35,000 Catholics Mobilize Against Euthanasia via Prayer Campaign

The initiative, launched through the website priepourundepute.fr by the Catholic platform Hozana, assigns each participant a specific member of parliament to pray for ahead of the final vote scheduled for July 15th. The French government is pushing to pass legislation that would legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide, with the bill currently in its third reading at the National Assembly.

The mechanics of the platform are straightforward. Users can either be randomly assigned an elected official or choose one themselves, then commit to praying for that lawmaker until the final vote. Each profile displays the parliamentarian’s photograph, constituency, and voting record on previous readings, showing whether they voted for, against, abstained, or were absent.

The stated purpose is to ask that the Holy Spirit touch the hearts of lawmakers, enlighten their consciences, and grant them the wisdom necessary to discern and protect the dignity of every human life, according to the association’s statement.

Hozana has framed this effort as a response to Pope Leo XIV’s call to defend the intrinsic dignity of every human person.

Scottish Precedent Fuels Hope

Organizers of the prayer chain point to recent events in Scotland as grounds for optimism. Last March, when passage of Scottish assisted suicide legislation appeared certain, a spiritual mobilization organized ahead of the vote yielded unexpected results. Twelve deputies who had initially supported the bill reversed their positions, leading to its rejection.

Scottish bishops declared at the time that prayer had touched hearts on this crucial question, proclaiming that life had triumphed that evening.

Narrow Parliamentary Margins in France

Could a similar scenario unfold in France? The arithmetic from the most recent vote suggests a tight but theoretically possible path. The bill passed with 299 deputies in favor and 225 against, with 37 abstentions. The majority threshold stands at 281 votes.

If the abstaining lawmakers were to shift to opposition and approximately twenty supporters changed their positions, the bill could be blocked. After the National Assembly completes its current deliberations, the Senate will debate the measure in early July. Should the Senate reject it, deputies will have the final word in a definitive vote on July 15th.

For Hozana and the tens of thousands of mobilized faithful, the conviction is absolute. Each voice counts in the chamber, and each prayer counts in Heaven, they maintain. It is an act of faith with just weeks remaining before the decisive vote.

With information from Valeurs Actuelles