Florida Catholic | '40 Days' to pray for life

‘40 Days’ to pray for life

The national campaign of pro–life advocates working together through prayer, fasting and vigils to promote a culture of life and an end to abortion begins.

COURTNEY MCKAY | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 09.25.08

40 DAYS

PALM BEACH GARDENS | Catholics from the Diocese of Palm Beach will unite this week with pro-life advocates around the country for the 40 Days for Life campaign, which combines prayer, fasting, peaceful vigils and educational outreach to promote a “culture of life” and an end to abortion.

40 Days for Life, which runs Sept. 24 through Nov. 2, brings communities across the country together in a cohesive pro-life movement that began last year. Pro-life groups from across the diocese are participating, with added involvement from youth groups and non-Catholic denominations.

This year’s national effort has participation from communities in 170 cities in 45 states joining together “for the largest and longest coordinated pro-life mobilization in history,” said David Olio, a local coordinator. “We are praying that, with God’s help, this groundbreaking effort will mark the beginning of the end of abortion in our city – and throughout America.”

Susan Pine, a parishioner of Holy Name of Jesus in West Palm Beach, is president of Faith, Action, Counseling and Education for Life, a group dedicated to promoting a “culture of life” that is compassionate toward both mother and child. “FACE Life has been and is currently the organizer for the local West Palm Beach 40 Days for Life campaign,” she said. “The effort this year is to especially encourage non-Catholic churches to become involved. All Christians need to take a public stand on this issue and unite in prayer to end abortion.”

Participants are encouraged to pray and fast in solidarity with the movement during the upcoming 40 days, and are also encouraged to join in activities planned near public places.

TO GET INVOLVED

Please contact one of the following:

Central diocese: Susan Pine, 561-868-7002

North diocese:
David Olio — 772-221-1865
Jim Thoma — 772-335-2026

South diocese:
Lisa Oweis — 954-275-2077

“Our prayer presence saves children,” said Pine.

Daytime prayer vigils will occur outside the Presidential Women’s Center at 100 Northpoint Parkway, one of the clinics providing abortion services in Palm Beach County.

Volunteers have been visiting parishes throughout the diocese, encouraging people to commit their time to make the ongoing prayer project a success. According to Pine, the prayers and vigils are effective, and the vigil presence alone causes women to reconsider having an abortion.

Sarah Sheehan, 15, began praying at local abortion facilities with her family when she was 5 years old and after attending a recent March for Life event in Washington, D.C., she wanted to do more in her community to promote the pro-life message.

“I saw girls my age walking into the abortion clinics,” recalled Sarah, “and I knew the youths were a crucial group to educate to end future abortions.”

Inspired by this, Sarah, along with her brother Michael Sheehan, 17, both parishioners of St. Clare in North Palm Beach, created an educational outreach program to get their peers involved in the campaign. They were joined by four of their friends from St. Juliana in West Palm Beach, St. Lucie in Port St. Lucie and St. Jude in Boca Raton.

The youths gathered at St. Jude in Tequesta on Aug. 30 to discuss the local pro-life campaign. The get-together included a rosary supplemented by pro-life meditations, a video explaining the 40 Days for Life movement, and a question-and-answer session addressing how youths can get involved.

Lisa Sheehan, Sarah and Michael’s mother, said she feels proud to know her children have heeded the message of life she and her husband, Tim, introduced to them. “Seeing youths reaching out to the youths is inspiring. It gives me great hope to see that the next generation knows the truth and defends life,” she said.

Olio, of St. Martin de Porres in Jensen Beach, is spearheading campaign activities in Martin County. He has a large agenda planned, including a prayer vigil Monday through Friday at Planned Parenthood facilities at 1322 N.W. Federal Highway at the Emerald Plaza in Stuart. On Saturday mornings, he will gather young people to pray near the facility.

“Our Web site will contain detailed information,” he said.

Olio also hopes to reach Christians of different denominations. “We have people from four different Baptist churches” participating, he explained.

Pine said she feels encouraged by the role of the youths in the pro-life movement. She points out that the movement is universal and spans both age and religious affiliation.

“We have invited synagogues and churches of other denominations to join us in prayer and vigils this year, and the interest has been overwhelming,” Pine said.

She hopes for record numbers at the prayerful vigils to send a strong message to local communities.

“We strongly encourage everyone to come out and make the small sacrifice of one or two hours at the clinic. If we can find time in our lives for leisure activities, we certainly can find time to save the life of an unborn child.”

Linda Reeves of the Florida Catholic staff contributed to this story.

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