prayer vigil

March for Life Weekend To-Do List

Link mkelly22Leave a comment

2019 March for Life

Do you have plans or thinking about making a long weekend in Washington, DC during the March for Life (Friday, January 24th)?

Believe it or not, there are pro-life events happening before and after the March for Life that you should consider attending. Here are just a few of the happenings before and after the march.

Thursday, January 24th

Bryan Kemper and other pro-lifers will be leading a prayer vigil outside of Planned Parenthood’s Carol Whitehill Moses Center (1225 4th St NE, Washington, DC 20002).

March for Life Vigil Mass

You are invited to join the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for the 2020 Opening Prayer Vigil for Life on Thursday, January 23. Mass will begin at 5:30 PM in the Great Upper Church.

The Most Reverend Joseph Naumann, Archbishop of Kansas City, KS, and Chairman, Committee on Pro-Life Activities, will be the main celebrant and homilist. Mass will be broadcast live on EWTN as well as the National Shrine’s YouTube and Facebook pages.

March for Life Conference

The March for Life Conference is designed to provide marchers with in-depth education on the yearly theme. The speakers and training sessions will provide information and training tools for marchers to go back to their communities equipped to make a difference for life. Register here

Schedule:

9:00 a.m. Keynote Address – TBA

10:00 a.m. Panel Discussion – TBA

11:00 a.m. Capitol Hill 101 – a session designed to equip marchers to meet with their Members of Congress during their March for Life trip to advocate for the sanctity of life.

Storkball 2020

You may have noticed a previous blog post regarding a banquet hosted by Save the Storks, a pro-life organization based in Colorado Springs. Learn about their event taking place the night before the march here.

Friday, January 24th

Closing Mass

In addition, on Friday, January 24th, The National Shrine will conclude the National Prayer Vigil for Life with Holy Mass in the Great Upper Church at 7:30 AM.

For a full schedule, visit here

March for Life Expo

Friday, January 24, 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. (This event is also taking place on January 22nd from 5:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. and 23rd from 9AM to 8PM.)

RENAISSANCE WASHINGTON DC DOWNTOWN HOTEL
999 NINTH STREET NW
WASHINGTON, D.C., 20001

March for Life

From the March for Life’s website:

Schedule

January 24, 2020

11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Musical opening
12:00 p.m. Rally Program
1:00 p.m. March up Constitution Avenue to Supreme Court and Capitol Building
3:00 p.m. After finishing marching:

  • Silent No More testimonies outside U.S. Supreme Court.
  • Advocate for life to your Representative or Senators.
  • Visit the March for Life Expo.

Location

The March for Life Rally will take place at noon at 12th St. on the National Mall, in between Madison Drive and Jefferson Drive. Following the Rally, the March will begin on Constitution Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets at approximately 1:00 pm.

Travel Info

Please use the Metro to arrive at the rally site. Recommend locations: Federal Triangle, Smithsonian, Metro Center. For metro info: https://www.wmata.com/fares/smartrip/.(Check out our March for Life map — you can print off paper copies OR download the March for Life app.)

Have your metro card easily accessible, before you enter the station. Metro Stations are crowded during rush hour, and even more crowded on the March for Life, during rush hour. Keep in mind that in the Washington Metro system, you need to tap in and tap out of their fare gates. One way to alleviate long lines, and avoid the frustration of fellow metro riders is to have your metro card ready, in your hand, before you enter the line for the fare gate. Also, you do not need to wait for the gates to close after the person in front of you walks through, just ensure you tap your card to the SmarTrip target and proceed through the gate.

Important Notes

  • While walking and riding the metro in D.C., please be respectful of residents and commuters. Let’s show the nation’s capital how passionate and polite and respectful pro-lifers really are!
  • Do not leave trash or signs on the grounds of the National Mall, Supreme Court, or Capitol.
  • This is our nation’s capital and we should treat it with dignity and respect. If trash bins are full, please carry your trash or sign with you until you find an available trash bin.
  • Do not engage with counter-protesters. If they try to engage you, ignore them as best you can. However, if you are comfortable doing, so use your phone to video the situation. This is for your protection.
  • Once again, please be respectful of all people and stay focused on the cause of promoting and celebrating life, lovingly and graciously.

38th Annual Rose Dinner

The Rose Dinner is an evening of inspiration and fellowship to conclude the March for Life activities.

This year’s speakers are Sister Bethany Madonna of the Sisters of Life and Dr. William Hogan.

