Pro-Life Lenten Vigil at Half-Way Mark
Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
11 Mar 2010
Fr. Bill Milsted (center) with Chris Gordon (far left)
and the Maquarie Chapliancy
There's been a decrease in the number of women or couples entering the Proterm Abortion Clinic in Surry Hills for advice since Sydney's first-ever 40 Days for Life Lenten prayer vigil began last month.
"It is hard to know if this means there's been a decrease in actual abortions but business certainly seems to be down judging by the amount of people going through the doors," says Marcel White, communications director for the peaceful pro-life campaign which is holding its vigil outside what is believed to be Sydney's oldest accredited abortion clinic.
Sydney's 40 Days for Life Lenten pro-life campaign was launched on Ash Wednesday, 17 February, when a special Mass was held at St Maroun's Cathedral in Redfern, followed by a candlelight procession through the city's streets to the Surry Hills' abortion clinic, where a prayer and fasting vigil has continued around the clock ever since.
On Saturday, 20 February another procession took place, this time led by Bishop Julian Porteous, the Archdiocese of Sydney's Episcopal Vicar for Renewal and Evangelisation, who is a staunch supporter of the campaign.
"As a society we cannot allow ourselves to accept the fact abortion is acceptable because we would be taking the view that human life is expendable," he says.
Fr. Dominic Murphy OP and Sr. Mary Madeline OP
from the USYD & UTS Chaplaincy.
(Picture of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati -
3rd order Dominican / popular youth saint /
made blessed by JPII)
At the half way mark, the dedicated volunteers who have kept up the vigil outside the Proterm Abortion clinic have clocked up more than 450 hours of prayer for Australia's unborn children and their mothers and fathers. By the end of Lent when the campaign finishes, volunteers will have prayed together non stop for 960 hours.
"When we first began organising the campaign for Sydney, we expected 250 to volunteer for one of the various shifts so that we'd always have a minimum of four to six people in prayer outside the Clinic or inside the chapel we'd set up in a unit directly opposite. But we've already surpassed that number," says a delighted Marcel White.
Although only at the half way mark of the Lenten vigil, more than 300 have already participated with a further 200 signed on to take one or more shifts before the campaign ends on Easter Sunday, April 4.
Interestingly, Sydney's 40 Days for Life vigil not only comprises the campaign's registered volunteers, many of whom travel from as far afield as Newcastle and the Blue Mountains, but includes several residents from Surry Hills itself as well as passers-by from neighbouring communities.
"They are from all faiths or no faith at all and having stopped to talk to us about what we're doing and ask if they can join us in prayer," Marcel explains.
Preterm Abortion Mill - disguised
under the euphemism "Women’s Health Clinic"
What has also been heartening for Sydney's 40 Days for Lifers is the tremendous support given to them by the Archdiocese of Sydney and its priests, sisters and laity.
"We are particularly grateful for the support and for the priests, brothers and sisters who come to the vigil and lead our prayers and spend time with us," he says.
The 40 Days for Life's Lenten campaign has become an international phenomenon and grew from what began as a small grassroots movement in Texas in 2004.
Six years on, 40 Days for Life Lenten vigils have become an important event world-wide and are now held from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday across the USA as well as in Canada, Britain and Ireland.
Last year was the first time a 40 Days for Life vigil was held in Australia. The event took place in Brisbane which is again holding a vigil this year. But what makes 2010 different is that vigils are also simultaneously taking place in Melbourne and Sydney.
"And next year we plan to have 40 Days for Life vigils in every state and territory across Australia," Marcel says.
Bishop Julian pays a visit to the 40 Days Blessed
Sacrament Chapel during the vigil
When he and others began organising the Sydney campaign for this year, Marcel says they knew they'd have no trouble finding volunteers, but believed it might be difficult to get people to volunteer for shifts during the night. Instead the response to the midnight to dawn shifts has been overwhelming, with the small chapel set up in the unit opposite the Preterm Abortion Clinic on the corner of Elizabeth and Rundle Streets filled to capacity most nights.
"The toughest hours to fill have turned out to be late afternoon from around 2.30 to 6 pm," says Marcel.
This is a time when many uni student volunteers are in class and parents are collecting kids from school.
The 40 Day for Lifers are now appealing for volunteers for those afternoon shifts.
"We want to make a real impact and halt abortion in Australia," Marcel says.
Anyone wishing to take part in the pro-life campaign's peaceful prayer and fasting vigil, and pray for the unborn child and the child's mother and father, should log on to www.40daysforlife.com/sydney/
