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Pray to end abortion during 40 Days for Life

By KARA KOCZUR, Globe staff reporter
(Email Kara)

Starting Sept. 23 Catholics throughout the diocese will again have the opportunity to join forces and storm heaven with prayers to end abortion.

Forty Days for Life is back for its third campaign Sept. 23 – Nov. 1. The kick-off rally will be held at 11:59 p.m., Sept. 22, in front of the Planned Parenthood on Stone Ave. in Sioux City. Bishop R. Walker Nickless will be present and the evening will include prayer, songs and speakers.

The Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus will also be in attendance.

So far, roughly 75 percent of the 960 hours have been filled with people who will pray at the round-the-clock vigil, said Stormy Poss, vigil sign-up coordinator. While at times in the past it has been a struggle to fill the time slots, Poss said it hasn’t been that surprising to have so much of the schedule already filled.

“We’ve gotten to the point where people say they’re committed to it and are going to do their one hour every week,” she said. “We called those people who did that last time and they just said yes again.”

Forty 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. Last spring’s campaign, held in 137 communities in the United States, Canada, Northern Ireland and Australia saw 433 lives saved from abortion, according to the 40 Days for Life Web site. This fall 212 cities in the United States, Canada and Denmark will be participating.

The campaign is being held again because abortion is still legal, Poss said.

Anitta Spenner, who does web work for the Sioux City campaign, agreed and said the vigils will continue until abortion ends.

“We should be praying to end abortion continuously and this is one way to keep it visible and so our plan is to participate in both campaigns annually,” Spenner said. “At a national level they do a fall and a spring campaign and by participating in it every time keeps it in people’s minds. We’re a prayerful witness of what’s going on there.”

For those who may never have participated in 40 Days before, Spenner encourages them to give it a try this fall. Besides praying for the end to abortion, the vigil is a great opportunity for spiritual growth and a chance for people to practice their faith, she said.

“They say faith without works isn’t what it’s all about and you need to have the works and this is one of the ways you can do the works along with faith,” Spenner said. “It’s powerful because of the number of people involved. Even though it may seem small, when you’re stopping by for an hour to pray and you magnify that and add it to the prayers of everybody else in this campaign, not only in Sioux City but nationally, its impact is very large.”

Both women remind the public that the vigil is not a protest.

“A lot of [people] are kind of scared and I want to remind them that it is a completely peaceful, prayerful vigil,” Poss said. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. You come, you pray and then you leave. There’s no pressure.”

In fact, the first time Spenner ventured down the Planned Parenthood for the vigil, she just observed. Since then, the Holy Spirit has been calling her to go deeper with the campaign.

Those wishing to sign up can go to www. 40daysforlife.com/siouxcity and look for the non-filled red spaces or call Stormy Poss at (712) 943-5550.

“We need you even if it’s for one hour or if it’s a commitment for one hour a week,” Poss said. “We need you and welcome you to come out and pray with us and experience God’s love while you’re there praying.”

A midway rally is scheduled for Oct. 11.