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40 Days for Life: To begin second run

By KARA KOCZUR, Globe staff reporter
(Email Kara)

It’s back, and just in time for Lent.

40 Days for Life is gearing up for its second run in the diocese Feb. 25 – April 5, Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday. For some it may seem like last fall’s 40 Days campaign just ended, so why again so soon?

“They still do abortions,” said Mark Thomason, diocesan pro-life contact person, referring to the Planned Parenthood on Stone Avenue in Sioux City. “This isn’t just a religious issue. They kill people there. They murder 300 people every year at the Sioux City Planned Parenthood. That’s some of our parishes.”

40 Days for Life is a community-based campaign that draws attention to the evil of abortion through the use of a three-point program: prayer and fasting, constant vigil and community outreach.

“The most important element of the 40 Days for Life campaign is the prayer and fasting,” said Mary Stevens of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, which together with the Diocesan Pro-Life Commission is heading up the campaign. “I think many of us are finally recognizing that simply praying is not enough. Fasting fortifies the prayer effort and I believe that is why this campaign is so effective.”

This spring Sioux City is one of 123 communities in 43 states, four Canadian provinces and Australia that are holding 40 Days for Life events.

“This is one of the most concentrated efforts of us showing our faith to the world, in a place where they can’t sensor it,” Thomason said. “It’s us on the street witnessing Jesus Christ.”

People are eager to step up and witness. A number of people have already signed up for hours. In all, 960 hours need to be covered, with a goal of two people covering each hour. During the last campaign, over 500 people signed in at the vigil, but Thomason said not everyone remembered to sign their names. He predicts at least 1,000 people participated and is shooting for a goal of 2,500 participants this time around.

However, the cold weather may prove to be a slight hindrance in finding people to keep vigil, Stevens said.
Still, she is confident that those who participated in the first 40 Days for Life will be back again.

“People are willing to do something to end abortions in America,” she said. “This is a proven, effective way to make a huge difference.”

The climate will also go from cold to warm, Thomason said, unlike the fall vigil, which went from warm to cold. Besides the weather, the climate has changed in other ways as well. Ways that Thomason hopes will get more people to take part.

“People are more into it because they actually know it does stuff, and isn’t just rhetoric,” he said.

For example, last fall there was at least one baby saved in Sioux City. Nationally more than 1,100 babies have been saved, five abortion clinic workers have quit their jobs and three abortion facilities have shut down following local 40 Days campaigns.

This year Thomason, Stevens and those on the 40 Days for Life committee are taking a different approach to the sign-up process. This time they are targeting people to sign up for the same day, same hour, every week.

For example, someone would take 2 to 3 p.m., Tuesdays, for every week of the vigil.

It would be quite a commitment, but many from the diocese are up to the challenge. Already people have signed up for multiple hours. One gentleman is taking midnight to 2 a.m. every Saturday, someone else is taking 2 to 4 a.m. every Wednesday, while another couple has signed up for 5 to 6 p.m. every single day. And these are just a few examples.

“We’ve got some people who are really getting into it, which is awesome," Thomason said. "We’ve had a couple groups say they’ll take one full day."

Thomason issued the challenge to groups such as the Knights of Columbus and others, to also take full days. One council could take the first Wednesday, another the second Wednesday, and so on. He also challenged people to bring youth groups, high school students and college students.

While the committee is pushing for repeat sign-ups, those wishing to pray for just one hour during the vigil are still more than welcome to participate. They want as many people to partake in the campaign that are able to.

Thomason stressed that people shouldn’t shy away from also taking an hour just because someone is already signed up for that same hour.

“I can’t say this enough, our first goal is one per hour, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need more,” he said. “We need two people for every hour.”

If the weather is cold, people can sit in their cars or walk around, Thomason said. The important thing for Thomason and Stevens is that the people are praying on site.

“I love to hear the stories from the vigil attendees,” Stevens said. “Many get tears in their eyes from the experience. Being there has an effect that is hard to put into words. And praying with others for a common cause is powerful.”

Stevens recognizes that for many across the diocese, especially the elderly, it will be difficult to make it to Planned Parenthood. She asks that those who cannot be there physically to still place themselves spiritually there.

“Many times, it is not feasible for actual participation at the vigil here in Sioux City and parishes have had extra Masses to end abortion, Holy hours and rosaries,” she said.

To help those who may not be able to drive into Sioux City for the vigil, in the Carroll area DCCW deanery president Marie McRoberts is working with deanery representatives and the Pro-Life Commission to organize a 40 Days kick-off rally in their community, Stevens added.

Thomason would also like to have vigils held in other communities throughout the diocese. Perhaps it’s just a 40 hour vigil, or just a one hour vigil every day for 40 days. Communities or parishes interested should contact his office.

With only three weeks to go before the kick-off, Thomason said the goal is to have all 960 hours covered before the vigil starts. So far they’re a third of the way there with only one person per hour. For those looking for a way to enter into the season of Lent, Thomason said 40 Days for Life is a perfect match.

“Not only are we supposed to deny ourselves things in Lent, but we’re also supposed to step it up,” he said. “That’s the nice thing about 40 Days for Life, it does both. We’re asking for prayer, fasting and witnessing. It’s increasing our prayer life, increasing our penance and our public witness, which is really the great thing about being a Christian.”