As Mary Hackett slowly paced back and forth in front of an abortion facility in Sarasota on Sept. 22, 2021, her prayer was that somehow, she would be a symbol of love and hope and change the mind of all who are considering an abortion.
“I came out here so that young mothers choose life,” Hackett said. “I can only do that through prayer and the hope that the Lord will change her mind with an outpouring of love for that innocent unborn child.”
This is just one person who is standing as a witness for life during the ongoing 40 Days for Life peaceful prayer campaign which began Sept. 22 in Sarasota, Fort Myers and more than 1,000 other cities worldwide and will continue through Oct. 31.
Brian Harkins, a member of the Knights of Columbus from St. Thomas More Parish in Sarasota, spoke during an opening prayer service in Sarasota, proclaiming that the prayer warriors are not alone. “We are here to bond and for solidarity; to join others around the world in praying for the unborn; and to pray that the Lord changes hearts and provides healing to people who are going into (all abortion facilities). Your presence here is a sign of great hope.”
Harkins, who was speaking on behalf of Rich Owens, the 40 Days for Life Campaign Director in Sarasota, who was unable to be present, said that everyone must realize that the Pro-Life movement is in a spiritual battle between good and evil.
This battle comes at a time when laws on both ends of spectrum, in favor of life and against life, are being enacted or challenged. The most notable is the Texas “Heartbeat Law,” which is being considered in Florida. Other states, such as New York have passed legislation which allows abortions until the moment of birth. Another law under contention is from Mississippi and will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in December.
Appropriately, the Sarasota campaign began in the parking lot of the offices of Community Pregnancy Clinics Inc. (CPCI), a Pro-Life clinic that provides free prenatal services for women, which sits in the shadow of the Planned Parenthood regional headquarters on Central Avenue near downtown Sarasota. Among the crowd at the beginning of the 40 Days campaign was a newborn, saved through the intervention of Community Pregnancy Clinics.
About 50 people of different faiths gathered for the opening prayer service and during the coming weeks they committed to being a voice for the voiceless on the front lines in front of Planned Parenthood.
Since going national in 2007, 40 Days for Life has carried out more than 6,000 campaigns in 64 countries and “saved 19,322 lives, contributed to the closing of 114 abortion centers and helped 222 workers quit the abortion industry.
Pope Francis spoke about abortion on Sept. 27, 2021 in an address to members of the Pontifical Academy for Life when he said, “There is the discarding of children that we do not want to welcome with the law of abortion that sends them to the dispatcher and kills them directly. And today this has become a ‘normal’ method, a practice that is very ugly. It is really murder.”
The Holy Father said that to understand what abortion is, it helps to pose two questions. “Is it right to eliminate, to take a human life to solve a problem? Is it right to hire a hitman to solve a problem? That’s what abortion is.”
The speech marked the second time this month that Pope Francis has spoken out strongly about abortion. On his return flight from Slovakia on Sept. 15, the Holy Father repeatedly said that “abortion is murder” and compared the acceptance of abortion to “accepting daily murder.”
Meanwhile, the 40 Days for Life fall campaign in Fort Myers also got started in front of a Planned Parenthood facility at 6418 Commerce Park Drive, with a Vigil prayer service on Sept. 21.
A separate prayer service, in front of an abortion doctor’s office in Port Charlotte, was held Sept. 23. This doctor has announced his retirement, but it is unclear whether abortions will continue to take place in Port Charlotte, so a few dozen prayer warriors held a peaceful prayer vigil.
Participants in the 40 Days for Life campaign will be joining other like-minded individuals. Some commit to taking part for a few minutes, an hour, or all day as they stand in the public right-of-way. Appropriate signs will be provided at both sites but are not needed to stand and pray. Check with your Parish to learn what hours they have committed to 40 Days for Life, as many often commit to several days of prayer on the front lines.
Those interested in taking part in a local prayer vigil are encouraged to sign up in advance at www.40daysforlife.com (search for Fort Myers or Sarasota). While registration is encouraged, all are welcome to come for any amount of time they can to help save a life.
Catholic News Service contributed to this report.
