Pot Luck Supper - November 21st

Come and join us in a pot luck supper on Saturday, November 21st at 6 pm.
Place - Canadian Martyrs Church Hall, Inglis Street, between Robie and Tower Road

Bring whatever you would like to bring - a casserole, salad, dessert, rolls, drinks.

Bring a friend or two with you! The more, the merrier.

We will have musical entertainment by Finnan Haddie, two sisters who play the violin and piano. Cassie Anne and Maggie Jane MacDonald play and also step-dance. And Anthony MacIsaac will call some dances, so that we can all get up and have some fun.

- photo by Lois Siegel

View Cassie and Maggie
here doing some steps

Breaking News!

The director of the Planned Parenthood in Bryan, Texas has quit her job. This is the Planned Parenthood where the very first 40 Days for Life was held.



Click here to read the story

Planned Parenthood has issued a temporary restraining order upon Abby Johnson and Coalition for Life, headed up by Shawn Carney. The requested court action warns against disclosing any “confidential information.” An initial court hearing is set for November 10, so please keep Abby, Shawn, and the Coalition for Life in your prayers.

Abby had worked at this Planned Parenthood facility for the past eight years and that means that she was working there through all six of the 40 Days for Life campaigns that were held right outside her workplace.

Abby's change of heart is the result of peaceful prayerful presence outside the places where death is occurring. We cannot underestimate the power of prayer, nor must we lose heart that it may take years to see the answers to those prayers.

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” — Matthew 19:26

Closing Day, Sunday, November 1, 2009

On Saturday, Herm Wills sent me this email:

A man of apparent limited means approach Rosalie yesterday and commended her and us (vigil participants and pro-lifers) for standing (against abortion) his words. Had it not been for his grandmother, both he and his brother would have been aborted. His mother apparently was abortion-minded but not her mother. He continued to thank us and ask that we keep up the good work. A little while later a young man, perhaps in his early twenties approached us and asked what were we doing. Rosalie explained that we were here to pray for the unborn children being aborted and for those involved. He asked, "Do you think that is a good idea, with the financial crisis and the high cost of everything?" Rose asked him "Who is going to replace me? To pray for the unborn children after I am gone, there is no one to replace me." He responded by saying, "I never thought of that, I see what you mean." He added that he teaches young children to play music. ..... It was an interesting observation by two men of limited resources... I couldn't help but think yesterday when Ellen called for someone to man the vigil line at noon for an hour, as Fr. John Powell did in his book "The Abortion Holocaust" or was it the "The Silent Holocaust" anyway, the thought was, "doesn't anyone hear, see or feel what I feel about what is happening in our land, in our hospitals, in our families? Are we the only ones, so few, yet so many are affected in one way or another?" Then I asked myself, why should I bother coming out here on a windy forlorn day? But I remembered a TV program, where an elderly couple had to be separated because she had Alzheimer's disease. She was placed in a special care residency and he visited her faithfully each day, rain, shine, wind or forlorn days, he was committed to her. He then himself became hospitalized and couldn't get to visit his wife. He sneaked out of the hospital and made his way to the special home to visit her. When he was discovered missing, the hunt was on. They found him on his way back to the hospital and asked him what was he doing. He said "I have to visit my wife, she expects me." "But ", they intervened, "she doesn't even know who you are." He said, "That doesn't matter, I know who she is". I guess that is why we find ourselves on a vigil for the unborn on cold, windy, and forlorn days. God Love us all and be merciful. Herm and Rose

Friday, October 30, 2009

Ann walks and prays with one of the vigil signs


Pauline and Carmel pray together in bright sunshine and quite warm temperatures; Marcel walks in the distance

Carmel told me that a young man passed them and got quite angry with the vigil; he shouted some profanities, then grabbed one of the smaller signs and ran off. The funny thing was that he ran holding the sign facing outward, so he was actually helping us by spreading the vigil into the next block! You have to find the humour where you can.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Bright smiles from George and Emmeline who come every Thursday without fail.

