Related Links

(To suggest a website addition that includes info on the Annunciation, Day of the Unborn Child, a related March 25 event, or the pro-life aspects of the Incarnation and Christ’s life before birth, please contact us at info@DayOfTheUnbornChild.com).

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Prenatal Life of Christ, Significance of March 25th (Annunciation/Day of the Unborn Child); Conception Celebrations for Individuals (Life-Day, Firstdays)

 

American Life League’s Annunciation Web Page. (including suggestions for home, school, and church based activities)

 

Annunciation Celebration.  A website from the founder of the Annunciation Society focused on the history of the feast, including the traditions of Colonial America.  The page on Annunciation carols offers two as samples, the music for which can be "freely reproduced by churches, schools, and individuals for their non-commercial use."  To read or pdf-download the article "The Conception of Christ from a Biblical Perspective" written by Annunciation Society founder Helen Dietz, please click here.

 

Date of Life Foundation.  A multi-denominational site dedicated to the annual celebration of individual conception days including that of Jesus Christ on the March 25th Annunciation Feast.  Offers various free e-cards to commemorate conception or "life-days" plus several designs for Feast of the Annunciation e-cards--among which are the two carnation designs offered from this site in a downloadable print version as note/postcards.  (If the Date Of Life site is down click HERE to view and use/e-mail the card graphics.  Otherwise to find the e-mail versions of our downloadable print carnation cards, go to the DateOfLife.com site and click "Search ecards" button at top and enter annunciation in box.  When you click to select the card to send, you will get green menu bars at the top--“Select Poem” will allow you to add the "Prayer to Christ Unborn" or "Prayer to Christ in His Hidden and Public Life".  Free registration is all that is required to sign up for Life-Day alert/reminders and free e-cards on pro-life themes.  The site also offers e-greetings for conception dates celebrated as Life-Days or FirstDays.  To contact the Date of Life Foundation webmaster please click here.

 

EWTN's web page on celebrating the Annunciation.  This text document from the on-line library of the Eternal Word Television Network briefly explains the importance of the feast and includes suggestions on honoring the day with Mass attendance, family celebrations, and activities with children.

 

FIAMC -- World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations.  FIAMC's "Celebrate the Annunciation as the Day of the Unborn Child" page includes recommendations on how and why to celebrate this day as well as links to prayers, comments, reflections on the Annunciation and Day of the Unborn Child from prominent figures such as Pope St. John Paul II.

 

The Great Prayer Project--End Abortion.  This new initiative at http://luke181.com/our_mission.php has selected the March 25th Feast of the Annunciation as the starting point for a year-long cycle of pro-life prayer.  Beginning in 2010, individuals have been able to sign up for a 20-minute time-slot during which they will pray for an end to abortion.  Participants will be able to sign up in advance (starting Jan. 1st) for calendar slots from March 25, 2010 onward.  Their ultimate goal is to fill time-slots for a full year of continuous prayer.   Site visitors can also join their newsletter mailing list to receive updates.

 

Jesus en el Santuario de Maria.  [Note: If the official website for the book is down, read the introduction at our page Pope Francis on March 25th and Christ Unborn].  The official page for the book is a Spanish language website featuring the work of July de Mouriño, author of "Maria, el Primer Sagrario" (Mary, the First Tabernacle) and founder/director of rioporlavida.net.  The site includes information on this Spanish-language book about the unborn Christ that features an introduction written by Pope Francis when he was Cardinal Bergoglio--for more on the Holy Father's contributions visit our page Fast and Fascinating Facts.  The jesusenmaria.com.ar site includes the prayer, Oracion a Jesus en el Santuario de Maria on the introductory page -- click the image on that page to get the contents listing -- select "Día de las niñas y niños por nacer" & "María, el primer Sagrario" to read some interesting quotes in Spanish.

 

The Knights of Columbus’ “Day of the Unborn Child” WebPages and Resources.  The Knights of Columbus commitment to promoting the Annunciation feast day as the “Day of the Unborn Child” is expressed through their many events and pro-life masses for the day sponsored by local councils and via their website which offers several “Day of the Unborn Child” resources and the KofC recommendations for church-based activities including an Overview, several Action Steps, various Support Materials, as well as a .pdf file of a sample program for prayer and Suggested Intercessions (right click the link to save).  Additional information and ideas can be accessed via the website's search function -- enter "day of the unborn" in the text box to search the site.