Sister Bethany Madonna (Keynote Speaker)

Sister Bethany Madonna entered the Sisters of Life in 2007. While attending the University of Central Florida, she had a profound encounter with the Lord, which drew her heart toward the vulnerable unborn and their mothers. After her graduation in 2006, she worked for the Respect Life Office for the Diocese of Orlando before joining her religious community. She made her final vows in 2015 and currently lives at the community’s Motherhouse, serving as the Vocation Director. She loves sharing the message of life and love.

Dr. William Hogan (Guest of Honor)

Dr. Bill Hogan began his medical career as an OBGYN in the 1960s, placing the loving care for expectant mothers and babies at the heart of everything he did, both inside and out of his practice. From serving women with crisis pregnancies in his medical practice to defending the Human Life Amendment before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dr. Hogan has fully exemplified the spirit of the pro-life movement. For this reason, the March for Life is honored to present Dr. William Hogan with the inaugural Pro-Life Legacy Award.

Learn more about the life and legacy of Dr. Bill Hogan.

Note: Tickets for the Rose Dinner are sold out and registration is closed.

Please reach out to Mary Lembke at marylembke@marchforlife.org to inquire about sponsorships or to be added to the waiting list. A small number of tickets may be available in January.

January 25th

There are several pro-life events happening around DC, including two conferences in downtown DC and at Georgetown University.

Prayer Vigil at Planned Parenthood Carol Whitehill Moses Center

Pro-lifers are welcome to pray outside of Planned Parenthood and offer life-saving alternatives.  (1225 4th St NE, Washington, DC 20002) From 8AM-12PM. There will be a Jericho Walk around the perimeter of the building.

Students for Life of America Conference

This year’s theme is History Maker: Casting a Vision for a Post-Roe America.

The Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions, handed down by our Supreme Court on January 22, 1973, have shaped our nation for the last 46 years. We are drawing a line in the sand to say, “no more!”

Pro-lifers are poised on the edge of a pro-life wave that has brought us two decades of advancement in pro-life legislation, the most pro-life Presidential administration in history, more pro-life judges being appointed across the nation and to the Supreme Court, and public opinion shifting ever more to rejecting abortion. Now, we must prepare for that wave to come crashing down on the Supreme Court decision that started it all.

If we really want to see Roe reversed and if we really want to see abortion become unthinkable, then now is the time to prepare for a post-Roe nation.

Register for the conference here

Click here to learn about this year’s lineup for speakers.

Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life

Mission

The Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life strives to promote intellectually rigorous discourse on the dignity of human life. Rooted in the Catholic tradition, the Conference is named in the honor of His Eminence John Cardinal O’Connor, the late Archbishop of New York and a Georgetown University alumnus, who principally committed himself to care for the defenseless and eloquently advancing the pro-life argument. We aim to encourage discussion among men and women of all faiths and backgrounds, including students, professionals, academics, and clergy. Attendees will leave the Conference equipped with the arguments and information necessary to better promote a consistent ethic of life in their own communities.

History

Traditionally held on the day before or after the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., the Conference was founded by Georgetown University undergraduate students in January 2000 and later named in honor of John Cardinal O’Connor. Cardinal O’Connor was renowned as a champion of the unborn and the Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life seeks to continue his mission. Each year, our attendees have the opportunity to hear from the nation’s leading advocates in the pro-life movement, participate in small group discussions, meet other collegiate leaders, and experience the momentum that the movement brings to our nation’s capital each year during the March for Life.

Originally created for college and high school students, the Conference now attracts students, academics, clergy, and activists from around the country to reflect on a variety of pro-life topics. The Conference has grown to be the largest collegiate pro-life conference in the United States and to host many prominent pro-life speakers, including Helen Alvaré, Dr. Robert George, Margaret Colin, Dr. Michael Pakaluk, Deirdre McQuade, Archbishop Burke, Cardinal O’Malley, Dr. Charles Camosy, Ross Douthat, Jennifer O’Neill, Mother Agnes of the Sisters for Life, the Little Sisters of the Poor, Serrin Foster, Rep. Chris Smith, Dr. Wanda Franz, Dr. Mildred Jefferson, Dr. Alveda C. King, Rep. Henry Hyde, Richard Doerflinger, Jeanne Mancini, George Weigel, and Timothy Cardinal Dolan.

To register, visit the site here.

Also, click here to learn about the myriad of speakers lined up for the conference.

More events will become available at another time. Start making your plans, network with fellow pro-lifers, and stand for life.

Know What to Say Outside Abortion Clinics

Link voicesforlife788062760Leave a comment

The following is from an email I received from Tom Stevens, President and CEO of the Pro-Life Union of Greater Philadelphia.  While this specifically pertains to the SE Pennsylvania area, others areas across the country may want to incorporate this idea of a ‘Newby Saturday as well.  