40 Days for Life Sept. 23-Nov. 1
Sarasota campaign details
When: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily,
Where: 736 Central Ave.;
Contact: Rich 40DFLSarasota@gmail.com
Fort Myers campaign details
When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily;
Where: 6418 Commerce Park Drive;
Contact: Paula and Rick at 40DaysforLifeFM@gmail.com
While others saw a charming, funny, life of the party, inside Greg was depressed, lost and scared. This feeling of isolation began to impact not only his mental health, but also his relationships as well. After years of running from the pain and shame after abuse and abortion Greg knew he needed help, but did not know where to start or where to go to find healing.
The global Pandemic has had a devastating effect on our young people in ways many people don’t even realize. Many students were left alone in their homes if their parents had to work. They had on-line classes, but the temptation was there to explore the darker side of the Internet. Planned Parenthood unleashed an online outreach to snare young men and women into their web which resulted in over 744,000 anonymous conversations with their so-called sexual health experts as well as over 185,000 one-on-one conversations via chat rooms and texts.
40 Days for Life is an internationally coordinated 40-day campaign that aims to end abortion locally through prayer and fasting, community outreach, and a peaceful all-day vigil in front of abortion businesses. For those not yet ready to be among crowds due to the pandemic, they are encouraged to pray from home and fast for the end of abortion. Others are welcome to come to the sidewalk and social distance to their level of comfort.
The uncomfortable weather was no deterrent for the couple from St. John the Evangelist Parish, who, along with others, regularly prayer to God for the protection of the country but also have real fears about the state of religious freedom in the U.S. They gathered on U.S. 41 at Pine Ridge Road across from the Waterside Shops and have been doing so since March.
The goal of Religious Freedom Week is for all Catholics across the United States to pray, reflect and take action in support of Religious Liberty in our country and abroad.
Bishop Dewane said that we do have to act when religious freedom is threatened for all faiths, not just Catholics. “It is all about solidarity; just because I am not of one particular faith does not mean I will not speak out when religious freedom is threatened anywhere… It’s not just when it is on (Catholics), it is when it happens period.”
While this was a major victory for religious freedom, Bishop Dewane said there is much work to be done at every level of government and in the courts. Among items of ongoing concern includes seemingly never-ending battle between the Church and the HHS Mandate which requires entities to pay for abortion coverage in health care. This was actually the start of the modern religious freedom effort of the Catholic Church which dates to 2012 when massive “Religious Freedom Rallies” were held nationally and right here in the Diocese of Venice with Bishop Dewane on the front lines raising awareness.
“This has been a trend in our society, when symbols of a faith community are attacked,” Bishop Dewane said on his radio show. “There used to be an unwritten rule of respect, but we must speak up for every House of God and faith that is disturbed or vandalized in an attempt to defame representations of faith.”
Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice Inc. Volunteer Tim Gunderman of Bonita Springs was recently named one of 6 finalists a finalist for the Catholic Charities USA Volunteer of the Year Award. Gunderman by virtue of his efforts to help people in the Bonita Springs and Naples areas during the past year first made the top 36 then the top 6. A video of each finalist was created as part of the selection process. Congratulations Tim for your time, knowledge and heart in helping to support Catholic Charities.
Honor your mother, daughter, sister, friend, or someone who has been like a mother to you with a gift that will help homeless mothers and their children. Our Mother’s House of Catholic Charities provides a safe environment for residents to achieve self-sufficiency through education, vocational training, and personal growth. This year they are holding their annual Mother’s Day fundraiser so everyone can help a needy mother succeed. To support Our Mother’s House please visit 
For many in the Diocese of Venice, the Feast of Divine Mercy takes on a powerful meaning when they participate in a private or public prayer called the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and is a time to remind the faithful that the Lord’s Mercy has no end.
Among the practices associated with the devotion are its novena, the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy (a series of prayers organized similarly to a rosary), the Hour of Great Mercy (a time of prayer traditionally celebrated at 3 p.m.), and a plenary indulgence granted to those who receive the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Divine Mercy Sunday.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane continued celebrating Mass for students in Diocese of Venice Catholic schools with the latest stops on March 8, 2021, at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota, March 19 at St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton and March 23 at St. Martha Catholic School and St. Mary Academy in Sarasota.
During these Masses, Bishop Dewane stressed how the Lenten Season is a time for prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as we prepare to celebrate the Paschal Mystery of our Faith.
