As you may know, October is Respect Life month. Life is a gift from God and no human life is expendable, from conception to natural death, regardless of age, race, religion, gender, ability, or disability. Please join Campus Ministry on Monday, Oct. 25, for a day of prayer and fasting for a greater respect for all human life.
Everyone is free to pray as they are most comfortable. Adoration will be available from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. in Saint Thomas More Chapel on the Winona Campus. We are encouraging the addition of fasting to our prayers. The addition of fasting to prayer has Biblical roots. In the Old Testament, the Israelites fasted. David fasted while he prayed to God to spare his first child with Bathsheba. Esther fasted before going before the king to ask him to spare her people. The people of Nineveh fasted as an act of contrition when praying to God to spare their city its due punishment for sin. Jesus fasted before beginning His public ministry and the early apostles fasted. In fact, when the apostles asked Jesus why they could not expel a particular demon, Jesus answered, “this kind can only be cast out by prayer and fasting” (Mt 17:21). Fasting demonstrates the depth of our desire and expresses it with both body and spirit. It reminds us of our dependency on God and helps us align our will with God’s.
Consider joining us for a day of prayer and fasting for the cause of a greater respect for the sacredness for God’s gift of life and the inherent dignity of all human life from conception to natural death.
Thank you for your consideration of participating in this great cause.
