40 Days for Life Fall 2015

http://40daysottawa.blogspot.com/

Thank You and Overview of Ottawa's 2015 Vigil Participation - 40 Days for Life Closing Rally

Dear 40 Days Reps and Friends:

For the benefit of those who could not attend the Closing Rally, here is an overview summary of campaign participation for this year’s 40 Days for Life Campaign.

First off, a heartfelt congratulations and thank you to all 40 Days Reps who took on this key role in the campaign.

All your efforts are most appreciated and have contributed to the campaign’s continued progress in vigil day coverage this year.

In late July, over 90 church and special ministry groups were invited to participate in this campaign. This comprised 60 mostly english-speaking catholic churches, a number of French-speaking catholic churches, 18 protestant or non-denominational churches, 3 orthodox churches, 1 Jewish faith community, and 4 special ministry groups. We were also given help to promote the campaign by someone with ties to a broad network of christian demonination churches in the Ottawa area This brought in other Christian pro-lifers out to the vigil site to pray.

These invitations resulted in 30 churches, the highest number we have ever had, that committed to vigil day participation, 4 ministry groups took full vigil days, and one youth group took a half-day vigil

While 30 of the 40 days were committed vigil days, similar to overall vigil day coverage last year, there was also a number of vigil day overlaps of 2 churches on the same day, which if separated out with the ministry groups would have been closer to 35 of the 40 days.

Two churches did not participate in a vigil day this year, that had previously done so. This was compensated with 5 new churches taking committed vigil days for the first time. These new vigil day participants were St. Isidore, St. Patrick’s Fallowfield, St. Philip and its affiliate mission St. Clare, and the St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Shrine.

As in previous years, efforts are still being made in other church communities to organize themselves for the first time, and eventually take on a committed vigil day or even part of a vigil day.

Approximately 5 church communities that were either very small or very far out from downtown Ottawa again promised their intercessory prayers for the campaign, which is very much needed and appreciated. Also, a pro-life Jewish community-based in Toronto , promised they would have prayer requests made for our 40 Days campaign in the orthodox Jewish synagogues of the Ottawa region.

Once again, there are other churches that had the interest to organize a vigil, but had other challenges that prevented this from happening, and this will eventually turn around with polite annual reminders about the impact of these campaigns, and with prayerful persistence and determination.

In addition, there was special vigil hour participation by the Ottawa Catholic Teachers Guild, students from Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy , St. Patrick Basilica’s Rosary Group, and St. John Baptist Ukrainian Youth Group.

In other cases, there were very committed individuals, who took on extended blocks of hours on their own and were very helpful in covering uncommitted days.

Lastly there are the core regulars, who ramp up their presence throughout the whole campaign, and who are out at the vigil site year-round. They are an inspiration for all of us.

Overall there was a little over 95% coverage of the 480 total vigil hours. 1,000+ people came out to Bank Street to pray at the vigil.

Given the uphill battle we face in the coming four years, with a very anti-life cultural and political leadership in this country, we have to maintain a persistent mentality, as circumstances and good judgment permit, when it comes to promoting 40 Days campaigns. Over the next 10 months, talk about your participation in Ottawa ’s 40 Days for Life campaigns, and challenge and ask questions of your friends and neighbours of faith particularly if they or their church or ministry group have not participated in a vigil day. We have the numbers to do it, there really is no reason why we can not soon reach 100% coverage of all our vigil hours and eventually all of the 40 days as committed vigil days.

As quoted by American David Daleiden from the Centre for Medical Progress just prior to the start of this year’s campaign, “40 Days for Life is the spiritual engine that has driven a lot of the success of the pro-life movement over the past several years. The role of that constant spiritual presence and vigil and witness, the role that it plays in our movement, in our country, and as a conduit and fountain of grace and goodness for our nation is so critical and so important.”

With God’s grace and help, let's do all that we can do to keep this powerful spiritual engine running strong for as long as we have to.

