Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
5 Mar 2014
5 Mar 2014
40 Days for Life Lenten Vigil's candlelight procession was led by Bishop Brady
The past week of rain and drizzle cleared in time for last night's 40 Days for Life candlelight procession led by Bishop Terry Brady from St Peter's Catholic Church in Surry Hills to the Preterm Abortion Clinic at the corner of Randle and Elizabeth Streets.
For the fifth year in succession, pro-life supporters and Sydney's faithful, will join in a daily prayer vigil from 6 am until 8pm opposite Sydney's oldest and best-known abortion clinic in Surry Hills. From 8 pm until 6 am the next day the vigil will continue at St Peter's Catholic Church.
"Each year more and more people join the vigil giving half an hour to several hours each day to pray for the unborn, raise awareness about abortion and to help bring an end to the loss of more than 100,000 precious lives in Australia each year," says Paul Hanrahan, Director of Family Life International which organises Sydney's annual Lenten 40 Days for Life prayer vigil.
Launched each year on Shrove Tuesday on the eve of Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, Paul estimates at least 1000 men and women of all ages will take part in the vigil in a bid to "change minds and save lives."
They will also spend the 40 Days for Life vigil in peaceful prayer, fasting and outreach, offering emotional as well as financial support if this is also needed, to women who may be considering abortion.
Many hundreds joined in prayer at the start of the Vigil
"The majority of women who seek abortions are coerced into this by relatives, their boyfriends and even their parents, and mistakenly believing they have no one and nowhere to turn, and have no support, they decide ending their pregnancy is the only option," Paul says.
By holding the vigil outside the Preterm Clinic many desperate and confused young women are given a chance to discover alternatives to killing their unborn child. Each day trained and experienced counsellors take part in the vigil and are on hand to help comfort and advise women who may be contemplating an abortion and asks one of those participating in the vigil for help.
"We don't approach women entering or coming out of the Preterm clinic. Instead we pray and wait for them to approach us. Once they do, we talk to them and if they need support and counsel, we refer them to our psychologists and Family Life International counsellors who can offer a wide range of services and support," Paul says.
Most Rev Julian Porteous was patron of Family Life International Sydney before becoming Archbishop of Hobart
Often volunteers from FLI will step in to help with baby sitting the younger children of the mother who may have seen abortion as her only option in a situation where money is tight, a husband has lost his job or she has just moved to Sydney and has no friends and back up.
"We will help out so she can meet her medical appointments and take much of the stress of that way," says Paul. "Everyone we talk to is different and every story is different. But what comes through loud and clear is that when people have someone to confide in and the name and telephone number of someone they trust whom they know will do whatever they can to help them, their whole attitude changes. Almost always the women don't need much more than someone to listen, resassure and let them know there is backup and support if and when they need it."
Thanks to FFI, a young Australian-born young woman whose parents migrated here from Africa, is awaiting the birth of twins.
"She went to Africa on a visit to her parents family and was reunited with a former boyfriend and fell in love. They want to marry but he cannot get a visa and we are working to try to change this, and looking after her in the meantime," says Paul.
Another young woman he is talking to regularly at present is confused and desperate. She is in her 30s and being pressured to abort her unborn baby by her family.
Priests and Religious join young Catholics to participate in 40 Days for Life Prayer Vigil
"Family can exert a lot of pressure and boyfriends can use blackmail, saying they will break up with the woman unless she has an abortion," Paul says.
But of the more than 100 women he and FFI have been able to help over the past decade who have decided not to abort their baby but continue with their pregnancies, not one has expressed regret at continuing her pregnancy.
"We stay in touch and give help and support throughout the first six to 12 months of the baby's life, but in virtually every case once the tiny newborn is in her arms, the problems that overwhelmed her during her pregnancy no longer seem important," Paul says.
As Sydney begins its own 40 Days for Life prayer vigil similar vigils are being held across Australia as well as in 21 countries and 522 cities worldwide. In the USA where the vigil first began, 253 communities are now committed to observing the 40 Days for Life Vigil while in Australia vigils are now held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, Perth, Tweed Heads and Albury.
Paul Hanrahan of Family Life International holds an icon of Our Lady
Vigils also take place daily throughout Lent in towns and cities in Canada, Croatia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Britain, New Zealand, Nigeria, Russia, South Africa, Poland and Spain.
But in Tasmania where the Most Rev Julian Porteous who was patron of 40 Days for Life for the past four years is now Archbishop of Hobart there will be no vigils or peaceful demonstrations against abortion.
"That's because Tasmania's coalition government of Greens and Labor introduced laws last year that make it illegal to hold a prayer vigil or gather outside an abortion clinic. If you are closer than 150 yards you get arrested and if convicted face a fine of $9750 as well as 12 months in gaol," Paul says and recalls Archbishop Porteous' pivotal role and strong support of Family Life International during his years as the Archdiocese of Sydney's Vicar for Evangelisation and Renewal.
"Archbishop Porteous was a champion of the unborn and an outspoken fearless critic of abortion throughout his many years in Sydney, and we will miss him very much," Paul says.
To take part in the 40 Days for Life Sydney prayer vigil logon to http://www.40daysforlife.com/Sydney/
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
Comments