Newby Saturday

11/9 ‘Newby Saturday’ in Philadelphia!

DATE: Saturday, November 9

TIME: from 10:00am-12:00pm

LOCATION: Outside Planned Parenthood at 12th & Locust Streets in Philadelphia*

*Fact: There were 4,231 unborn lives lost at this particular Planned Parenthood location in 2018.

HOW NEWBY SATURDAY WORKS: “Newby Saturdays” are designed to answer the following questions for a first-time or newer witness:

  • Is there a brochure I can hand to women?
  • Do I have to/can I talk to anyone?
  • Where can I stand?
  • What are the yellow vested ‘escorts’ doing?
  • Is there anything I should or shouldn’t do?
  • Some people are praying the rosary, but I don’t do that; what else can I do?
  • Is everybody going inside the building getting an abortion?
  • Is there a way to tell if a woman has arrived for an abortion?
  • What are those brown bags women are carrying out?

OTHER DETAILS: We’ll have a seasoned person there: Tom Stevens (Pro-Life Union President and CEO), Patrick Stanton (Pro-Life Union Board Member; Leader of Philadelphia 40 Days for Life), Dr. Monique Ruberu (Pro-Life Union Board Member; Leader of Philadelphia 40 Days for Life), or another designee to help answer common questions about Sidewalk Servants.

QUESTIONS? Call our office at 215-885-8150 the Friday before “Newby Saturday” to find out who will be there, or if you have other questions.

SPREAD THE WORD: Click here to view our Facebook event and share it with friends and family on social media.

Continue to pray for the unborn and the vulnerable. Your prayers and compassionate outreach can save lives and restore faith in the lives of others.

Philadelphia Women’s Center 40 Days Recap

Link mkelly22Leave a comment

PWC

The sixth 40 Days for Life Campaign concluded last Saturday at the largest non-Planned Parenthood facility in Philadelphia.

Two confirmed saves and God only knows if there were even more. Despite the number of signs stolen, a potty-mouth, man-hating, security guard, and the need to fill last-minute vacancies, pro-life were able to be present in front of the facility from Tuesday to Saturday. The sad irony is the fact many were present to see children who attend the daycare.

Take Away

Pro-lifers in the Philadelphia area are getting stronger and bolder every single day.  With their loving and peaceful presence, the hearts and minds of abortion-minded women are being changed.

Is it Over?

The answer is no. Harrisburg released a statement that 45,000 babies have been murdered at this location since 2011. We need to be bolder and vigilant for the protection of the most vulnerable in our society.

You can do that by participating in the Sidewalk Servant Campaign today. Give an hour or more a week to help moms know that there is a better way.

Stop Planned Parenthood in KCK campaign

Link mkelly22Leave a comment

 

Stop PP in KCK

Your witness and voice are crucial to our success!!!!!

 
Please take 2 minutes to call Mayor David Alvey’s office and respectfully ask that he publicly state that he is opposed to Planned Parenthood opening a center in KCK. A similar statement by the mayor in 2006 kept a strip club from opening in WyCo. 

 

Remember how effective your calls and emails were to Larkin & Garcia Funeral Care that resulted in canceling the lease that they had with PP on their building located at 1854 Minnesota Ave!!!!!!!

 

 

How to contact Mayor David Alvey
1. Call and leave message with his assistant at (913) 573-5010  or

2. Email Mayor Alvey at dalvey@wycokck.org .

 

Message: 

 

Mayor David Alvey,

Respectfully, I urge you to publicly state that you are opposed to Planned Parenthood opening a center in KCK.
 

I would like to ask that you email me at ronkelsey10@gmail.com with any contact efforts that you make so that I can measure the size and effectiveness of our Call to Action.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Approximately 40 individuals participated in our Oct 26 prayer rally at the UG municipal building.

November Events

Link mkelly22Leave a comment

Sleeping_newborn_infant (1)

It’s November. 40 Days for Life campaign has concluded. There are a few events abound for the month.

See the latest on the November Elections here. There are also some takeaways on how to fight harder for the culture of life and to unseat radical pro-abortion incumbents.

Pro-Life Union will continue it’s Newby Saturday on November 9th at 12th and Locust. Learn more here. Note: this event will occur every 2nd Saturday of the month.

The Culture Project will be hosting their Second Sunday gathering on November 10th. It starts with Sunday mass at the Basilica at 6:30 PM. After mass everyone will gather for food and drinks at Mace’s Crossing. Adults 21 and over are encouraged to attend.