Today several people passed giving us thumbs up, some said thank you for being here, one road construction worker said "I'm with you guys", all little affirmations that help us keep up this prayer witness.

Earlier this morning, as I was just about to leave, a young woman drove up very suddenly, got out of her car, and began to vent at Ginny and Terry who were praying at the site. After saying that our vigil is narrow-minded and hurtful to women using the hospital facility, she came out with the standard question "what about a woman who is raped?" I replied that there are actually very few pregnancies that result from rape, and they can't be used to justify the deaths of countless babies. She then said "well those babies go into the spirit world and they return later".

This was the first time I had actually heard someone say this. I have heard of it, but never encountered it. I simply replied "no they don't" and she said "yes they do, I know it". Again I said quietly "no they don't" at which point she turned and got into her car, saying something about the spirit world will know about this.

It was a disturbing episode and one that simmered in my mind for most of the day. As I was driving back to the vigil site at 4 pm, I had the radio tuned to CJLU, the Christian radio station. I think the timing was perfect, as I heard someone read this passage from the apostle Paul:

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. -Ephesians 6:11-17

Satan has a massive stronghold with abortion; it is through abortion that he can break women's spirits, he can wreck their lives, he can make them turn from God because they cannot believe that their sin is forgiveable. Through abortion, he destroys the lives of innocent human beings, and at the same time, destroys the relationship between mothers and fathers, between siblings, within families.

So when we come against that power of darkness with prayer, we will find resistance and, in this final week, actual attack. Yesterday Ellen was at the site when a group of young teens began to mock the people praying. Being a veteran at this, Ellen knew the approach to take was that of a mother; she went up to the boy who was most vocal and told him that he had the freedom to say these things because his mother hadn't aborted him and that all we are doing by praying is being a voice for those babies who have no voice. The young lad quietened down and he and his friends stopped mocking and left. No shouting, no reprimanding, just a quiet word of truth that made him think twice about the fact that he has the right to life, while others are denied that. Great wisdom in Ellen's reply.

And in tonight's email from Mark comes this remark:

Today, a young woman stopped to ask Ethel and I questions about why we are pro life and would we ever make exceptions. Ethel superbly handled most of the questions and I interjected here and there. The conversation was pleasant, calm and very open. In the end the young woman said she was pro choice but that she respected us for our position.

And yesterday, a young woman stopped to apologize to Rhonda for her outburst a week ago. She had verbally abused Rhonda for being at the vigil and had said some quite mean things. Rhonda shared with her that, years ago, she was pro choice herself but had come to value the life of the unborn. Obviously this made the young woman think, because she returned and said to Rhonda that, while she didn't agree with her belief, she felt that taking part in the vigil in the way she was, was in fact a good thing and commendable. This young woman showed much graciousness in her apology to Rhonda. God bless those who are open to talking with us, and not condemning us outright.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

40 Days for Life on abortion row in New York City

Wow, talk about an energetic campaign. Quite a challenge, holding 40 Days for Life on a busy street in downtown NYC is quite different from South Park Street in Halifax. Here the volunteers are actively passing out literature to passersby, and sidewalk counselors are inviting women to come into the van to have an ultrasound of their baby, in the hope that they will choose life for their child.

Amazing efforts in the city where the most abortions are performed.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Just read this on the Ottawa 40 Days page:

One of the vigil keepers was a gentleman (John) who had just flown into town from Halifax. He was well informed on the campaign overall, and after arriving at his hotel, sought out the Ottawa vigil site. He just wanted to spend some time in prayer. As we were about to leave, we engaged in an extended conversation which involved the newest vigil keeper who was less knowledgeable about what was going on in Ottawa or elsewhere. He seemed to appreciate the briefing he was receiving as a by-product of my conversation with John. He remained at his post with John keeping him company for a while longer.

I know John, he is in Ottawa on a work trip, and I saw him on Monday morning briefly before he left. He told me that he would be in Ottawa and would be visiting the 40 Days site there. Hi John! God bless you for keeping the unborn in your heart even as you work and travel.