On September 27, 40 Days for Life started its next campaign outside the Planned Parenthood facility on the east side of Madison.
Tag: Vigil for Life
Witnesses for life give women a real choice
Each week, I receive reports from Madison’s Vigil for Life about the efforts of witnesses for life who stand and pray on the sidewalk outside of the Planned Parenthood abortion clinic at 3706 Orin Rd. in Madison.
It should be noted that the Women’s Care Center is located right across the street from the Planned Parenthood clinic. Women’s Care Center provides free, confidential counseling, support, and education to women facing unplanned pregnancies.
Volunteers give time and effort to end abortion
MADISON — When Mary Markielewski retired from her job as a psychiatric nurse at the Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison, she found herself “seeking to do the will of God.”
In recent years, she has tried to live this out by praying outside the Planned Parenthood clinic on Madison’s east side for an end to abortion.
Saving lives — one baby at a time
Pro-life individuals and organizations are working to change laws and public opinion, and they are making a difference in our state and across our nation.
Wisconsin experienced over a 10 percent decline in abortions in 2014, continuing a trend of fewer abortions during the past five years.
One way this has happened is that lives are being saved — one baby at a time — thanks to the commitment of pro-life pregnancy centers and volunteers.
Pro-lifers continue their efforts
 |
|
| Fr. Jorge Miramontes, pastor of Holy Family Parish in Marshall and Waterloo, performs a Rite of Minor Exorcism outside the Planned Parenthood clinic on Madison’s east side. Father Miramontes performed the rite during a January 27 prayer vigil to mark the 42nd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion across the country. The vigil took place near the Women’s Care Center, located across the street from the clinic, that provides free, confidential counseling, support, and education to women facing unplanned pregnancies. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash) |
MADISON — Whether it’s the March for Life in Washington, D.C., a meeting of pro-life leaders from across the state, or a gathering of two dozen prayer warriors on a frigid winter morning, the message is always the same before, during, and after these events — “there’s more work to be done.”
If the optimistically self-proclaimed “pro-life generation” is to meet its goal of ending abortion, there’s no time to pause while celebrating the baby-saving victories and no pause to be content when an abortion clinic closes — there’s more work to be done.
The previous night’s snow stopped with enough time to make the roads good for winter travel en route to a prayer vigil outside the Planned Parenthood clinic on Madison’s east side on January 27.
It was hosted by Vigil for Life Madison — a volunteer organization whose members pray, fast, and peacefully witness for an end to abortion in the Madison area.
It marked the 42nd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion across the United States.
The vigil was held five days after the actual anniversary when hundreds of thousands of pro-lifers — some from the Madison area — participated in the March for Life in our nation’s capital as well as the Walk for Life in California.
Vigil crowd gathers
As people began to gather on the sidewalk outside the busy clinic, the first prayer of choice was an obvious one — the Divine Mercy Chaplet — imploring both the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary to intercede on behalf of the unborn, family members who have lost a child due to abortion, and the clinic owner and workers that their hearts may be changed.
Respect Life Retreat to be held at Durward’s Glen
BARABOO — The Servants of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Vigil for Life will host the seventh annual Respect Life Retreat at Durward’s Glen Retreat and Conference Center in Baraboo on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 19 and 20.
They are inviting anyone who works and/or prays to build a culture of life and who recognizes that this effort is ultimately the Lord’s battle to save souls and protect innocent lives from conception until natural death. All people of good will are welcomed.
40 Days for Life concludes life-saving vigil in Madison
 |
|
| Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison leads people in prayer at the 40 Days for Life closing vigil on Sunday, Nov. 2. For the eighth straight year, the vigil was held outside the Planned Parenthood clinic in Madison’s east side. Reportedly, two babies were saved during this year’s vigil in Madison with 528 lives saved across the country. (Catholic Herald photo/Joe Ptak) |
MADISON — Bishop Robert C. Morlino was on hand to celebrate efforts to respect life as prayer warriors came out to help conclude this year’s 40 Days for Life vigil.
40 Days for Life is an internationally-coordinated 40-day peaceful pro-life campaign to end abortion.
Locally, the Madison vigil — in its eighth straight year — ran from September 24 to November 2 and consisted of prayer and fasting, peaceful vigil, and community outreach.
For 24 hours a day, volunteers prayed outside the Planned Parenthood clinic on Madison’s east side for an end to abortion.
About 50 people gathered at that site for the closing celebration on Sunday, Nov. 2.
Bishop Morlino thanked the pro-life community in Madison for its “perseverance” in praying and working toward an end to abortion.
The bishop also spoke about how everyone must continue to bring the truth on marriage to life.
Special recognition
After the closing prayer vigil, some of the group went to St. Albert Church in Sun Prairie for food and fellowship.
Showing compassion: It pays off in Wisconsin as numbers of abortions continue to drop
|
|
 |
|
It’s happened again. The number of abortions in Wisconsin has dropped for the fifth straight year. Nine of the last 10 years have seen a decline in abortions in our state, making Wisconsin one of the most pro-life states in the nation, according to some commentators.
The state Department of Health Services reported that 6,462 abortions were performed last year, down from 6,927 the previous year and about 2,000 less than the 8,500 Wisconsin had in 2009.
Continued abortion decline
“Today is a fantastic news day for Wisconsin women and children,” said Heather Weininger, executive director of Wisconsin Right to Life, when the report was released.
“Our steep abortion decline continues with the release of 2013 abortion numbers which reveal there were 465 fewer abortions in 2013 than in 2012. This represents a 6.7 percent decrease in one year.”
Weininger added, “We are extremely grateful for each and every woman who gives life to her child and each unborn child saved from the violence of abortion. Wisconsin Right to Life will vigorously continue its multi-faceted programs which work to fuel the decline.”
Lawsuit filed against Madison’s ‘bubble zone’ law
MADISON — On February 26, Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a lawsuit in federal court against the City of Madison on behalf of Vigil for Life, Madison (a Pro-Life Wisconsin affiliate) and 10 other “free-speakers” who engage in a variety of leafleting, education, and sign display activities on campus and around Madison.
The suit seeks an emergency injunction against the new law, sponsored by NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin and passed unanimously by the Madison Common Council on February 25.
Allow free speech in Madison: Common Council should vote against buffer zone
Last fall, a couple leaving the Planned Parenthood Clinic in Madison stopped at the driveway to tell the sidewalk counselor with Vigil for Life that they were going to keep their baby.
Vigil for Life volunteers didn’t know if this couple had come to the clinic for a pregnancy test or for an appointment for an abortion. In any case, these parents chose life for their baby.
Praying and working for a change of heart
In an email named “Baby Saved,” sent to volunteers after that incident, Bette Weisshaar, then director of Vigil for Life-Madison, said, “That’s why we’re out there — to pray for a change of heart, for God’s graces to show them a way other than abortion. Our prayers on the sidewalk are offered for parents, that they will choose life for their babies . . . and that’s exactly what happened today! Praise God!”