David Bereit is the national director for the 40 Days for Life organization. In 2007 David, his family and a few volunteers from the group took a bus to Rhode Island to show support of the state’s first-ever 40 Days for Life vigil in front of the Providence Planned Parenthood abortion clinic. Nine years ago, when David stepped off that bus there were just two women, a mother and her daughter, praying on the sidewalk in peaceful vigil. Nine years later, on October 3, Bereit returned. This time he spoke before dozens of volunteers, prayer-warrior and sidewalk supporters of life. Parishes around the diocese have adopted days of prayer, students from local schools now stand in solidarity with the faithful of all denominations.
In these nine years, there have been several reports of lives that have been saved — through prayer and through the women and men who have come to know they are loved and supported for who they are and not judged for what they have done or are about to do.
These forty days, encompassing October as Respect Life month, are just a simple demonstration to our neighbors that this intrinsic evil of society must end. We must continue to defend life from the moment of conception until natural death while at the same time embrace, educate and admonish those who promote, support, commit and contemplate abortion. Among counseling and comforting, admonishing the sinner is also a Work of Mercy.
High and humble praise for the dedicated and persistence of volunteers in Providence’s local 40 Days for Life campaign. The Lord knows the lives that have been saved.
