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Pro-life Americans from across the country attending the March for Life — which calls itself the largest annual human rights demonstration in the world — today, January 20, in Washington, DC. This is the first March for Life held in a post-Roe v Wade America. Catholic pro-life leaders agree that this year’s demonstration is more important than ever, to provide a prayerful witness to the sanctity of life in the face of a push for abortion legalization at the federal level and in many states. Stay tuned to Catholic News Agency dot com for the latest updates today from the March for Life.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253393/live-updates-the-march-for-life-2023
Like the two years’ prior, Pope Francis and the Roman Curia will again do the Vatican’s annual Lenten retreat on an individual basis. The Vatican said Friday that Pope Francis had invited cardinals living in Rome and the heads of dicasteries to participate in the spiritual exercises “in a personal way” during the first full week of Lent, February 26 to March 3. During that week, all of Pope Francis’ appointments will be canceled, including the Wednesday general audience of March 1, the Vatican announced. The pope asked the superiors of the Roman Curia to suspend their work activities and to use the five days for prayer. This is the third year the Lenten spiritual exercises, formerly organized as a group retreat, will take place in a private manner.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253405/pope-francis-to-do-private-lenten-retreat-in-2023
The bishops of the Church of England plan to maintain a prohibition on same-sex marriage but intend to add certain prayers that would allow same-sex couples to have a ceremony to recognize stages within a same-sex relationship.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253401/church-of-england-won-t-recognize-gay-marriage-but-will-allow-certain-ceremonies
The Supreme Court announced Thursday that it has failed to find the person responsible for the leaked draft opinion overturning Roe v Wade. A joint statement released by the Supreme Court and marshal of the court today said the investigation has not been able to positively identify the culprit, despite concluding that it is “unlikely” the court was hacked and narrowing the search to less than 100 employees. An unprecedented Supreme Court leak to Politico in May 2022 exposed an unpublished draft opinion in which five justices voted to overturn Roe v Wade, ending the constitutional right to abortion. Immediate backlash ensued after news of the leak broke in which Supreme Court Justices’ lives were threatened and protests were held for days outside their homes.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253400/breaking-supreme-court-failed-to-find-source-of-leaked-opinion-overturning-roe-v-wade
Today, the Church celebrates Saint Sebastian, the son of a wealthy Roman family. He was educated in Milan and became an officer of the imperial Roman army, and Captain of the Guard. He was a favorite of Emperor Diocletian. During Diocletian's persecution of the Christians, Sebastian visited them in prison, bringing both supplies and comfort. He is reported to have healed the wife of a fellow soldier by making the sign of the cross over her. During his time in the army he converted many soldiers and a governor. Charged as a Christian in 288 in Rome, Sebastian was tied to a tree, shot with arrows, and left for dead. However, he survived, recovered, and returned to preach to Diocletian, where the emperor then had him beaten to death.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-sebastian-122