Posts Tagged ‘Prolife’
Top Twelve Reasons to Defund Planned Parenthood Now
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012Pregnant Again
Saturday, January 21st, 2012Turn the Tide in 2012
Saturday, January 21st, 2012The Dignity of Human Life
Thursday, January 19th, 2012Christmas blessings from 40 Days for Life
Tuesday, December 27th, 2011“I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
These words spoken more than 2,000 years ago by the angel of the Lord to the shepherds tending their flocks remind us that when God chose to come to Earth in human flesh, He did so through the womb of a mother.
During this Christmas season, we give thanks for the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ … and we count the many blessings God has showered on 40 Days for Life through your prayers and efforts:
- 1,633 individual campaigns have taken place in 422 cities across all 50 American states and 13 countries
- More than 500,000 people have joined together in an historic display of unity to pray and fast for an end to abortion
- More than 14,000 church congregations have participated in the 40 Days for Life campaigns
- More than 1,800 news stories have been featured in newspapers, magazines, radio shows and TV programs
- Reports document 5,045 lives spared from abortion — and those are just the ones we know about
- Thousands of women and men have been spared from the tragic effects of abortion, and many have stepped forward to begin post-abortion healing and recovery
- 61 abortion workers have quit their jobs and walked away from the abortion industry
- 19 abortion facilities have shut down following local 40 Days for Life campaigns outside their doors
On behalf of my family — and the families of Shawn Carney, David Brandao, Lauren Muzyka and Chantel Poisel (our national team) — THANK YOU for all you have done to help make such a profound impact on our world.
As we prepare for the new year of 2012, let’s rededicate ourselves to protecting every child made in God’s image and likeness.
Merry Christmas!
For Life,
David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life
PS: We’ve received inquiries about whether 40 Days for Life is a 501©(3) organization that is able to receive year-end, tax-deductible contributions. Yes. If you feel led to make a year-end gift to help save more lives in 2012 and beyond, visit:
Happy Christmas
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Defund Planned Parenthood
Wednesday, December 14th, 2011180 Movie
Monday, December 5th, 2011Schiavo’s Legacy: The Value of Life in a Nation That Cheapens It
Friday, December 2nd, 2011Used by Permission, Author is Alan Sears, Townhall.com
Terri Schiavo would have been 48 this December 3 … not a major mile-marker among we, the living, but a cause for reflection for those who loved her, and for all those who fought so valiantly to save her, in those terrible years and months and days before she was starved to death, by court order, in March, 2005.
A cause for reflection because, as so many observed and warned us at the time, her death – court mandated, despite the express wishes of her parents and siblings and the best efforts of the President and Congress of the United States – marked a crucial turning point in our nation’s cultural attitude toward life. Perhaps no judicial action since Roe v. Wade has done more to convince ordinary Americans that individual lives are expendable to those pushing for an increasingly callous medical establishment.
Two recent events give signs of the undertow that is quietly dragging our society’s longstanding reverence for life out into a rising sea of situation ethics. One is the coming of ObamaCare, and with it concerns over what Sarah Palin, in her memorable phrase, termed “the death panels.” As this administration’s medical insurance plan now becomes a matter of debate at the nation’s highest court, so too will that plan’s seeming tolerance – if not encouragement – of medical profit centers who make decisions on their patients’ treatment based on comparisons of the cost of that treatment to the perceived value of those patients to society as a whole.
Doctors protest that such decisions are comparable to the triage medics perform on battlefields. Someone has to gauge which patients can be saved, and which must be allowed to die if others are to be spared. But back home at City Memorial, the battle involves bucks, not bullets. The enormous costs of hospital care in a spiraling economy inevitably corrupt the decision process.
In a medical arena where humanity is increasingly supplanted by multi-million-dollar economic interests, life and death decisions become all too easy. Soon, it’s cheaper to pull a plug than to fill a prescription.
Of course, the pressures aren’t only financial. As the lists of patients awaiting transplants grow longer, pressure is mounting in many medical circles to speed along the process of dying, the better to harvest organs for those in need. Rob Stein of The Washington Post reported a few months ago on the increasingly aggressive efforts by the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) to rewrite the rules on when a patient is “dead” and his organs can be removed.
UNOS, a Richmond nonprofit organization with a contract from the federal government to coordinate organ transplants nationwide, is pressing for two crucial changes to the currently approved organ harvest system: one, requiring that a patient’s heart only has to be stopped for two minutes (rather than five) before harvesting begins. And, two, suggesting that the doctors trying to resuscitate the patient and the doctors waiting to harvest that patient’s organs no longer have to be two separate teams … they can be one in the same.
