The pastoral strategy is essentially a call and encouragement to prayer and sacrifice - it's meant to be simple. ... Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty are not only foundational to Catholic social teaching but also fundamental to the good of society. - Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, from the news release about the Call to Prayer (Dec. 6, 2012). En Español: Obispos Urgen A Los Católicos A Orar Por La Vida, Matrimonio, Libertad Religiosa

Join the Movement

"Like" the Call to Prayer to connect with others who are participating in the Call to Prayer and to share what your diocese and parish is doing. Pledge to fast on Fridays at www.usccb.org/fast.



What: The U.S. bishops have approved a pastoral strategy to advance a Movement for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty. It is essentially a call to prayer, penance, and sacrifice for the sake of renewing a culture of life, marriage, and religious liberty in our country. Click here for a one-page handout about the Call to Prayer that is suitable for use as a bulletin insert or flyer. En Español: "Llamado a la Oración"



Unprecedented challenges call for increased awareness and formation, as well as spiritual stamina and fortitude among the faithful.



Why: The well-being of society requires that life, marriage, and religious liberty are promoted and protected. Serious threats to each of these goods, however, have raised unprecedented challenges to the Church and to the nation. Two immediate flashpoints are the following:



First is the HHS Mandate, which requires almost all employers, including Catholic employers, to pay for employees' contraception, sterilization, and abortifacient drugs regardless of conscientious objections. This is a clear affront to America's first freedom, religious liberty, as well as to the inherent dignity of every human person.



Second, current trends in both government and culture are moving toward redefining marriage as the union of any two persons, ignoring marriage's fundamental meaning and purpose as the universal institution that unites a man and a woman with each other and with the children born from their union. These challenges call for increased awareness and formation, as well as spiritual stamina and fortitude among the faithful, so that we may all be effective and joyful witnesses of faith, hope and charity.



Who: All of the Catholic faithful are encouraged to participate

Where: Throughout the entire country; at your local parish, cathedral, school or home

How To Participate: 5 Ways



1. Host or attend a Eucharistic Holy Hour on the last Sunday of each month

5 Ways to Participate:

1) Monthly Holy Hour

2) Daily Rosary

3) Prayers of the Faithful

4) Fasting & Abstinence

5) Fortnight for Freedom



2. Pray a daily Rosary

3. Prayers of the Faithful at daily and Sunday Masses

4. Abstain from meat on Fridays and fast on Fridays

Fasting and abstinence unites us to the redemptive suffering and death of our Lord. "The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church's penitential practice." - Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1438

The practice of fasting: The general practice of fasting allows a person to eat one full meal. Two smaller meals may be taken, not to equal one full meal.

As we are conformed to Christ through fasting and abstinence, we in particular remember the intention of the protection of life, marriage and religious liberty.

For more information on fasting and abstinence, see the USCCB Fast & Abstinence page.

Go to www.usccb.org/fast to sign the pledge to fast and abstain from meat on Fridays.

Download and print pledge cards to pass out at your parish or school



Sign up for a weekly reminder, intention, and reflection by entering your email in the upper-right box of this page or by texting "FAST" to 99000.

5. Participate in the Fortnight for Freedom

Fortnight for Freedom website





Goal: A visible, vibrant reminder of the God-given nature of religious liberty, the right to bring our faith into the public square, and the rights of individuals and institutions to conduct their professional lives according to their religious convictions



Key issue: Potential Supreme Court rulings on marriage in June 2013



Key issue: The need for conscience protection in light of the August 1, 2013 deadline for religious organizations to comply with the HHS mandate

Key issue: Religious liberty concerns in other areas, such as immigration, adoption, and humanitarian services



Learn More



Questions?

Contact us: calltoprayer@usccb.org



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