The number 17 may seem small or insignificant in most circumstances but when it means the number of unborn children saved during the 2026 Spring 40 Days for Life Spring Campaign to end abortion, the number 17 is amazing.
The spring 40 Days for Life Prayer Campaign in Naples, Fort Myers and Sarasota came to a conclusion on Palm Sunday, March 29, 2026, and reports from the three sites indicate that at least 17 babies were saved thanks to the sidewalk prayer warriors. These prayer warriors included counselors and the faithful from Parishes across the Diocese of Venice who stood as witnesses for life, and as a voice for the voiceless.
Diocese of Venice Respect Life Director, Tavia Ames, reported that the Sarasota location had seven babies saved, and five saves each at the Fort Myers and Naples locations. A save is defined by an abortion-minded pregnant mom coming to a Planned Parenthood abortion facility and then either turning around and leaving before getting an abortion or opting to go to a nearby pro-life pregnancy resources clinic.
“Ring the bell! Glory be to God! In Sarasota we thought we have six but found out we had saved number seven the last Wednesday (March 25), before 40 Days concluded,” Ames said. The great news was delivered during a Palm Sunday Jericho Walk Closing Ceremony in Sarasota. The reported saves from the other locations were provided to Ames by the prayer campaign leaders in Fort Myers and Naples at the conclusion of 40 Days for Life.
The success of the peaceful prayer campaign can be shared by the many who stood vigil on sidewalks as silent witnesses for life. For up to 12 hours each day, prayer warriors stood outside abortion mills in the region in weather of all types. Some held signs which read: “Your Mother Chose Life!” “Pray to End Abortion!” “Abortion Hurts Women!” “Save the Babies!” and more. Numerous Parish groups, individuals, and students from Diocesan Catholic schools stepped up to spend an hour or more in prayer to save the unborn and to end abortion.
The 17 saves are only what is currently known – the number could be higher. The report is reliant on a pregnant mom sharing her story with sidewalk counselors of pro-life pregnancy resource centers.
The Sarasota prayer vigil is the longest running in the Diocese, and takes place in the shadow of what used to be the regional headquarters for Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion mill in the country. Since 2019, 131 saves have been documented at the location.
40 days for Life is an international 40-day campaign that aims to end abortion locally through prayer and fasting, community outreach, and peaceful all-day vigils in front of abortion mills. This year’s campaign began on Ash Wednesday (February 18), and was the biggest Lenten effort yet, with prayer vigils in 660 cities across the country. Throughout the 40 days, there were opportunities to stand and peacefully pray during vigils in the public right-of-way outside Planned Parenthood abortion facilities in Naples, Fort Myers or Sarasota. A Fall Campaign takes place during October, Respect Life Month. Thanks to the leadership of Bishop Frank J. Dewane, the Diocese of Venice was one of the earliest to participate in the national campaign which began in 2006.
Since 40 Days for Life began, more than 26,214 mothers have chosen life for their children, 275 abortion workers have quit their jobs; and 184 abortion mills have gone out of business where 40 Days for Life vigils have been held.
At the closing vigil in Sarasota nearly 100 took part in a Jericho Walk, which is a reenactment of what Joshua and the Israelites did to bring down the walls of Jericho. The participants walked seven times around the block which contains the abortion facility, fervently praying to God to bring down the walls around hearts to end abortion in Sarasota, Florida and the U.S. The event also included a prayer service and reflection on the completed 40 Days for Life prayer campaign to end abortion as well as a look forward to continuing the prayer campaign against abortion throughout the year.
Karen Mattox, who coordinates the prayer schedules for the Sarasota campaign, was overjoyed to announce the seven babies saved. Before the 40 Days began Mattox expressed some concern whether there would be enough prayer warriors for the full 40 days. The appeals for help were answered, not just in Sarasota but in Fort Myers and Naples and the results of at least 17 saves is a great blessing.
While the Spring 40 Days for Life Campaign has concluded, Ames said prayer warriors are needed weekly to stand vigil at each of the three abortion mills in the Diocese. To learn more details, please contact Ames at 941-441-1101 or ames@dioceseofvenice.org.
Walking With Moms in Need
The Diocese of Venice is also an active participant in the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops “Walking With Moms in Need” initiative which operates at the Parish level to accompany pregnant and parenting mothers in need. The Diocesan Respect Life Office works with Parishes on this outreach which works to ensure that any woman who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, or parenting in difficult circumstances, can turn to her local Catholic Church and be connected with the resources she needs. For resources in English and Spanish on how you can Walk with a Mom in Need, visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/offices/offices-departments/respect-life/walking-with-moms-in-need/.
Project Rachel retreat in Spanish April 18
For women or men who have been scarred by abortion, the Diocese offers “Project Rachel,” an outreach of the Catholic Church to those who are suffering and in need of healing following an abortion. This program offers help through the sacraments, retreats, and referrals for professional counseling, all confidentially. The next one-day healing retreat in Spanish will be held April 18, 2026. The next English retreat is currently in the planning stages. For more information, or to join, please contact, Sylvia Jimenez, Project Rachel Coordinator, at 941-412-5860 (English and en Español), or project.rachel@dioceseofvenice.org. The Diocese also works with “Support After Abortion,” a national outreach to provide individualized care for those impacted by abortion. For details, visit https://supportafterabortion.com/ or www.esperanzaposabortio.org.
In the wake of the Dobbs decision on June 24, 2022, Bishop Frank J. Dewane said the “legal protection must be accompanied by more care for mothers and their children. The Catholic Church, and the Diocese of Venice, stand ready to help mothers in need. Pregnant women are not alone… Parishes in the Diocese of Venice have redoubled their efforts to accompany women and couples who are facing unexpected or difficult pregnancies, offering them loving and compassionate care.”
A recently released video from Bishop Dewane (available at the “Walking with Moms in Need website noted above) discusses “Walking with Moms in Need” within the Diocese. The Bishop stresses how the Church has built a Culture of Life and how we must all stand as a voice for the voiceless – the unborn. It is through the “Walking with Moms in Need” program that Parishes are to be “Islands of Mercy” in a sea of indifference and a field hospital for those in search of support, as called on by Pope Francis.
In a statement released after the Supreme Court ruling on June 24, 2022, Bishop Frank J. Dewane said: “Of course, legal protection must be accompanied by more care for mothers and their children. The Catholic Church, and the Diocese of Venice, stand ready to help mothers in need. Pregnant women are not alone.”
For decades, the Diocese of Venice has supported these Pregnancy Help Centers and will continue to do so. Our Mother’s House of Catholic Charities in Venice is one of the programs in the Diocese that supports single mothers and their children, providing not just housing and material needs, but valuable counseling and education.
“Many people still don’t understand Catholic teaching on abortion and the sanctity of human life,” Berdeaux said. “There are many resources available to help them learn the truth beginning with the Catechism of the Catholic Church and on our Diocesan website 
Walking with Moms in Need teaches parishioners how to help pregnant women in need, starting by letting them know they are not alone. The nationwide Catholic program calls