If that sounds like a conflict of interest, it certainly can be – and it worries many doctors and nurses who, in Stein’s words, “fear the medical system will give up on potential donors in their final days or even possibly speed their deaths by giving them anti-clotting medication or other organ-preserving drugs, which could hasten death.” Those fears become increasingly justified when you consider that some doctors at a Denver children’s hospital have already been caught cutting the waiting time down from five minutes to 75 seconds.
After all, many people are willing to pay a lot of money – or exercise a lot of influence – to ensure that their loved ones (or they themselves) receive the organ that can save their life. Under such circumstances, a living person can seem infinitely less valuable than the sum of his parts.
Friends of life like the Bioethics Defense Fund and Americans United for Life are doing everything in their power to reverse these trends, but perhaps no entity is doing more on the ground to awaken the nation to this creeping contempt for human life than the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network. Each year, the group, founded by Terri’s surviving family, refers dozens of end-of-life cases to lawyers (like those of our own Alliance Defense Fund) willing to intercede when spouses, family members, or medical professionals seem determined to end a still viable life prematurely.
The Schiavo Network’s courage and integrity – born out of heartbreaking experience – is unmatched. And their influence is growing … as are the attacks and challenges they face alongside all who hold life sacred, and who see every living soul as made in the image of our Creator.
Forty-eight years old. No great mile-marker, as people count birthdays. But that’s all right. As a symbol … as a martyr … as a daughter mourned … but, mostly, as one whose soul once radiated that divine image so beautifully … Terri Schiavo will live forever.
The Ultimate Sacrifice by Stacie Crimm
Sunday, November 27th, 2011Abby Johnson: Sidewalk Counselors Helped Me Oppose Abortion
Sunday, November 13th, 2011From LifeNews.com
I am going to be honest…when I first left Planned Parenthood, I hated the idea of the “rescue” movement. I didn’t see the point. I thought it was a black mark against the pro-life movement.
Then I started meeting people who had once rescued. I started to see something that I had not before…these were normal people. Men, women, old, young, White, Black, Hispanic, Priests, Pastors, Laity…so different, but all one goal…to save babies.
These people had been convicted to do SOMETHING because nothing was being done. There were no peaceful vigils…very limited sidewalk counseling…not many laws to guide pro-life activity. I started to wonder…what if I had been pro-life during the rescue movement? Would I have been willing to sacrifice my freedom in order to save babies and take a stand against abortion?
When I became director of the Planned Parenthood clinic in Bryan, my life changed. All of a sudden, I was acutely aware of the responsibility that sat on my shoulders. I was now the face of that clinic. If something went wrong, it was now on my head. I worked all the time…usually about 70 hours per week. I was addicted to my job…addicted to the responsibility. I carried heavy burdens…many were self inflicted. I will share with you my heaviest.
Every day I would arrive at work and check the schedule. Not because I had an enormous amount of employees or because I wanted to micromanage and see who was late…nothing like that. I wanted to look and see who was there that day. I wanted to place them in the clinic…where would they usually be? Why would that be important? Every day I prepared for someone to come in and harm us. Maybe they would bomb our clinic. Maybe they would shoot us. I didn’t know how it would happen, but I was ready.
I wanted to know where my employees would be in the clinic so I could rapidly get them out and keep me in. I figured that if someone wanted to harm one of us, it would be best to go after me…I was the most responsible for the abortions that happened in that clinic. Surely I would be a good enough sacrifice. That was my burden every day. I was willing to DIE for the sake of abortion.
I look back now and realize how selfish I was. I had a child. I am a wife…a daughter. How could I have even entertained that thought? Be a martyr for abortion? Ridiculous. But back then, I would have done it without question.
So, would I have been involved in the rescue movement? You bet. I was willing to DIE for abortion when I was pro-choice. It would have been an honor to risk jail time in order to save lives if I would have been pro-life.
Luckily, I don’t have to worry about that risk. None of us do. We are able to go and peacefully pray outside of abortion clinics whenever we choose. We are able to sidewalk counsel. We can thank the rescue movement for that. The rescue movement came about like most…people were frustrated and they wanted to do something…anything. There was no such thing as effective and strategic sidewalk counseling. There were few places where you could go and stand in a “public right of way.”
Abortions were happening and there seemed to be nothing anyone could do about it. How could pro-lifers reach the women? If they stood out on the sidewalks, they would most likely be arrested and they wouldn’t be able to talk to anyone. How can they talk to them inside the clinics? They had to get in those abortion clinics. Yes, it was trespassing…yes, it was illegal…but so was standing out on the sidewalks in most cases. So, they organized and they went. They trespassed…they broke the law…they were arrested…they saved thousands of babies. They were not violent. How could they be? They were there to show women the alternative to abortion…the most violent act committed against a child. In fact, during the rescue movement, 75,000 arrests were made…not one of those arrests were made for any violent act.
