40 days for Life

Last month began the bi-annual 40 Days for Life campaign, and, after the shocking revelation of 6,666 abortions taking place in our country last year, it is significant to see four local communities in Ireland joining countries across the globe to take part in this vigil.

This year, there are four local 40 Days for Life vigils across Ireland, taking place in Cork, Dublin, Limerick and Waterford.

One local leader said that the vigils have received considerable support from passers-by, including one staff member who told them that abortion doctors had complained hospitals were having trouble getting nurses to assist with the abortions.

Pro-life volunteers pray and fast at the peaceful vigils. Some hold placards saying "I Stand For Life", or "40 Days for Life". On occasion, pro-life activists have also held witnesses in the public square drawing attention to the number of lives - 6,666 - lost to abortion in the first year of the regime, and also noting that babies receive no pain relief and no burial.

40 Days for Life is a pro-life movement that consists of forty days of prayer, fasting and peaceful vigil outside of facilities where abortions are carried out. The first 40 Days for Life vigil took place outside an abortion clinic in Texas, USA, in 2004. To date, 40 Days for Life vigils have taken place in over 1,000 cities in 63 countries all over the world. As a result of those vigils:

• 17,226 lives have been saved
• 206 abortion workers had a change of heart and have been helped to leave their jobs, and
• 107 abortion facilities have closed.

The current Irish vigils started on Wednesday 23 September 2020 and finishes on Sunday 1 November 2020.

They have sought inspiration from Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, SV, of the Sister of Life who said that “Whatever we do with love and prayer – no matter our state in life – can build and is building a culture of life. We matter. Our prayer matters. And what we do with our love matters”.

If you would like to join one of the Irish vigils, please text Kate on 086 732 2192. If you are unable to attend a local vigil, you can join us spiritually through your own private prayer and fasting. If you had not already joined in, or missed the start of this campaign, it is never too late to join.

More information about this movement can be found on the 40 Days for Life website.

Some photos from the 40 Days for Life