution’ of abortion and choose life for their children,” concluded Vigneron.
He highlighted the Walking with Moms in Need project and Project Rachel as two significant organizations that assist pregnant women, moms, and children, as well as those who have been wounded by abortion.
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