 

Lutherans For Life.  Lutherans For Life offers many worship resources including materials with Biblical quotes and historical references that can be downloaded or ordered free of charge or at low cost:  Click here for the Annunciation search page (most relevant items will display first).  Also see the Lutherans For Life section of the Worship Resources page for more detailed description of materials.

 

Precious Life Ministries.  This site currently offers the “Preborn Christ” book for children.  It is dedicated to exploring the prenatal life of Christ and its pro-life implications. 

 

Priests For Life Annunciation Web Page.  This site features reflections pertinent to the Annunciation and the pro-life lessons it carries.  The page offers a special PFL booklet with suggestions for observing the Annunciation--to order, e-mail orders@priestsforlife.org or call 888-735-3448, ext. 237, and ask for the booklet “Life is a Miracle.”  It also has a link to a reflection by Pope John Paul II on the Annunciation.  There are two links to Fr. Frank Pavone’s reflections on the feast as well.  At the bottom of the page is a special feast day prayer “Redeemer in the Womb” in English and Spanish.  The website also encourages believers  to "Celebrate the Annunciation" as Day of the Unborn Child.  See the video comments of Priests For Life's Fr. Frank Pavone here.  For the most recent PFL statements on the Annunciation/Day of the Unborn Child, type Annunciation into the search box near the top of the "Priests For Life" site.

 

ProLife365.com.  This site focuses on year-round pro-life evangelization, with a special acknowledgement of the importance of the day honoring Christ's conception.  "ProLife365.com went live online on the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25, 2014" [source: p.4 ALL News, Jul-Aug 2015, Amer. Life League].  The website's "About" page begins with the text: "'We all share in…the inescapable responsibility of choosing to be unconditionally pro-life,' Pope Saint John Paul II states in Evangelium Vitae ('The Gospel of Life' papal encyclical) on the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25, 1995."  The site includes a calendar for each month with special days hyperlinked for more info, and celebrates its anniversary on Annunciation Day with special postings like the following for its first year.

 

Pro-Life Apostolates’ Joint Statement on the Annunciation.  79 leaders of Catholic pro-life organizations have signed this joint document issued in 2002 urging reflection on and celebration of the life-affirming mystery of the Incarnation.  Similarly oriented organizations wishing to be added to the signature list for the statement, entitled “The Annunciation: A Feast of Life,” can contact mail@priestsforlife.org.

 

Sisters of Life.  The Sisters of Life (established on June 1st 1991 at the behest of New York Archbishop John Cardinal O'Connor) were officially approved as a Religious Institute of Diocesan Right within the Church, on their patronal feast of the Annunciation, March 25th, 2004.  The Sisters' pro-life ministry includes assisting pregnant women and highlighting the importance of the Annunciation and its celebration, for example, by leading the rosary at special pro-life Annunciation masses in the New York City area.  For more on this aspect of the Sisters of Life, please see the quotes on the Fast & Fascinating Facts page including those from their Superior General Mother Agnes Donovan on the pro-life import of the Annunciation and need for devotion and prayer to the unborn Christ.  Also visit the Sisters of Life Annunciation webpage, which states:  "It also seems fitting then, for the Church to celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation when the Promise of new life definitively entered our human history.  It is of special importance to the Sisters of Life as our Patronal Feast, renewing the Mystery of our Call to ponder anew the words of the angel to Mary and her response when the eternal Word began to exist as a human being in time…the Mystery of the Incarnation."  The Sisters of Life Annunciation webpage also includes this lovely quote toward the end: "John Cardinal O'Connor imparted the legacy of this vision to us quoting a poem of the Annunciation, by a Redemptorist father, Msgr. Duffy.  'And nothing would again be casual or small, but everything with Light invested.'  In our convent we seek to welcome the Light of Christ's coming every day.  But these encounters are not just for sisters, but for every Christian.  Just as the Holy Spirit overshadowing Mary's 'Yes' enfleshed Christ in the great Event, 2000 years ago, the Holy Spirit comes to bring Christ, again and again."

 

Unborn Jesus.  This site is focused specifically on devotion to the unborn Jesus and the pro-life implications of the Incarnation.

 

Unborn Word Alliance.  A website created to promote understanding of the significance of Christ’s life in the womb through various materials, most notably George A. Peate’s book “Unborn Jesus Our Hope” (see Further Reading for more info.).  In addition, the site offers large format (6”x4”) full-color pro-life prayer cards designed for modern sensibilities, featuring prayers focused on Christ’s prenatal life--a free sample can be requested.  The cards can be viewed and ordered via its on-line store.   Most appropriate for distribution on March 25th are “Litany of the Unborn Christ Child” (also avail. in Spanish), and “Angelus of Praise/9 Reasons to Honor Unborn Jesus” (also avail. in Spanish).  For more information e-mail info@unbornwordalliance.com or visit their contact page to order the free sample.

