Catholic church lines up activities for 'pro-life month'

Catholic Church officials and leaders of Catholic organizations have lined up activities for the celebration of "pro-life month" this February. February was declared as pro-Life month by the late President Corazon Aquino in 1987 when she issued Proclamation 214 declaring February as "Respect and Care for Life Month." Aquino is the mother of incumbent President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. Together with Pro-life Philippines Foundation and Couples for Christ (CFC) Foundation for Family and Life, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) will hold activities promoting the family values and the sanctity of life. "With the theme 'Filipinos, Unite for Life,' organizers aim to bring Filipinos together to fight anti-life and anti-family value system that threaten the Filipino family," the CBCP said on its news site. On February 1, the month-long celebration will start with the celebration of the Holy Mass at 12:15 p.m. at the North Wing of the House of Representatives. Pampanga Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, head of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family and Life (ECFL), will preside over the Mass. On February 6, a 9:30 a.m. mass will be held at the EDSA Shrine in Mandaluyong City to open pro-life month formally. On February 10, a pro-life healing Mass, officiated by Dominican priests George Moreno and Vicente Cajilig, will be held at the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City. On February 13, pro-life groups will pay homage to the Virgin Mary in a Marian Regatta Prayer Rally at Subic Bay in Olongapo City. On February 25, international speakers Michael Voris and Jason Evert will speak at a conference at the Insular Life Auditorium in Alabang. On February 26, they will speak at a similar conference at the Ynares Stadium in Pasig City. "Voris' talks will delve on topics that would help reinforce the laity`s important role in supporting the pro-life cause of the church, while Evert will talk about the value of chastity and teen sexuality to the youth and church leaders," the CBCP said. On February 27, the celebration of pro-life month will end with a national convention at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila. – VVP, GMANews.TV