Every year on January 22, the Catholic Church in the United States observes a solemn day dedicated to prayer and penance. Officially known as the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children, this observance is mandated across all dioceses in the country.
It serves as both a remembrance of a tragic chapter in American history and an ongoing spiritual commitment to defend the dignity of human life from conception to natural death.
The Historical Context
On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark decisions in Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, effectively legalizing abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy nationwide. This ruling led to the tragic loss of millions of unborn children and caused deep wounds to countless women, men, families, and communities. For nearly five decades, it established a regime of abortion on demand across the United States.
A pivotal shift occurred on June 24, 2022, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, returning the authority to regulate abortion to the states. While this decision marked a significant victory for the pro-life cause, the work is far from complete. Many state laws and policies remain permissive or even expansive toward abortion, and federal challenges persist. The need for prayer, advocacy, and healing continues urgently.
Why a Day of Penance?
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM, no. 373) explicitly designates January 22 (or January 23 if the 22nd falls on a Sunday) as “a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion.”
This is not merely a day of commemoration but one of active penance—a time for Catholics to acknowledge the gravity of abortion as a grave offense against human life and God's gift of creation. Penance here involves personal and communal acts of reparation, seeking forgiveness for societal sins while imploring God's mercy and conversion of hearts.
Pope Saint John Paul II captured this urgency powerfully in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae:
> “A great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer.”
How Catholics Observe This Day
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) encourages a range of prayerful and penitential practices. These include:
- Attending Mass, often the special “Mass for Giving Thanks to God for the Gift of Human Life” (with white vestments) or the “Mass for the Preservation of Peace and Justice” (with violet vestments, emphasizing penance).
- Fasting and abstaining from meat as acts of self-denial.
- Praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet, a decade of the Rosary, or offering a Prayer for Life before the Blessed Sacrament.
- Making small sacrifices, such as giving up media/entertainment for the day or dedicating time to acts of service for others.
- Participating in local events like prayer vigils, rosary rallies, or the National Prayer Vigil for Life.
Many join initiatives like the 9 Days for Life novena leading up to January 22, which unites hundreds of thousands in focused prayer and penance.
Resources from the USCCB and Respect Life programs provide liturgical texts, suggested readings, action guides, and pro-life prayers to deepen participation.
A Day of Hope Amid Sorrow
January 22 invites reflection on the sacredness of every human life as a gift from God. It calls us to grieve the past, repent where needed, and rededicate ourselves to building a culture of life. Even after the overturning of Roe, the battle for hearts, laws, and support for mothers and families continues.
On this day, Catholics are reminded that true change begins with prayer—united, persistent, and humble. Through penance, we seek healing for those wounded by abortion and grace for a society that fully cherishes every unborn child.
As we observe this Day of Penance, may our prayers rise as an “impassioned plea” to the Creator and Lover of Life, trusting in His mercy and power to transform hearts and restore justice.
For more information and resources, visit the USCCB's dedicated page: https://www.usccb.org/january-22.
Let us pray and act, today and every day, for the legal protection of unborn children and the healing of all affected by abortion.
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