Prayer of the Family, the Sanctuary of Life

Father, all life comes from you,
And you call the human family
To live in communion with you
And with one another.

As you are one with your Son
And the Holy Spirit,
So you call us to live as a family,
United in self-giving love.

You entrust us to the care of one another
And call us to be especially attentive
To the weakest and most dependent
Members of our family.

You call us to welcome life
Even when it is unexpected
And to nurture and protect it
Just as you nurture and protect us all.

You call us to bear witness in the world
To the bonds of unity and peace
Which are inspired by your Spirit
And which overcome division and unforgiveness.

You call us to serve the Church
And to encourage other families
Especially those in difficulty.

Bless and protect us as a family
And let us be witnesses
In word and deed
To the Gospel of Life.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Families Wounded by Abortion

Father of life,
You are the origin of every family
And you are the healer
Of every wound.

We know that there is nothing
That destroys the family more than abortion.
It is the greatest destroyer
Of love and peace.

Today we pray for all families,
And in particular for those
Who experience the deep wounds of abortion,
And the division that it brings.

We pray for those whose marriages
Have been broken due to an abortion,
And for those alienated
From parents, siblings, or other relatives.

We pray for those
Who today are alone
Because abortion has taken others
Out of their lives
And out of their families.

Lord, bring hope into their despair
And bring light into their darkness.
Show them the path to healing,
And set them on the road to peace.

And even if their family
Can never be one again here on earth,
Fill them with the hope
Of all who look forward to the world to come,
Where there will be no more death,
No more crying out or pain,
And where you, Lord God of Life,
Will make all things new.

We pray in the Name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.