The rescue movement came, laws were broken, new laws were made, organized sidewalk counseling began to form, and the rescue movement died. The pro-life movement evolved, as it should. The pro-life movement continues to get better. If we were still doing the same thing from 20 years ago it would show failure. Ideas change. Technology changes. Laws change. People change. If there is one thing we can be sure of it is this…never be sure of anything. This world is constantly evolving…just like this movement. Some things work, some things don’t. The rescue movement worked for the time. It is not a viable option now…not in this country.
I am so grateful for those that risked their freedom to save the lives of children. I wish all pro-lifers had that same courage. I am thankful that they did something…they didn’t just sit around and wait for abortion to resolve itself. They made a difference. They saved lives. I don’t think many of us realize how much we owe to this group of pro-lifers.
My life was changed because of an ultrasound and sidewalk counselors. Both parts were equally important in my story.
Without the laws that came about from the rescue movement, those sidewalk counselors probably wouldn’t have been there. And without those sidewalk counselors, their prayers and their constant outreach, I couldn’t have crossed that line. It takes all of us fighting this battle…different techniques, different groups, different types of people. And even now, many of us are “rescuers.” We just rescue in a different way. We are out on the sidewalks, talking to women moments before they walk into an abortion clinic. Or maybe we are counselors in a pregnancy center who talk to women after they have a positive pregnancy test. Maybe we are hotline operators who counsel young women during a time of crisis. Yes, rescues still happen, but they happen in a very different way now.
And even though times have changed, we must look back and be thankful for our past and for those dedicated pro-lifers who paved the way for us today.
‘180 Movie’ High School Infiltration
Friday, November 11th, 2011DAY 40: God uses 40 days
Sunday, November 6th, 2011It’s Day 40 – you made it!
As we close the largest 40 Days for Life campaign in history … the following things can be said about what God can do in just 40 days:
40 days ago …
… there were children scheduled to be aborted who are alive today — 465 that we know of!
40 days ago …
… women were making abortion appointments — but now,
they’re preparing their lives to welcome a new baby boy or baby girl.
40 days ago …
… cold hearts that were annoyed at your peaceful presence at the abortion facility are now open to joining you in prayer.
40 days ago …
… you may have doubted what God could accomplish; and yet through your prayer, fasting and vigil … YOU have been spiritually blessed.
Babies … women … workers … hearts … minds — these are all impacted when we pray and bring light into the darkness!
ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND
Carolyn writes that a taxi driver pulled up in front of Planned Parenthood while she was praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil. She was carrying a sign reading, “we choose life.”
“The cab driver got out, said that he supported my effort, but asked me what was going on HERE that I should be standing HERE,” she said. “I told him I was praying for the end of abortion out in front of the Planned Parenthood offices here where abortions are done and pointed to the windows of the waiting room.”
He said he was aware of the evil of abortion because he knew that more than 50 million babies have died since Roe v. Wade, but he had no idea that abortions were done in that building.
“He was rather shocked,” said Carolyn, “and then he thanked me for my witness.”
SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK
“Prior to 40 Days for Life,” said Diane, “I wanted to get involved in prolife work but didn’t know how or thought I didn’t have the time to do so. The Lord changed that for me and opened a big door so that I am now able to be involved in 40 Days for Life and pro-life work.”
Through these 40 days, Diane has experienced changes in her life. “I’m willing to stand up for my faith and to be a witness,” she said. “I’m willing to take a risk and share my ideas with people. I have the opportunity to pray with people on the street who need God’s love and healing. I have new prayer partners and have made new friends.”
Diane’s 40 Days for Life campaign is certainly finishing strong. “Thank you for all of your prayers,” she said. “As you can see, they are working.”
ON THE ROAD WITH DAVID BEREIT
Speaking of finishing strong — David Bereit, the national director of 40 Days for Life, left his home in the Washington, DC area and drove to FIVE different 40 Days for Life vigil sites in eastern New York, spending 17 hours in the car driving between vigil sites in one day!
Also, over these final few days of this campaign, he visited 40 Days for Life locations in Virginia, North Carolina and Illinois.
COBLESKILL, NEW YORK
SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK
ALBANY, NEW YORK
POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK
GOSHEN, NEW YORK
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS
Here’s today’s the link to today’s devotional:
http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2011day40print.pdf
For Life,
Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
DAY 37: I appreciate you!
Thursday, November 3rd, 2011Since 40 Days for Life was launched coast to coast in 2007, our national director, David Bereit, and I have each been to more than 300 cities.
As David said in his message earlier in the campaign — all this travel can be hard work!
But we do it because of the great appreciation we have for all of YOU who are taking time out from other activities — to pray and fast for an end to abortion.
I’m in California right now for some events in the San Diego area, but I’ve been from coast to coast this campaign … including stops in Canada.