The Super Bowl 52 rematch will take place on Sunday, November 17th. But a group is hosting a discussion on Theology of the Body. All fathers are encouraged to attend with their sons.

The annual Stand Up for Life Dinner will take place on Sunday, November 24th. Learn more about it here.

We hope many of you can join us any or all of the events mentioned above. Remember to pray for the faithful departed during the month of All Souls, especially of our pro-life warriors who were called home recently.

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord. And let the perpetual light shine upon. May their souls and the souls of the faithfully departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. 

 

A LIFE SAVED in Chester County!

Link voicesforlife788062760Leave a comment

The following is from Rachel Hayes, Chester County Leader for 40 Days for Life.  Many babies lives have been saved through this campaign.  

If you have never participated in a 40 Days for Life Campaign, please consider joining the Spring 2020 Campaign which begins on Ash Wednesday.  Use this link for more information on 40 Days for Life.

Chester County

What wonderful news we have to end our fall 40 Days for Life campaign in Chester County. For those unable to attend our closing rally this past Saturday, you might not be aware that we have confirmation of a mother choosing life and a baby saved from abortion. PTL! This was a beautiful story of a young woman in need of hope and support. Upon exiting the abortion facility because she felt unsettled being there, she was met by 40 Days volunteers who let her know that help was nearby at CCWS medical center and that they would show her the way. How grateful I am that our prayers were answered and that God used our presence to be part of this unfolding story! For this young woman, instead of a day of hopelessness filled with tears of sorrow and a lifetime of regret, it was a hope filled day of joy and thankfulness as her mother’s heart was overwhelmed with wonder at seeing her 10 week old baby via ultrasound for the first time and being cared for and loved by the center’s staff.

To sumarize a bit of encouragement from National Headquarters Campaign Director Steve Karlen at our rally: our hour(s) of vigil over the course of the 40 days will most likeley be unremarkable, and we might be tempted toward discouragement or even laziness in not getting out to pray and hold vigil. Don’t be discouraged because the seemingly mundane and unremarkable are bearing fruit. Though we don’t always get the tangible news above, we know that abortion numbers go down when we are present and praying, abortion-vulnerable women are changing their minds, babies are being saved, clinic workers are having a change of heart, and abortion facilities are closing. It’s happening in cities across the US and globally. Your prayers and your vigil presence do make a difference. Thank you for fasting & praying, and taking an hour or more of your time to stand in the gap for the many babies at risk! 

Though our fall campaign has come to a close, please be mindful and continue to pray throughout the year because abortions occur at WC PP each Friday. For those able, we can be a prayerful presence year round. If not, pray for those who can and prepare for another 40 Days in the spring. What else can you do until then? Support your local pregnancy center and other life-affirming ministries. Vote this Tuesday, Nov. 5, for candidates who support protections for the unborn. Contact your PA House reps and senators in support of the PA Heartbeat Bill. Get involved with or start a pro-life ministry at your church. Make plans now to attend the DC National March for Life on January 24, ’20. Mark your calendars for the first ever PA March for Life on May 18, ’20.

I hope you are encouraged to persevere and not give up hope, because our God is working in and through us to bring an end to abortion in WC.

“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up,” and “let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works”! 

Former Abortionist to Highlight Closing Rally for 40 Days for Life Waco on Oct 29th

voicesforlife788062760Leave a comment

from John Pisciotta, Director, Pro-Life Waco 

We are in the final week of the successful 40 Days for Life prayer vigil in Waco. There is very good news about the Closing Rally, which begins at 6 PM on Tuesday the 29th in the public right of way of Planned Parenthood at 700 W HWY 6.

Dr. Haywood

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Haywood Robinson, an abortion doctor in California as a young physician until is conversion to pro-life and to Christ.

He is now retired from his health care career and works for international 40 Days for Life in Bryan, Texas. Dr. Robinson has been very busy speaking at fall 40 days events around the country and beyond. Below is a sneak preview of Dr. Robinson: a 7-minute recent interview on the 700 Club.

 

 

True Freedom Conference Focuses on Hope, Freedom, Love and Forgiveness Found in Christ

voicesforlife788062760Leave a comment

Below is a report from Kim Griffin on the True Freedom Conference that was held in center city Philadelphia on Saturday.  Additional pictures of the prayer rally are in the file below Kim’s report.  

thumbnail_IMG_1483

On October 26, 2019 people of faith, young and old gathered for a prayer vigil at the Women’s Center of Philadelphia.