 

The Vatican.va "Day Of The Unborn Child" Webpage  This page from the Vatican's website describes the history of the Annunciation feast's proclamation as the "Day of the Unborn Child" in 1999 in Argentina and the role played by Pope John Paul II in encouraging and endorsing its establishment, as well as the current Secretariat's expression of hope that similar initiatives will be made in "all the countries of the world."

 

Visitation Article: "Pro-Life Feast Day" by Greg Erlandson.  Though the article is not directly Annunciation-related, this feast day does focus on an event that occurred just days later in Christ's early prenatal life.  Celebrating this May 31st feast day draws our attention to the unborn Jesus and his meeting with the unborn John through their mothers Mary and Elizabeth.  The article addresses the pro-life import of this important event in the prenatal lives of Christ and the Baptist.  It should be noted that although the over two-month gap between the feast dates doesn't match the brief interval that would have resulted from Mary rushing to Elizabeth, it does fall within the three months Mary is said to have stayed with her before returning home to Nazareth.  The feast date was set so that it comes after the Feast of the Annunciation and before the birth feast of John the Baptist on June 24, which is observed a logical three months after the Annunciation and six months before Christmas (Lives of the Saints: For Every Day of the Year, 1974 "Revision of the Original Edition of Rev. Hugo Hoever").  ["Pro-Life Feast Day" by Greg Erlandson in Family Resources Center News, Jan/Feb 2012, p.6, published by Peoria Diocese Respect Life Board, originally appeared in Our Sunday Visitor, May 29, 2011]

 

Vote Life, Canada! officially launched the International Day of the Unborn Child in Canada March 25, 2007.  Their 2008 graphic designed for IDUC is available for pro-life bloggers and other legitimate parties--Click here to access the graphic in two versions--one just for bloggers or here for more Vote Life Canada graphics. 

 

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Pro-Life (General)

 

National Right to Life Committee  As the oldest and largest pro-life organization in the U.S., NRLC seeks to achieve protection for the unborn and other vulnerable populations through political and educational means.  Note: It was National Right to Life Committee's long-time president John C. Willke, M.D. who wrote the pro-life pamphlet Mary's Pregnancy focusing on the prenatal life of Christ.  The NRLC.org website features a great article for anyone interested in celebrating FirstDays also known as Conception Days: "Marking Your Making: ConceptionDay Cards Celebrate the Gift of Life in a Fun Way, with Educational Significance" -- written by Holly Smith, Advisor and NRLC Field Coordinator -- Click Here for the text of the National Right to Life Committee article on Conception Day Cards. NRLC also included a poignant quote in its President's Column originally written by Kathryn Scharplaz in the 11/2009 issue of First Things:  "abortion profanes the very core of our faith, which is the incarnation of God as a human being….God chose to become incarnate as a tiny zygote in Mary's womb….To accept abortion is to deny the very nature of man--and of God.  Killing a fellow human being at the same vulnerable, prenatal stage at which Jesus' earthly life began…"

 

A Pro-Life Apology (It's not what you think)--Secular Anti-Abortion Arguments Summary.  This site provides a concise summary of the pro-life position from a faith-neutral perspective--the text of the letter (brief enough to be formatted to a standard postcard) was accepted as an example for ProLifeLetters.com.  It includes an eye-opening quote (strongly affirming the logic of the pro-life premise) that appeared under the entry for “life” in a standard medical reference--Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 1973 edition--the very year abortion was legalized.

 

Zenit.  An excellent source for information on pro-life events around the world including many articles on international Annunciation/Day of the Unborn celebrations.  Zenit.org is available in different translations so it can be searched using the names of Annunciation/ Day of the Unborn in other languages -- just click "Edition" at the top of the page to choose from several languages and then use the search function.  To see some of their articles on the "Day of the Unborn" in English, click Zenit.org/en -- or to use the search box to look for articles in Spanish click Zenit.org/es

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Pregnancy Centers, Helplines, and Assistance

 

Heartbeat International  (This is their homepage link)

For immediate assistance call 1-800-395-HELP

E-mail  and  Instant Message

Click for an International Directory of Pregnancy Centers

 

 

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