Here are a just a few of the places I’ve been — and some of the dedicated people I’ve met — in Arizona, Louisiana and Pennsylvania.
FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA
In Flagstaff, I met Landon, whose parents brought him and his brother out to pray. Both are adopted and adorable — and they also pray regularly outside of Planned Parenthood.
While I was there, a mobile pro-life pregnancy care center was parked outside – they travel across Arizona to offer assistance. On this day, a woman walked up and asked for a pregnancy test.
She had gone to Planned Parenthood – but was told they were out of pregnancy test kits! So she was able to get the help she needed at the mobile unit instead of Planned Parenthood.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA
I also stopped at the 40 Days for Life vigil site in Glendale – another Planned Parenthood location. This is the third campaign in Glendale, which is one of several locations this year in the metro Phoenix area.
SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA
In Shreveport, I met with 40 Days for Life vigil participants outside the Hope Medical Group for Women – one of the most contradictory names I can think of for an abortion center. The women who seek “services” there have run out of hope.
The good news is that the people who are praying outside can offer the hope of Christ, which far surpasses anything that is offered inside.
HANOVER, PENNSYLVANIA
This is a first-time 40 Days for Life campaign — and they already have one confirmed save so far. Planned Parenthood is in downtown Hanover, at the busiest intersection in town. It seemed as though every car honked approvingly. The local newspaper was there and published an article about the campaign.
HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s capital city, has been a regular 40 Days for Life presence each spring and fall.
The leaders here talked about the baby that was saved from an abortion during a 40 Days for Life campaign some time ago. During a speaking engagement in Harrisburg, David Bereit met this youngster when he was an infant. The little boy is three years old now!
ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA
We had 200 people at the event I spoke at in Allentown. This 40 Days for Life event started in a park. From there, the group marched to the abortion center where the vigil is taking place. It was a great event! The entire junior and senior classes from St. Pius X Catholic High School came out to take part.
Those are just a few of the places I’ve been. At each stop, I am both humbled and impressed by all of YOU who are willing to stand and pray for those who have no voice but yours. God bless you!
Here’s the link to today’s devotional:
http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2011day37print.pdf
For Life,
Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
DAY 36: Keep praying!
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011I’m running through an airport and only have a minute … but I have one important request.
»»> Mark your calendar for MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14 ««<
I’m not yet able to tell you what’s happening that day. But BIG things have been developing over the past few months … and all I can do at this point is ask you to mark your calendar for Monday, November 14.
I’ll be sending you more details right after we wrap up the largest 40 Days for Life campaign ever in 301 cities this weekend. So stay tuned!
Here’s today’s update … comprised of comments about just a few of those local campaigns that were posted on the 40 Days for Life blog.
EDMONTON, ALBERTA
What a humbling privilege to be in solidarity with thousands of people who are praying for the same purpose.
Across the street from the abortion clinic, I was touched by the peacefulness of prayers, their interaction with each other and the goodness on their faces. The public responded with curiosity, some questioning and explaining, some raised eyebrows and some honking of horns and thumbs up.
I question the peace of souls who work against life and ask that we continue to pray hard. God bless.
LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN
Today God granted me the honor and privilege to counsel a post-abortive woman at the bus stop next to our vigil site. After I told her how many babies have been saved this campaign, she sadly smiled and told me she and her daughter had both had abortions and she wanted to heal.
She had never heard of Rachel’s Vineyard or Project Rachel and I was able to put in her hands the contact info for these groups. Our prayers and presence are also saving souls who have been hurt by abortion.
Keep praying!
CLEVELAND, OHIO
I prayed at that during my two-hour prayer time that anyone who went in would come right back out. Praise Jesus — that is exactly what happened! One couple saw my sign, drove in … and right back out.
OTTAWA, ONTARIO
I have been so blessed by the people I have met — there is a man who is there, I think, every day. He loves Jesus and people. His serenity and faith encourage me to keep going.
I was nervous before going the first time but I had a wonderful surprise when I felt a Holy Presence right on that street. I knew the Lord was with us.
TAMPA, FLORIDA
Today we saw a young couple get out of their car with their 6 month-old-baby. They seemed hesitant as they crossed the parking lot. I walked over to the fence and asked them if I could give them some information. They actually came over and listened to what I had to say.
They said they were just there for a pregnancy test. I cautioned them not to go into the clinic … but my heart sank as they walked in anyway.
Then miracle of miracles — they came back out after a few minutes to go find Catholic Charities!
So when you ask why we do it — why we suffer the heat and abuse and long hours, because most people do have their minds made up by the time they get to the abortion clinic — this is why. For the one time when a woman is open to REAL help — and a choice she won’t regret – somebody HAS TO BE THERE for her.
Here’s the link to today’s devotional:
http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2011day36print.pdf
For Life,
Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
