Prayer service held for sanctity of life

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
October 6, 2005

The Sioux City Diocesan World Apostolate of Fatima planned the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctity of Life service that was hosted at St. Michael Parish in Sioux City on Oct. 2. The Sunday of the service was also Respect Life Sunday.

"I think it is important for people to take the time out to give themselves to be a witness and be there in prayer time to help this culture be there not only to protect the unborn but the elderly of society and people that have been abused," said Marge Stanek, an organizer of the service.

The service was held from noon to 4 p.m. with a pro-life rosary, Litany for Life, hymns and silent time each hour. The four-hour service also included eucharistic adoration. The Eucharist was set up by Deacon Jerry Reicks, noted Stanek.

There were prayer leaders each hour. Every first hour was started with a message. The first hour was led by Stanek. The second was led by Father Raymond Weiling and Mary Ann Wente. The next hour was Greg Lohr and Shirley Kennedy. Mary Margaret Sudbeck and Deacon Bill Berger led the final hour.

People were able to go and pray for the entire service or just portions of the service. Stanek noted that there were about 120 people coming and going throughout the four-hour service.

"In the final hour, I counted 45 people," said Stanek. "All in all, I feel very grateful for those that took time out to come and pray in adoration. I just hope our Blessed Mother is pleased with our efforts around the world."

Those who attended the Sioux City service had the opportunity to fill out a pledge card to say the rosary and other prayers throughout the year. Stanek stated that when compiling the pledge cards she noticed that some people are going to say a rosary everyday for a year.

"All in all, I think the people that did attend said they felt such a good feeling about praying all these prayers for life and rosaries to end abortion," said Stanek. "It was a good four hours of adoration. We are pleased."

Other parishes in the diocese also held sanctity of life rosaries or prayer services. Julia Behm of Alta, a parishioner at St. Mary Parish in Storm Lake, organized to have rosaries after each Mass at St. Mary's. There were about 35 or 40 people who prayed the rosary after each Mass.

Father John McGuirk, pastor at the parishes in Wall Lake and Odebolt, serves as the spiritual director for the Diocesan Apostolate of Fatima. At both of his parishes, he had an hour-long service as well. There were about 30 people who participated at each parish.