40 Days for Life to begin

Priests and their parishioners are being encouraged to sign up for time slots to pray outside a Worcester abortion facility this Lent, according to an email from local organizers of the 40 Days for Life campaign.

Those unable to do this are invited to organize prayer gatherings in their churches and homes.

“Once again, we have an opportunity to show our community, through peaceful vigil and prayer, that the murder of unborn human life is not acceptable in a civil society and that abortion is not healthcare, but it is an abomination to our Creator,” said local campaign leader Julie Koss-Stephany.

The international campaign of prayer, fasting, community outreach, and public vigil to end abortion is held annually from Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday and again in the fall.

The website 40daysforlife.com claims that 25,353 lives have been saved since 2007, when the nationally coordinated campaign began, that 161 abortion centers have closed and 268 abortion workers have quit.

Knowing that “with God, all things are possible,” and that some demons can only be driven out by prayer and fasting, “people of faith and conscience unite in 40 days of prayer and fasting,” the website says. “The visible, public centerpiece of 40 Days for Life” is the peaceful, educational prayer vigil outside an abortion facility.

In Worcester, the March 5-April 13 campaign is to be held daily from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on the sidewalk across from the Planned Parenthood facility at 470 Pleasant St.

Those interested in participating are encouraged to schedule times to pray there on the website 40daysforlife.com/worcester so each hour will be covered by at least one person.
Vigilers are to conduct themselves peacefully, lovingly and lawfully. They are encouraged not to engage in conversation with passersby or those entering the Planned Parenthood facility, but simply to pray and offer a public witness by their presence.

They can bring signs or borrow some which say: “You Don’t Have To Do This Today,” “Pregnant? We Can Help,” and “You Don’t Have To Work Here.”

“We are suggesting that you contact your pastor and ask him to choose one hour to come out to the sidewalk to lead his parishioners in public prayer,” the local 40 Days email says.

“Having our religious leaders join us on the sidewalk in peaceful vigil is very powerful” for parishioners and passersby.

The email asks readers to encourage their parish to sign up, helping fill the 480 total hours of the campaign.

“We try not to leave a single hour without someone on the sidewalk - we never know who our Lord will send past for a positive, life-changing message,” the email says.

It asks those unable to pray on the sidewalk to consider scheduling a prayerful gathering in their churches or homes.

Scheduled campaign events outside Planned Parenthood, unless otherwise noted, are an opening candlelight vigil from 6-7 p.m. March 5; Masses at 11 a.m. Thursdays in the Problem Pregnancy chapel at 495 Pleasant St., Worcester; and a closing prayer service April 13, at a time to be announced.

– For more information visit 40daysforlife.com/worcester or contact local campaign leader Julie Koss-Stephany at jksredvette@me.com or 508-320-2965.