SAUK CITY — St. Aloysius Church and School (part of Divine Mercy Parish) in Sauk City is joining in with volunteer efforts in Madison and around the world by involving students and parishioners in various pro-life opportunities during 40 Days for Life this fall.
From September 23 to November 1, Madison and surrounding communities are uniting with the largest pro-life mobilization in history – the international 40 Days for Life campaign happening in a record number of 588 cities in all 50 states and 63 countries.
Lives are being saved. Across the nation, grandparents and parents are traveling to thank the prayer warriors for their past and continuing presence and for their babies who are now alive because of their prayers, and Madison is no exception to these stories.
St. Aloysius is promoting the vigil in Madison and has also scheduled several additional local pro-life activities.
Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison had this to share, “There has never been a more efficacious, important, and significant moment than right now for dedicated Christians and believers to stand up for the great cause of life”.
40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign that has generated measurable lifesaving results.
A documented 17,226 lives have been spared from abortion, and these are just the ones that we know about.
In addition, 107 abortion facilities have closed, 206 abortion workers have quit their jobs, and more than one million people have joined to fast and pray for an end to abortion.
Key components
The 40 Days for Life campaign is made up of three key components.
Prayer and fasting: Inviting people of faith throughout the diocese to join together for 40 days of fervent prayer and fasting for an end to abortion.
The two go hand in hand.
Christ said that there are demons that can be driven out only by prayer and fasting.
Pray outside an abortion facility. Pray at church. Pray at work. Pray in your car. Pray at home with your family.
Fasting is a sacrifice that helps us reach beyond our limitations with God’s help. It is also a powerful means of drawing closer to God by blocking out distractions.
Fast from certain foods, from TV, alcohol, coffee, or anything that helps in this form of physical prayer.
Peaceful vigil: Join in the visible, public centerpiece of 40 Days for Life in a focused, 40-day, non-stop, round-the-clock prayer vigil outside Planned Parenthood, 3706 Orin Rd., Madison.
It is a peaceful and educational presence. Those who are called to stand witness during this 24-hour-a-day presence send a powerful message to the community about the tragic reality of abortion.
It also serves as a call to repentance for those who work at the abortion center and those who patronize the facility.
For more information contact Gwen 608-393-8545 or info@vigilforlife.org
Community outreach: Taking a positive, upbeat pro-life message to every corner of our country through media efforts, church presentations, and public visibility.
More than 3,000 news stories have been featured in newspapers, magazines, radio shows, and TV programs from coast to coast and overseas.
This makes it possible to get the pro-life message out to many people who would never see the inside of a local church.
Prayer opportunities
St. Aloysius Church at 115 Madison St. in Sauk City and St. Aloysius School are promoting 40 Days for Life by offering rides to the Madison vigil and by hosting special scheduled prayer opportunities for all who wish to join together in prayer.
Rides will be offered to the Madison peaceful vigil at Planned Parenthood for the Friday 10 to 11 a.m. shift.
Contact Kay and Nick Ringelstetter at 608-544-5131.
There will be a pro-life Rosary before all 4:30 p.m., 8 a.m., and 10:30 a.m. weekend Masses at St. Aloysius Church during 40 Days for Life.
On Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m., there will be a pro-life Rosary recited around a bonfire at St. Aloysius School with all elementary, middle school, and high school religious education students, teachers, and parents. Students will also be joining in pro-life prayers in their classrooms and are planning additional community service projects.
On Friday, Oct. 9, at 8:15 a.m., there will be a Mass at St. Aloysius Church with special intention for the unborn and all of those affected by abortion. Third through fifth grade students and their teachers will pray the pro-life Rosary following Mass.
The school children are also planning special prayers and activities during the campaign.
On Saturday, Oct. 10, at 11 a.m., there will be a Spanish-English Rosary with intention for the unborn outside at the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Memorial to the Unborn, led by Fr. Miguel Galvez.
The Rosary is prayed every Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. at Durward’s Glen near Baraboo with the added intention for the unborn during 40 Days for Life.
Mass follows at 8 a.m.
In addition to these scheduled dates, parishioners are being encouraged to privately pray the pro-life Rosary during their hourly shifts in the Adoration chapel.
More information on this power of prayer can be found at www.40daysforlife.com