Jan 6, 2026 / 14:00 pm (CNA).

The United States bishops have invited Catholics to pray an annual Respect Life novena for the protection of the unborn.

The Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is sponsoring the “9 Days for Life” prayer that will begin on Friday, Jan. 16, and end on Jan. 24. The novena is to be prayed in observance of the annual Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children on Jan. 22.

The 2026 “9 Days for Life” marks the 14th time the novena has taken place. Since it began, the prayer has reached hundreds of thousands of people in over 100 countries spanning six continents, according to the USCCB.

The overarching intention of the novena is to end abortion, and it also offers prayers for mothers and fathers, those suffering from participation in abortions, civic leaders, and pro-life activists.

Those who sign up to participate can access a resource kit with information in both English and Spanish. Participants will be offered daily prayer intentions accompanied by short reflections and suggested actions to help build a culture of life.

There are also resources available to help leaders guide the novena at parishes, schools, and ministries.

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

The USCCB first started sponsoring the novena in 2013 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision on Jan. 22, 1973. Following the legalization of abortion, “millions of children have lost their lives, and millions of women and families have been wounded by abortion,” the USCCB said.

While the Supreme Court overturned Roe. v Wade in 2022, continuing efforts are still “needed to protect children and their mothers from the tragedy of abortion,” the bishops said.

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), designated Jan. 22 as “a particular day of prayer and penance.” In all the dioceses of the U.S., the day “shall be observed as a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion,” according to the GIRM.

On the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children, the bishops suggest the faithful observe the day by attending Mass, abstaining from meat, praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet, fasting, praying a decade of the rosary, or offering a prayer for life to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Jan 6, 2026 / 12:59 pm (CNA).

At least 42 people have been killed and an unknown number of women and children abducted following a series of coordinated attacks on villages located in Nigeria’s Kontagora Catholic Diocese.

In a statement issued Jan. 5, the director of social communications of the diocese, Father Matthew Stephen Kabirat, provided details about the attacks.

“A devastating attack occurred in Kasuwan Daji, a village in Agwara local government, Niger state, as bandits invaded early Sunday morning. The attack has left over 40 people killed and several others kidnapped,” Kabirat said. “Reports indicate the bandits operated for hours with no security presence.”

According to Kabirat, the attacks were part of a wave of violence that began on Dec. 28, 2025, when heavily armed bandits riding about 30 motorcycles emerged from their hideout in the Kainji Game Reserve.

“They crossed into Kebbi state, north of Shafaci, and proceeded to the village of Kaiwa, where they killed five people and set fire to houses and grain stores. They then moved on to Gebe, where they killed two more people,” the priest said.

Kabirat explained that on the evening of Jan. 1, the bandits passed through Shafaci again and burned documents at the police station before spending the night in the bush.

On the morning of Jan. 2, they passed near Bako-Mission and the Tungan Kure junction near Pissa Village, where they gave some individuals a telephone number to be delivered to the district head of Pissa and the village head of Sokonbora.

At about 10 a.m. that same day, the bandits entered the Catholic church compound in Sokonbora and destroyed a crucifix, pictures of the Stations of the Cross, and musical instruments, Kabirat said, adding that the attackers also stole two motorcycles, mobile phones, and cash from the Catholic church in Sakonbora.

“After leaving Sokonbora, they occupied some Kambari compound nearby, where they spent the rest of that day until the afternoon of the next day [Jan. 3], eating the chickens and goats of the people,” Kabirat further recounted.

“Towards the evening of [Jan. 3], they left the Kambari compound near Sokonbora and entered the village of Kasuwan Daji, about eight kilometers [about five miles] from Sokonbora,” he said.

Kasuwan Daji is a small village with a large Wednesday market. The attackers, the priest said, “set fire to the market and surrounding houses, slaughtering 42 men after tying their arms behind their backs.”

“These victims were both Christians and Muslims; they also kidnapped an unknown number of women and children,” Kabirat said.

The priest explained that this particular group of criminals has been roaming freely across the northern part of Borgu local government area in Niger state and the southern part of Shanga local government area in Kebbi state between Dec. 28 and Jan. 3 without being challenged by security forces.

As a result, Kabirat said, the Papiri schoolchildren who were recently released from captivity have been further traumatized.

The children, he said, “are forced to hide in the bush with their families whenever reports indicate that the bandits are nearby, both day and night.”

“Panic is now widespread around the villages, where rumors abound,” the priest said, adding: “In this entire area, there are many villages. However, there is not a single large town where people can run to for safety. Nevertheless, people are evacuating the area in large numbers, abandoning their homes and properties.”

He added: “In view of the above, it is clear that pending the elimination of the bandits and their hideouts in Kanji Game Reserve, there is an immediate need for a large and well-equipped military task force in the area capable of and empowered to pursue, engage, and eliminate the bandits whenever they come out of the game reserve again for further attacks,” Kabirat said.

“Without such a task force, there will be a massive and ongoing loss of life and permanent displacement of large numbers of people.”

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

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