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It’s the Lord’s day, and fitting that we focus on prayer.

I also have a great TV clip from Hanover, Pennsylvania.
I visited Hanover last fall during their first-ever
40 Days for Life campaign. Planned Parenthood is located
on the town square in Hanover, where the vigil gets
attention from everyone. Enjoy the news story!

HANOVER, PENNSYLVANIA

“Our campaign got off to a wonderful start,” said Dan
in Hanover. “Great weather — and Channel 27 out of
Harrisburg came down and interviewed Judy.”

Judy is Dan’s wife. Together, they lead the Hanover
campaign. The interview took place around lunchtime.
“We had a good showing of people there praying with
signs,” said one of the volunteers.

The Hanover vigil is taking place outside a Planned
Parenthood facility — but there’s no sign of any
Planned Parenthood spokesperson in the newscast.
For the “other side,” the reporter interviewed a
member of a local atheists’ society. He rattled on
about the imposition of a religious viewpoint.

Interestingly, in other locations, we’ve had atheists
stand in solidarity at some of the vigils! Obviously,
they weren’t there to pray, but to speak out against
abortion as a human rights violation.

For a link to the report on the Hanover campaign from
WHTM-TV, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2726

PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK

A group of about 20 volunteers gathered to pray at the
40 Days for Life vigil site in Plattsburgh — outside
a Planned Parenthood facility.

“It was a beautiful prayer vigil,” said Nancy in
Plattsburgh. “Very peaceful, much grace abounded. We
were blessed to have a few dedicated souls who drove
over an hour to join us.”

We must put our trust in God, she said. “He tells us
to not be afraid; He is with us. And this work that we
do is for Him. Would you please consider coming out to
pray with us? Would you ask a friend to come along?
God will use our prayer to end abortion in Plattsburgh!”

To see some photos of the Plattsburgh campaign, please
go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2726

CALGARY, ALBERTA

“It’s still cold in this Canadian prairie city at this
time of year,” writes a 40 Days for Life blogger in
Calgary. “The weather is unpredictable — and yet ...
the call is so urgent.”

The annual abortion total in southern Alberta is nearly
5,000 — and the majority take place at the abortion
facility where Calgary’s 40 Days for Life vigil is
taking place.

“We need to start caring,” the blogger said. “We need
to create opportunities for sharing truth. We need to
speak out, and gently, lovingly reach a broken world
to protect life.”

The 40-day vigil serves as “an opportunity to soften
hearts (our own and others) through prayer. It allows
us to plead with God for the hearts and minds of our
nation to be changed, and it allows us to engage in
this battle in the single most powerful way that we
can. Let’s pray.”

To see some photos of children participating in the
40 Days for Life vigil in Calgary, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2726

Day 6 - February 27

Intention:

That those tempted to abort may understand that their child is already present, and already a real person.

Scripture:

And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

-- Luke 1:41-44

Reflection:

Jesus not only loves unborn children -- He was one himself!

Think about this for a moment.

We often hear people speak of a pregnant mother by saying, "She's expecting a child." Now if one is expecting a package, the package is not yet there. As reflected in our verse for today, however, this is not the case with the mother. Her gift is already there. The pregnant woman, a mother already, does not have a child "on the way," but has a child, already present and in full possession of his or her human rights, starting with the right to life.

Prayer:

Jesus, open my eyes to your presence in the life of every child. Open my heart to joy in the birth of every child, a birth that reflects the joy of your own birth in Bethlehem. As you shared life in the womb of Mary, so now send your protection upon every child still in the womb, and grant to their mothers the strength and joy that comes from welcoming the gift of life. We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life