Parishioners sign up for 40 Days campaign

Photos by Jane Winstead 

St. Raphael parishioners signed up for the 40 Days for Life campaign to end abortion before and after Masses on Sunday. There will be an opportunity to sign up next weekend as well. Parishioners will join Catholics throughout the Diocese in a continuing 40-day vigil in front of All Women's Health Center on Central Avenue. Parishioners will participate on Saturday, October 6, and Tuesday, October 9. The vigil will be from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.

40 Days for Life — prayer day

Photos by Jane Winstead

St. Raphael parishioners participated in the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil in front of All Women's Health Center, the abortion clinic in downtown St. Petersburg, on Tuesday, Oct. 11. The campaign runs through Nov. 6.

40 Days for Life campaign kickoff

Photo by Jane Winstead

Faithful Catholics gathered on Tuesday on Central Avenue in downtown St. Petersburg for the kickoff of the 40 Days for Life campaign. The prayer campaign to end abortion is conducted each year in front of the All Women's Health Center, an abortion clinic. Father Dominic lead the group in prayer. Parishioners are invited to participate in the campaign and represent St. Raphael in prayer vigils on Saturday, October 8 and Tuesday, October 11. Your one hour on either of those days can help. | View slide show

A day of penance and prayer

In all the dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 shall be observed as a particular day of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life.

www.usccb.org/prolife/fastpray

40 Days Mass and reception

Photos by Jane Winstead

Father Dominic celebrated Mass at Our Lady's Chapel at the Cathedral of Saint Jude the Apostle on 5th Avenue on Tuesday, October 12. The Mass was for parishioners who participated in the prayer vigil at the abortion clinic on Central Avenue on Tuesday. Catholics from all over the Diocese of St. Petersburg are participating in the 40 Days for Life campaign to end abortion.

Prayers during 40 Days campaign

Photos by Jane Winstead

St. Raphael parishioners gathered at the abortion clinic on Central Avenue Tuesday, October 12, to pray during the 40 Days for Life campaign in the Diocese of St. Petersburg.

Read Maggie Moren's account of the prayer vigil that St. Raphael parishioners participated in on Saturday, October 2.

40 Days: Help and answered prayers

Photo by Jane Winstead

Deacon Jim joins parishioners for a prayer during the vigil on Tuesday, October 12.

By Maggie Moren

St. Raphael's prayer warriors came to the abortion clinic on Saturday, October 2, in hourly shifts to pray starting at 7 a.m. and ending at 5 p.m.

The clinic at 4131 Central Avenue performs abortions on Saturday mornings.

As St. Raphael members prayed, God heard their prayers and there was one save, which means that an abortion-minded woman changed her mind and is keeping her baby.

One couple who regrettably did have an abortion found that their car had a dead battery as they were leaving the clinic. The man went inside to get jumper cables but the clinic did not help them, so the woman reluctantly approached the St. Raphael group and asked them for jumper cables.

No one in the group had cables in their car. But Mary Lou Price, one of the prayer warriors, called her son Scott on the phone. Scott came down and helped the couple. The man was so grateful and thankful. He tried to pay Scott who refused, telling the man that he came down because he knew they needed help.

This group lived out their Christian faith and the couple experienced love from those praying outside of the clinic, people who wanted to help by demonstrating their concern and love, not condemnation.

Hopefully, the couple will seek further help from Project Rachael, realizing that people are out there wanting to help them.

Jamie and Ted Scarpino from Life Teens, along with several youths and their parents came down at noon to pray and sing songs of praise to Jesus during their hour.

The group apparently impressed and lifted the hearts of parishioners from other parishes. After they left the site, some participants called one of the leaders of 40 Days for Life to tell about their experience.

In turn, I received a call lauding the efforts of the St. Raphael group. I was told this group of young people and their parents were wonderful witnesses.

There were more than 18 people present during that hour. We had more than 40 parishioners from St. Raphael who came down to pray that day. Awesome.

Many thanks to those who came down to pray and those who could not come down but prayed with us from church or their homes.

If you're interested: St. Raphael's next day to pray in front of the abortion clinic is October 12, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Since it is a Tuesday, there are fewer who have signed up than for Saturday. Please consider coming down for an hour to pray with us. God bless.

40 Days for Life Prayer Service

Photos by Jane Winstead

Faithful followers gathered on Tuesday evening for a prayer service to begin the 40 Days for Life campaign at the abortion clinic, All Women's Health Center, on Centeral Avenue. Parishioners and clergy from all over the Diocese of St. Petersburg gathered for the occasion.

Sign up for 40 Days for Life

Photos by Jane Winstead

Maggie Moren, right, speaks with parishioners about 40 Days for Life

By Maggie Moren

This weekend we will again be present at all Masses in hope that if you have not signed up yet to pray at the abortion clinic, All Women's Health Center at 4131 Central Avenue, you will stop by and do so. This effort is part of the national 40 Days for Life campaign that begins Wednesday, September 22.

Your prayers and presence at the abortion clinic is so very important. Please check your calendar. We have a lot of empty spaces that need to be filled.

The 40 Days for Life campaign includes 40 days of prayer and fasting combined with round-the-clock vigil at the abortion clinic. It also includes proactive community outreach.

On Tuesday, September 21 at 7 p.m we will again have our kick-off at the abortion clinic. It will last an hour. Bishop Robert Lynch will lead the prayers. Please come join our bishop in prayer.

Those who would like to carpool down there will meet at the parish parking lot. We will leave at 6:15 p.m.

For those who are unable/or not interested in the carpool then please come and join us at the clinic.

The 40 Days for Life campaign started in 2o04 in Texas. It now has spread to cities across the country as well as cities in Australia, Canada and Northern Ireland. The 40 days idea comes from the Bible. Noah endured 40 days of the flood. Moses spent 40 days on the mountain. Jesus spent 40 days in the desert.

Below is a video from the 40 Days for Life Web site.