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Pro-life vigil at city clinic for 40 Days
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Printable version |
| By Damir Govorcin
14 February, 2010 |
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| CAMPAIGN: 40 Days activists (from left) Jessica Langrell, Elanor Hitchings, Charbel Labban, Marcel White, Bishop Julian Porteous, Scott McKendry and Shane Higoe. |
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Bishop Julian Porteous has thrown his support behind 40 Days for Life, saying the campaign gives “expression to the deep concern the Church has for the unborn”.
The bishop, who is patron for the 40 Days campaign, said: “As a society we cannot allow ourselves to accept the fact of abortion as acceptable, because we would be taking the view that human life is expendable. 40 Days is a peaceful, prayerful campaign, and has my full support”.
40 Days for Life, one of the fastest spreading and most exciting pro-life initiatives in the world, is coming to Sydney.
It is a non-stop pro-life vigil that coincides with the season of Lent when participants will fast and pray for an end to abortion.
Participants pledge some of their time over Lent to pray at an abortion clinic and offer part of their traditional Lenten penance for the culture of life to prevail in our city.
The campaign begins on Shrove Tuesday, February 16, with Fr Peter Joseph offering Mass at St Peter’s Church, Surry Hills, at 8pm.
Following the Mass there will be blessing for participants and a pancake supper. After supper the 40-day vigil itself will start with a candlelit procession to the abortion clinic to begin 40 days of non-stop prayer at the site.
40 Days Sydney communications director Marcel White said: “All pro-lifers who share our concern for innocent human life should join with us at St Peter’s to help us kick off this exciting campaign that we hope marks the beginning of the end of abortion in Sydney.”
For 960 straight hours there will be prayers offered for unborn babies and their mothers and fathers outside the Preterm abortion clinic on Randle St, Surry Hills.
In daylight hours the 40 Days group will peacefully assemble across the street from the abortion clinic to recite prayers from a pro-life prayerbook.
A chapel has been set up near the clinic for the overnight vigil hours where 40 Days participants can securely pray in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.
Having a private chapel so close to the abortion clinic is an invaluable addition to the 40 Days campaign and gives the participants a chance to offer their Lenten prayers for life during adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Sydney campaign director Scott McKendry said: “40 Days for Life is an opportunity to create a more intensive pro-life community outreach – it is not easy for people to ignore the continual presence of prayer on the streets for the duration of 40 days!”
People who want to attend the vigil and offer prayers with the team should visit www.40dayssydney.blogspot.com or phone 9519 9111.
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