Please read the following information from the Bishops’ Conference ahead of the Assisted Dying Bill which is due to receive its Second Reading, with full debate, on Friday 22 October 2021.
Novena to St John Paul II
There will be a national novena seeking the intercession of St John Paul II, on whose feast the Second Reading falls. It will run from 13th-22nd October. You will find a short and simple novena prayer below. There are also other materials available which can be accessed via this link: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/life-issues/
Bishop John Sherrington (the Bishop responsible for the Day for Life) has said of the Novena:
‘Jesus told his disciples to pray at all times and not lose heart. Providentially the discussion of Baroness Meacher’s Bill in the House of Lords falls on the feast of St John Paul II on 22nd October. The novena, asking the intercession of St. John Paul II, who spoke courageously about the infinite worth of each human person and witnessed to the cross in his final illness, calls upon Catholics and all who share our view that assisted suicide is wrong, to pray with perseverance that this Bill will be defeated. St. John Paul II, pray for us.’
The Novena Prayer for Parish Newsletters
Merciful God, we pray with thanks and gratitude for the great spiritual gift of Saint John Paul II’s apostolic life and mission. Through his heavenly intercession we ask that the ‘Assisted Dying’ Bill be defeated and that the infinite worth of each human person is upheld through proper investment in palliative care. Grant also that we may grow in love for You and proclaim boldly the love of Jesus Christ to all people. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be….
Right to Life: Call for Stories
Our friends at Right to Life are encouraging their supporters to submit compelling personal stories of the powerful benefits of palliative and end-of-life care, and of the dangers of assisted suicide. These will then be shared with peers as they consider the Bill this month. Any story, no matter how big or small it might seem, could be critical to the fight against assisted suicide in the Lord. These experiences will be very helpful to shaping the views of peers on this bill and convincing them to reject this extreme and dangerous proposal. You can submit your story here: https://righttolife.org.uk/mystory