At least four lives were saved during Perth’s 40 Days for Life Campaign during Lent this year.
Perth Christians took part in the worldwide 40 Days for Life campaign involving 80,000 participants in 247 cities across the United States, Canada, Australia, England, Ireland, Spain, Belize, Armenia and Georgia, with 714 babies confirmed as saved from abortion this year.
Across these nine countries, 10 abortion workers quit their jobs and three abortion facilities shut down after 40 Days for Life campaigns were held outside their doors.
Over the past seven years of 40 Days for Life campaigns across the globe, 3,599 documented lives have been saved, 43 abortion workers have converted and left the industry and nine abortion clinics have permanently closed.
There was an outstanding response to the first 40 Days for life campaign held in Perth this year, and it will now be an annual event. Catholics from 57 parishes and Christians from other denominations throughout Perth came to the prayer vigils that took place for nine hours each day at the Rivervale abortion clinic.
There was an average of 38 people present per day and a total of over 1500 for the 40 days.
They came in groups large and small from parishes as far south as Mandurah and Bunbury to far north Clarkson and Ocean Reef, aged from four months to 88 years, in answer to the call to pray for an end to abortion.
They came in groups and individually, many came repeatedly, some came daily. They stayed for hours in the heat of March and April, offering their prayers and discomfort in the hope that these precious infants’ lives might be saved. Their focus was total, their peaceful and loving prayers bringing down blessings upon that place of death and sadness. They witnessed the joy of four mothers choosing to keep their babies and turning away from the desperate act of abortion and they rejoiced and prayed in thanksgiving for the lives spared.
Archbishop Barry Hickey prayed an Act of Consecration and Entrustment to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at the First Saturday Mass a few days before the launch of the Perth 40 Days for Life campaign. The prayer was prayed daily at the vigils.
A counter protest organised by students via Facebook on a Sunday morning turned into a non-event as the 40 youth assembled inside the abortion clinic’s grounds, ready to do battle but found that the rostered time slot had been left vacant and there was no-one there except the police and campaign director Brad Taylor who engaged them in “productive dialogue” and passed on copies of the book Unplanned (on sale at The Record Bookshop) to some of them.
Unplanned is the story of Abbey Johnson, a Planned Parenthood employee who quit her job in 2009 and has since converted to Catholicism. She will visit Perth on 11 July as part of a national Australian tour from 13 to 27 July.
Friendly greetings were reportedly exchanged with some of the clinic staff at Rivervale, one of whom accepted a copy of Unplanned and others took Miraculous medals.
“We were reminded in Abbey Johnson’s story of how she crossed the life-line from being the director of a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic to joining the Pro-Life Movement. We remembered that they were not our enemies and prayed for their conversion of heart,” Perth campaign organiser Helene Sawyer said.
Priests attended the vigil, leading the faithful and praying the prayer of exorcism over the building. Groups of young people came from St Charle’s seminary, Notre Dame University, the University of WA, Santa Maria College, Prendiville Catholic College and from the Disciples of Jesus community, the Catholic Home School group and the Divine Will prayer group.
Many others prayed in front of the Blessed Sacrament at St Augustine’s Church, Rivervale as well as in parish churches all over the State. Many parishes also offered Masses for an end to abortion, and many parishioners across the Archdiocese, encouraged and led by their priests, prayed the Prayer for the 40 Days for Life together during daily and weekend Masses, as well as Stations of the Cross, Holy Hours, and Rosaries.
“Praying at the site, together or in silence, had a profound effect upon many. Some stayed beyond their allocated shift, reluctant to leave, in fellowship with their companions, sensing Christ in their midst, in the great peace that surrounded them. One felt a sense of the Blood of Christ washing down over the building and all within it,” Mrs Sawyer said.
Some Perth participants witnessed the repeated harassment by an angry resident who insisted that the displayed pictures and models of babies in the womb were offensive.
“They witnessed the frequent arrival of the police who were very pleasant but told us to remove the images because of the complaints. We complied, as our battle is a spiritual one and our police permit should not be jeopardised,” Mrs Sawyer said.
She added that participants were adhering to the direction of Blessed Pope John Paul II, who in 1995 said: “You are called to stand up for life. To respect and defend the mystery of life always and everywhere, including the lives of unborn babies, giving real help and encouragement to mothers in difficult situations. You are called to work and pray against abortion.”
Mrs Sawyer said “there was the usual heckling from passers-by, with calls of ‘Get a life’ and ‘Get a job’.”
She also described an incident when a man approached, “smelling of alcohol and asked disparagingly whether we thought that our prayers made any difference”.
