Atlanta
Mass For Unborn, March For Life To Be Held Jan. 21
By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer | Published January 6, 2011
Those who see abortion as the taking of a human life will observe in prayer and silence the 38th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decisions that legalized abortion in America, gathering for a Mass for the Unborn and a silent March for Life in downtown Atlanta.
The events will be held on Friday, Jan. 21, with the Respect Life Ministry of the Atlanta Archdiocese sponsoring the Mass, which will be followed by speakers and the march organized by the Georgia Right to Life committee.
In another event that evening, a Mass and dinner will gather supporters to benefit the Advice and Aid Pregnancy Problem Center in Hapeville.
The observances sponsored by the Atlanta Archdiocese include the Rosary for Life, which begins at 9:30 a.m., followed by the Mass for the Unborn at 10 a.m. Both take place at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 48 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, SW, Atlanta.
Mary Boyert, the Respect Life ministry director, said the events are an opportunity for people who work in the pro-life cause to bolster each other and seek encouragement through prayer to continue their efforts on behalf of the unborn.
The day is a chance for people to recommit to their work on respect life issues, she said.
Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory will be the principal celebrant and homilist at the Mass. Auxiliary Bishop Luis R. Zarama, along with priests of the archdiocese, will serve as concelebrants of the Mass.
Participants who attend the Mass will be able to pre-order a boxed lunch to have after Mass and before attending the other events.
The Georgia Right to Life committee is hosting the gathering at the Georgia State Capitol, a block from the Shrine, and the march through downtown Atlanta. At noon, the Together for Life Memorial begins at the steps of the Capitol with the Silent Memorial Walk beginning at 1 p.m.
Archbishop Gregory is scheduled to speak at the Capitol service.
That evening, supporters of the Advice and Aid Pregnancy Problem Center, an independent support center for women facing difficulties in pregnancy, will gather for an evening Mass and Celebration of Life Banquet at the Cathedral of Christ the King, 2699 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta. Mass begins at 6 p.m. The Mass is open to all, but reservations are suggested for the banquet. For information, see www.friendsofadvice andaid.org. (See story on page 22)
The actual anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton Supreme Court decisions is Jan. 22. The national observances will take place during the weekend of Jan. 22. There will be a Day of Prayer and Penance for Life on Saturday, Jan. 22, followed by a National Prayer Vigil for Life on Sunday, Jan. 23. Information is available at the website of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops at www.usccb.org/prolife.
The annual March For Life in Washington, D.C., takes place on Monday, Jan. 24. For information, visit the website at www.marchforlife.org.
More information about the archdiocesan events can be found at www.archatl.com/ministries/respectlife or (404) 888-7821. Boxed lunches at $6 apiece must be preordered by Jan. 18.