A Divine Liturgy for the sanctity of all human life was celebrated in the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine, Washington, DC

Washington, DC – As thousands of pilgrims converged upon the Nation’s Capital on Friday, January 21, to manifest opposition to Abortion in the United States, a Divine Liturgy for the sanctity of all human life was celebrated in the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family at 10:30 a.m.  With the current Covid-19 virus tamping down a usually robust attendance, some 30 faithful composed of parishioners and a group of students from Hillsdale College in Michigan attended the Liturgy.

The Liturgy was celebrated by Fr. Robert Hitchens and Fr. Andrii Chornopyskyi.  Fr. Peter Galadza (visiting professor at Catholic University), Olenka Galadza, and Yaromyr Oryshkevych cantored the Liturgy.

Fr. Hitchens in his homily reflected upon the journey of human life that begins with the first spark of life at conception until its natural end of earthly existence with a final breath.  From those earliest moments, God, the Father of Life, has blessed a new son or daughter with an unimaginable abundance of grace to live extraordinarily in His eyes without fear and with hope sustained and supported by the Holy Spirit. Thus, knowing the Good News of Jesus, we are called to promote an authentic culture of life imbued with love and mercy for all.  He also stressed that every human life is sacred and deserves respect, honor, dignity, and freedom, especially the people of Ukraine, who are in distress, with the uncertainty of probable foreign aggression.

Photo: Ivanna Chornopyska