Mid-Way Prayer Service

Please join us, if possible, next weekend Sunday, October 21st (arrive around 11:50 pm) to mark the little over midway point of the 40 Days for Life vigil. We will have the privilege of having Bishop Robert Morlino join us in vigil from Midnight-1am (Sunday night going into Monday morning, Oct 21-22)

Rosary at the Capitol

And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars."
-Apocalypse 12:1

Saturday, October 13th marks the 90th Anniversary of the Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima.

An organization called "America Needs Fatima" is organizing Rosary Rallies throughout the country this Saturday. At 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 13th, there will be a Rosary offered outside the Wisconsin State Capitol, at the State Street enterance. While this is not part of '40 Days for Life', this seems like a worthwhile endeavor. The scourge of abortion will not end in America unless we have recourse to the Lord Jesus, through his Mother.

Two Weeks...

An image of the Divine Mercy of Jesus stands across from the Madison Planned Parenthood.

We have now passed two weeks of continuous 24 hour a day prayer outside of the Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Madison, Wisconsin. Laus tibi, Christe! May Our Lord continue to touch hearts and bring about a renewed reverence for the gift of life!

We also certainly had some very encouraging stories from last week. Here is what one of the vigil participants told us about their experience praying outside the abortion center:

This morning a lady who had walked into the Planned Parenthood Clinic while we were praying came back out, looked at us, and said ‘I didn’t.’

I’ve been praying through Psalm 119 as a prayer for all who support abortion, that that they would turn and follow God’s laws. Today I stopped at verse 175 and prayed this for the unborn being brought into the clinic by their mothers, ‘Let me live that I may praise you.’

Another vigil participant on a different day mentioned that a young woman who went into Planned Parenthood for pregnancy testing came out to talk to those praying. She thanked them for being out there, and said their prayers worked. May the Lord be with both of these women.

***

In a recent story about 40 Days for Life in the Capital Times, one of the abortion center staff remarked, "If they want to waste their time standing out there that's their business." The problem with Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers, is that they have an incomplete understanding of reality, for they fail to see the importance and power of prayer. Only God has access to hearts, and only He can bring an end to abortion in America. Without prayer and without recourse to the Mercy of God, abortion will never come to an end in our country.

So we will continue to pray, especially for Madison's abortionist, Dr. Dennis Christensen.

Praying for Life: At Planned Parenthood clinic's doorsteps

The Catholic Herald has a lot of good articles this week about respect life month and 40 Days for Life. If you are able, please try to pick up a copy!

Here's their article on 40 Days for Life by Mary Uhler.

MADISON -- Thousands of people are praying for life on the doorsteps of Planned Parenthood facilities at 89 different locations in 33 states around the United States, including Madison.

They are joining in 40 Days for Life from September 26 to November 4. "This is the largest and longest simultaneous pro-life mobilization in American history," said David Bereit, national director of the campaign.

In an interview on his visit to the Madison vigil on September 27 and 28, Bereit explained how this campaign got started. Planned Parenthood built a clinic in College Station, Texas, where Bereit lived. A friend of his called and told him that 10 babies had been terminated at the clinic. "It hit me that I had to do something. The light went on."

He talked with his wife, Margaret, and two weeks later quit his job in the pharmaceutical industry. "God made it clear that I didn't have a choice in the matter. It's been a journey in faith but we wouldn't change a thing," he said.

Bereit became director of the Coaliton for Life in College Station, where he worked for four years. He encouraged people from 60 churches to stand and pray outside the local abortion clinic.

In the fall of 2004, he planned the first 40 Days for Life in College Station. It included prayer, fasting, and community outreach with volunteers visiting 25,000 households with pro-life literature.

"We saw a continual drop in abortions," he said, up to 28 percent the year of the 40-day vigil. "Planned Parenthood labeled us the most anti-choice place in America."

The 40 Days for Life spread to Dallas, then Green Bay, Wis., Houston, and other cities. "It is astounding how God has worked," said Bereit.

He encourages people to participate in the vigil. "Ultimately it falls on each of us. Our example speaks louder than words."

Respect Life Mass

As part of 'Respect Life' month, Bishop Robert Morlino from the Madison Diocese will be offering a Respect Life Mass on October 7th at 11:00 a.m. at St. Patrick's Church in downtown Madison.

For those interested, there will also be a Rosary March at Holy Redeemer Church (off of State Street) on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

Photos from the Vigil Launch

Check out the Photos on the 40 Days for Life Madison website for the opening prayer vigil on September 26th.

National Plug

Nice, our blog got a plug from a national pro-life website. Jill Stanek, who is covering the events in Aurora, IL (they are now open, despite the courageous efforts of good people of faith down there), talks about the influence of blogs in shaping the debate surrounding Planned Parenthood's deception. Planned Parenthood used lies to get the city to get an abortion centered opened there, and while media coverage was originally favorable towards the pro-abortion side, eventually the non-conventional media helped get the word out about the dishonesty of Planned Parenthood.