“When he was told that God heard our prayers, he knelt and prayed, weeping and confiding that his first child had been aborted. He accepted a medal and the assurance of our prayers,” Mrs Sawyer said.
For most participants in the vigil, Mrs Sawyer said, it was the first time they’d ventured out to pray in front of an abortion clinic.
Yet they were there at this modern day battlefield, in the spiritual battle to save unborn children and their parents from the tragedy of abortion.
The reality of this battle was illustrated many times, especially when, no sooner had the group read the Scripture verses “… If you are upbraided for the name of Christ, blessed will you be, because the honour, the glory and the power of God and His Spirit rest upon you” (1 Peter 4:12-16), than someone in a passing car called out “You should be ashamed of yourselves … you’re disgusting.”
How four babies were saved from abortion
By Helene Sawyer
ONE of the most memorable images was of the young couple who came out of the clinic and said that they were going to keep their baby.
They stood on the footpath, in a long embrace, oblivious to the traffic and the many eyes upon them, infused with relief and joy at the decision they had made.
To see this little family, intact and protected because of the prayers of so many, both present and in their churches and homes, was very moving.
On another day a young woman approaching the clinic, explained that she and her fiancé were getting married the following month and that her pregnancy would cause upset in their families. She didn’t need much convincing not to start their marriage with the death of their eldest child and they went in, cancelled their appointment and left, happy and confident.
The third baby saved occurred when two young girls approached by foot, saw the group, turned away and then returned 10 minutes later. As she stood some distance from the gate, the frightened young mother listened to our counsel and accepted the pamphlet directing her to agencies to find real help in her crisis.
When they emerged from the clinic after a little time, she said, “I haven’t done it.”
The group prayed that her resolve would be strengthened.
The fourth confirmed baby saved occurred when a couple drove past the assembled group and the 40 Days for Life banner, and parked in the clinic car park. After five minutes, they drove out the front entrance, paused on the driveway and when offered a pamphlet, the woman smiled and said, “I don’t need it now, thanks”, and waved as they drove away.
Five minutes and the prayers of many were the difference between life and death for their child.
– From a speech Helene gave at the annual Rally for Life at Parliament House on 24 May
It took an effort for some to “strike up the courage” to publicly pray outside an abortion clinic, but the effort was worth it, participants say
“The 40 Days for life was indeed a great blessing. The people and parishes that prayed were really something special.
“If one could express the campaign in a feeling I guess for me it was like all of us being on a ship in very dangerous seas with all of us as crew together striving to keep afloat and at the same time trying to rescue so many others.”
– Terry
“I was personally moved by the prayer sheets that helped us to focus on what was really happening within the building – to see beyond the bricks and mortar – to clearly see the Father’s love through it all and to know that our prayers can make a difference because we truly care.”
– Joy
Group leaders in parishes also promoted and organised their groups to attend the vigils. This is from a letter to one of them:
“Thank you so much for the opportunity my husband and I had today of going to the clinic together (our ninth wedding anniversary).
“I have never yet struck up the courage or made the effort to attend an abortion clinic of my own accord and so I truly appreciate your rallying us together.
It was so peaceful and calming – even our toddler was content to just sit and investigate a few things from in my bag for over an hour, while occasionally swaying from side to side with the singing.
“There were about six to eight other people there while we were there, including Fr Doug Harris from Glendalough.
“It was so well organised and the booklets that we slowly worked through as a group were really helpful in focusing me and stopping my mind wandering.
“I felt I could happily have been there for many hours if there were no other children to worry about.
“Being able to share the experience with my husband was especially comforting.
“To see how the experience affected him and to realise how wonderful it is to have him supportive of children and families when so many men aren’t.
“I am thankful to God and my husband that I have never been in a situation where I have had to face what the women I saw today have to deal with.
“The experience brought me to tears at moments. It was only this opportunity that has brought the reality of the day-to-day ‘normality’ and horror of abortion. Praying at home or at Mass has never been as poignant – a very different experience.”
Ongoing prayer vigils in Perth
Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays:
2 Cleaver Tce, Rivervale
8am to 10am
Fridays:
201 Jones St, Balcatta
10am to 12 noon;
8 Sayer St, Midland
Time to be confirmed
First Fridays:
9.30am Mass at St Brigid’s, Midland followed by Rosary procession and prayer vigil at abortion clinic led by Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate.
First Saturdays:
8.30am Mass at St Augustine’s, Rivervale followed by Rosary procession and prayer vigil at abortion clinic, led by Fr Paul Carey SSC.