As of this past Monday, 543 babies were saved through this year’s campaign, and early into this fall’s campaign it was reported that 4 more American abortuaries closed down, for a total of 64 abortuary closures through 40 Days for Life vigils. The final results for this international campaign will be known in about 2-3 weeks time.

Thank you so much to all for your encouraging and enthusiastic participation in this year’s campaign.

For the least of our brethren,

Helena Szakowski

Church and Ministry Co-ordinator

Ottawa ’s 2015 - 40 Days for Life Campaign

The 40 Days for Life campaign is half-way through.

Please spread the word and plan to come to the mid-point rally on Sunday, October 18 at 7:00 pm at the vigil site, across from 65 Bank Street. We are pleased to have radio host and pastor of the biker's church, Rev. John Counsell as our guest speaker.

Hope to see you there,

Wanda Hartlin

Co-ordinator

40 Days for Life, Ottawa

wanda40daysforlife@clife.ca

40 Days for Life BlogSpot click here

Ottawa Website click here

40 Days for Life Kick Off Rally

Sep. 20, 2015

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Kick-Off Rally, Sunday September 20

Here is 40 Days Co-ordinator Wanda Hartlin's account about the Kick-Off rally held last night on Sept. 20th.

The Ottawa 40 Days for Life had a good start with the kick-off rally, on the Sunday preceding the 2015 Fall campaign. The evening began with candle lighting as Paul, a staff member of Campaign Life Coalition, welcomed over 80 people to the 9th Ottawa, 40 Days for Life.

Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Ottawa, greeted everyone with some words of encouragement in both English and French. Archbishop Prendergast has been a steady supporter of the prayer campaign, often attending the downtown vigil to pray alongside the prayer warriors. His talk was followed by two minutes of silence in commemoration of the aborted babies.

Gary broke the silence with a moving rendition of the song, Alleluia. Deacon Chuck followed by explaining the new direction that the Proclamation of the Word is taking; it will be concentrating this year more on the New Testament. He also explained a new on-line prayer project to pray for the success of the 40-day campaign. Bernard welcomed our French counterparts with his bilingual talk and he went on to tell us about the bilingual Facebook page and blog. Helena answered questions about the church and group vigil days and encouraged everyone to register their participation on the vigil calendar.

Wanda wrapped it up with some local statistics and updates on the campaign, concluding with a heart wrenching story about a woman named Cliona. This young mother had the challenge of carrying a child, diagnosed with anencephaly. This is a fatal disease, and although it was recommended that she abort her baby, she chose to complete her pregnancy and give birth to her child. He was named John Paul and he lived for 17 minutes after birth. Cliona told about the impact his young life on her and on her family.

Everyone is invited to join the prayer warriors at the Bank Street vigil, located across from Ottawa’s main abortion facility at 65 Bank Street. We are gathering for prayer, daily from 7 am to 7 pm, from Sept. 23 to Nov. 1, 2015. Please come, your prayers make a difference.

Proclamation of the Word Daily scripture reading that takes place from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Volunteers are welcomed. To sign up contact Deacon Chuck, deaconcfink@gmail.com

on-line prayer Prayer support for the 40 Days for Life campaign. People gather on-line for half an hour. To participate contact Deacon Chuck, deaconcfink@gmail.com

Dates include: October 15 and October 29 at 9:00 pm

Facebook www.facebook.com/40days4lifeottawa

65 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON K1P 5N2, Canada

Ottawa has registered for the upcoming Fall, 40 Days for Life campaign lasting from September 23 to November 1, 2015.

Everyone is invited to join us for an Information Evening on Wednesday August 26 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at St. Patrick's Basilica, corner of Kent and Gloucester Streets, downtown Ottawa.The meeting will be held in the basement Scavi so enter by the Gloucester St. or Nepean St. door.

Come and find out how the campaign will be put together this year and bring a friend.

Yours for Life,

Wanda

Wanda Hartlin

Co-ordinator

40 Days for Life, Ottawa

wanda40daysforlife@clife.ca

613-831-2515