A livestreamed Mass for Life celebrated by Father Joseph W. McQuaide IV can be found here. The Mass and a Holy Hour pre-recorded by Bishop Malooly are part of the National Prayer Vigil for Life sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Catholics across the country are observing a prayer vigil to mark the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, the U.S. Supreme Court decisions that legalized abortion. In the years since, more than 60 million abortions have been performed legally in the country.
The vigil began with a live broadcast at 8 p.m. Jan. 28 from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., with a rosary, followed by a Mass opening the National Prayer Vigil for Life. Throughout the night, bishops from around the United States led Holy Hours. Those are streamed at www.usccb.org. Bishop Malooly’s Holy Hour began at 4 a.m.
The Holy Hour featured Deacon Robert Cousar and transitional Deacon Michael Preston, as well as seminarians Brennan Ferris, John Eneumo and James Gebhart.
The annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., was set for Jan. 29, but with the coronavirus pandemic still raging, it became a virtual event, with in-person attendance limited to some pro-life leaders standing in for the tens of thousands who normally attend.
The decision to go virtual was made because of the coronavirus pandemic and the turmoil in Washington Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol.
Bishop Malooly missed the Mass for Life since he was hospitalized last week and scheduled for surgery. The bishop came out of cardiac bypass surgery Thursday evening and his surgeon said he is “pleased” with the results, the diocese announced late Thursday.
Msgr. Steven P. Hurley, diocesan vicar general and moderator of the curia, said the bishop will probably need 6-to-8 weeks of rest and rehabilitation for full recovery. He thanked Catholics in the diocese for their continued prayers.