The Women’s Center of Philadelphia is an abortion center in a non-descript building on Appletree Street in Center City Philadelphia. They provide abortions up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. On an average day, they abort 19 babies per day, 6437 per year.

Speakers at the event spoke of the hope, freedom, love and forgiveness found in Christ. And acknowledged the difficulties facing the pro-life movement but that is a worthy and important cause.

Here are some highlights:

Karly Brown from Temple University spoke about abortion being the “greatest battle of our day. “She pointed out that Christ was humiliated and mocked for sharing truth and so we will be too.

Pastor Curtis who comes to the clinic to pray with his three children and hand out blessing bags spoke and shared that each one of us is “made in the image and likeness of God.” The blessings bags contain handwritten cards with words of encouragement and pamphlets that contain resources for adoption, counseling, and free ultrasounds. There is also information on the abortion reversal pill. When women go the clinic for a chemical abortion they take the first dose of the abortion pill (Mifeprex or RU-486.) They are sent home to complete the abortion with two more doses. But if the woman changes her mind the effects of the first dose may be reversed and allow the pregnancy to continue. Women have up to 72 hours but ideally would call within 24 hours of taking the first dose for a greater chance of reversal. Women can call and receive help from a medical professional that will guide the woman towards reversing the effects of the abortion pill. The hotline number is (877) 558-0333.

Marlene Downing who is the executive director of Hope Pregnancy Center in North Philadelphia emphasized that pro-life efforts are never in vain, that we must not grow weary. The pregnancy Center offers positive alternatives to unplanned pregnancies working to meet both the needs of the woman and the child at every level.

And Father Joseph Coffey, a Navy Chaplain and champion for the unborn reminded us that the Quakers spoke out against slavery long before it was abolished. We too are speaking out against an injustice against humanity, the killing of the unborn. And our efforts are not in vain.

Pat Stanton, co-leader of Sidewalk Servants for 40 days for life pointed out that abortion statistics are in our favor.  Less women are getting abortions. And there have been two saves during this 40 days for life campaign in Philadelphia that we are aware of, perhaps many more.  Patrick further stated, “since the 1990’s the number of abortion clinics has dropped 68% from app. 2100 to 728. And according to 40 Days for Life, the results from 24 coordinated campaigns; 16,004 babies have been saved and 190 abortion workers have been converted and 100 abortion centers closed!”

During the prayer vigil, many women entered the clinic (Saturday is one of the clinics busiest days) but this Saturday at least the message of hope, forgiveness, and healing in Christ was shared.

You can view more photos from the True Freedom Conference prayer vigil are below.

True Freedom Conference

 

Closing Rally Scheduled for Saturday, November 2 at 4 PM in West Chester, Pa.

voicesforlife788062760Leave a comment

Chester County spring campaign

from Rachel Hayes Chester County Leader – 40 Days for Life 

The fall 40 Days for Life campaign home stretch is here with just another week and a half to go! Your help is needed to fill the remaining vigil hours on behalf of the unborn at risk. Please consider committing to an hour of prayer and peaceful vigil before the end of the campaign: Chester County 40 Days for Life 

Though the official last day of our campaign is Nov. 3, we will be having our closing rally celebration at 4 pm on Sat., Nov. 2 at our vigil location.  (map)

Come out to be encouraged and inspired at what God can do through our prayers and faithful witness as we hear from Steve Karlen the National Headquarters Campaign Director.

Here’s an excerpt from Karlen’s bio: “Steve got involved in the pro-life movement as a volunteer leader with the 40 Days for Life campaign in Madison, Wisconsin. Before long, he found himself at the center of a nationwide controversy as the health system at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin, was secretly preparing to open a late-term abortion center on campus. Groups across the state looked to him for leadership. After a grueling 16-month campaign, the university health system cancelled its abortion plans, later citing the work of Karlen and his team as the reason for making that decision.”

March for Life in Warminster, Pa to Close 40 Days for Life Campaign on Saturday, Nov 2

voicesforlife788062760Leave a comment

March for Life in Warminster

As the 40 Days for Life Fall Campaign draws to an end, the Bucks County Pro-Life Coalition will hold a March for Life on Saturday, November 2 beginning at 12:00 noon at Nativity of Our Lord parking lot located at 626 Street Road in Warminster (map) and ending at Planned Parenthood on Louis Drive.

We will march silently up Street Road to give witness to those who live and shop in Warminster of the terrible crimes committed by Planned Parenthood right in their own neighborhood.

Please try to join us for this closing event.  Signs will be provided for everyone.  A short prayer service will follow this march at Planned Parenthood.

 Please print out and share the flyer below.

March for Life in Warminster