Catholic Herald Article

Article from this week's edition of the Madison Catholic Herald

Forty Days for Life: Begins September 26 in Madison
MADISON -- This fall, from September 26 to November 4, Madison will be uniting with more than 80 cities in 32 states for the largest simultaneous pro-life mobilization in history - the nationwide 40 Days for Life campaign.

Madison will join together with Milwaukee, Appleton, and Green Bay in Wisconsin to hold a 24 hour a day, seven days a week prayer vigil outside of local abortion centers to pray to God for an end to abortion.

Some leaders are saying that, with God's help, this effort could mark the beginning of the end of abortion in America. Forty Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign that has generated measurable lifesaving results in every community where it has been implemented. Some cities have reported as much as a 28 percent drop in local abortion numbers.

What is 40 Days for Life? It is a vigil based on peaceful prayer and fasting, using the biblically significant time period of 40 days. The 40 Days for Life campaign is made up of three key components:

Prayer and fasting: inviting people of faith throughout the city to join together for 40 days of fervent prayer and fasting for an end to abortion.
Those participating pray for their preborn brothers and sisters who are in danger of loosing their lives in their earliest moments. They pray for those women who feel trapped and alone, and feel abortion is their only option. They pray for those women and men who have already chosen abortion, and are in such need of healing because of their decision. They also pray for abortion doctors and abortion center staff, for they too are children of the same God who loves them and who longs for their conversion.

It could very well be that abortion is one of those society-wide devils that require people to humble themselves through a disciplined and simultaneous period of fasting. What does it mean to fast? While there are many different methods, fasting ultimately involves saying "no" to oneself. By denying oneself of those legitimate things to which one may have an inordinate attachment, whether it be food or other material goods such as television, persons allow God to work within them more actively and unimpeded.

Peaceful vigil: standing for life through a 40-day peaceful, prayerful vigil giving public witness outside the local abortion facility, Planned Parenthood, 3706 Orin Rd., Madison.


Community outreach: taking a positive, upbeat pro-life message to every corner of the city through media efforts, church presentations, flyers, petitions, and public visibility.
People are encouraged to join in the vigil next Wednesday, Sept. 26, outside Planned Parenthood on 3706 Orin Rd., off of Highway 51 in Madison at 6 p.m. for the beginning prayer service for 40 Days for Life. People will be gathering together to begin 40 consecutive days of prayer, keeping a peaceful presence every hour of the day. People are encouraged to come out as often as possible during the prayer vigil to be a witness for life.

For more information, visit Madison's vigil Web site at www.40daysforlife.com/madison For more information regarding the campaign in Wisconsin, visit www.40daysforlifewi.com or call 1-877-LIFE-360.