"40 days for life" - individual obligations?

[Kathrin]

The country respectively town I live in will start a 40 days for life anti-abortion campaign of prayer, fasting, etc bext week, Sept 24.

For very personal reasons I think it is not so good for me to actively participate in the campaign; I decided that i could pray for it ony my own more during that time… and I am anyway somebody who speaks up against abortion when the opportunity arises (I HATE abortion, how can anybody think it is ok???).

The reasons for not officially participating:

• Fasting is very difficult and probably also (psychologically but also physically) unhealthy
  for me; even for Good Friday a priest had told me I needed not when I explained the situation to him. Not sure if that is only from fear, butI have gotten dizzy from fasting before, and I just feel it is not healthy for me and psychologically very stressful.
• I am from anothe rcountry and not sure if I am allowed with temporary residence to participate in protests and stuff like that.
• On the day the campaign starts, I am for the first time in 7 months travelling (flying) back to my birth country to see my family for about 6 days. Just too much I feel on the same day also participate in the beginning of the campaign; I am playing with the thought of going to mass in the morning but even that I am not sure yet (I usually go to mass every day, usually at night).

But now on its Facebook Page the parish where I live has announced the participation in the campaign.

My question now is am I obligated to participate also individually?
I know the Pope has blessed the campain, and my parish has put the invitation on Facebook… but how much is the indivudual obligated?
More precisely, is it a sin to not participate? Or to only partly participate, for example by praying more for it during that time, but NOT fasting and NOT standing in front of the hospital?

I think I might ask our parish priest but it is too late now and I would love some opinions of fellow catholics if anybody has any idea,

 

[mommamaree]

40 Days for Life is totally optional. You have (zero, none) no personal obligation to participate in any aspect of the campaign.

Hope that helps you! Do not worry!

 

[Kathrin]

Even if my parish has put an invitation on facebook that says something like “let’s participate” or “we’re participating”?

I need not even ask the parish priest if I am obligated?

 

[mommamaree]

Even if my parish has put an invitation on facebook that says something like “let’s participate” or “we’re participating”?

I need not even ask the parish priest if I am obligated?

Even still, you are not obligated. You are free to inquire with your parish priest if that puts your mind at ease, but you do not need to ask him otherwise.

The language used in the invitation is just to get people involved if they are able, but it is still an invitation. It is not binding on pain of sin.

 

[Kathrin]

It sounds like you are sure Unlike me who tends to be unsure about such things.

And yes, it does help.


If I may ask, how do you (and other people) know such things so confidently, is it just that if it WERE obligatory, it would have to be expressively stated that it is? It would have to say something like “all catholics are required to participate”?

 

[jediliz]

You’re not required to fast. You can pray at home or at the abortion “office”.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Even if my parish has put an invitation on facebook that says something like “let’s participate” or “we’re participating”?

I need not even ask the parish priest if I am obligated?

An invitation is not a command, and Facebook is not a magisterial document. (And what about people who don’t use Facebook and wouldn’t even know the invitation was there?) You may participate, ignore it, join in some part of it, or whatever you like.

 

[mommamaree]

It sounds like you are sure Unlike me who tends to be unsure about such things.

And yes, it does help.


If I may ask, how do you (and other people) know such things so confidently, is it just that if it WERE obligatory, it would have to be expressively stated that it is? It would have to say something like “all catholics are required to participate”?

Yes, exactly. Catholics are bound by the commandments and the precepts of the Church, and by what the official catechism and canon law require of us. 40 Days for Life falls under none of these categories.
If I sound confident, it is only because, as a convert, I have studied to learn what is binding and what is not, as well as what might be commendable but optional. And I needed to learn it well, because I immediately was responsible for catechizing all my children, which is a tremendous responsibility. So I needed to be certain.

 

[Kathrin]

I know what I AM good at.
I am really standfast when it comes to discussions about abortions. I am probably good at expressing shock at the mere THOUGHT that somebody could think abortion is right. Not by making expressive statements but by…well, in an almost (positively) naive way speaking up against crimes against life.

I am good at praying too of course. I pray a lot about all kinds of things and othe rpeople ask me to pray for them or for their intentions quite often

 

[Kathrin]

Yes, exactly. Catholics are bound by the commandments and the precepts of the Church, and by what the official catechism and canon law require of us. 40 Days for Life falls under none of these categories.
If I sound confident, it is only because, as a convert, I have studied to learn what is binding and what is not, as well as what might be commendable but optional. And I needed to learn it well, because I immediately was responsible for catechizing all my children, which is a tremendous responsibility. So I needed to be certain.

Those with a rather scrupulous conscience like me tend to worry TOO MUCH about obligation .

An dplease do not think that I do not care about abortion. I find it outrageous.
It is just that doing it in this organized way, at THIS time right now, I feel not to be the right way for me personally right now.
If that makes sense.
Especially not with travelling off exactly the day it starts and being with family for the first time in months the week it starts.
Hope that doesn’t sound selfish.