The 40 Days for Life Campaign launches Ash Wednesday

Intermountain Catholic

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Kim (left) and Don Franklin, the Knights of Columbus pro-life couple, host the 40 Days for life group from the Diocese of Salt Lake City, who met to sign up for vigil campaign that will run throughout Lent.

SALT LAKE CITY — The 40 Days for Life campaign will run from March 9, Ash Wednesday, to April 17, the Sunday before Holy Week, in 337 cities in the United States and around the world. The 40 Days for Life campaign is a community-based campaign that draws attention to the evils of abortion through prayer, fasting, vigils and community outreach.

A group from the Diocese of Salt Lake City met at Saint Catherine of Siena Parish and Newman Center on March 6 to watch the movie "Bella," which is about a woman who becomes pregnant and anticipates getting an abortion, but is persuaded to give up her baby for adoption to a friend, who himself was adopted.

The 40 Days for Life group from Salt Lake City is made up of people from parishes in Sandy, Salt Lake City and Ogden. This group plans to hold prayer vigils for 40 days in front of the new Planned Parenthood building on 160 South 1000 East in Salt Lake City throughout Lent on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon.

"The most visible component of 40 Days for Life is a constant prayer vigil outside a place where children are aborted," said James Snow, Salt Lake City 40 Days for Life coordinator. "The vigil is not an opportunity for confrontation, debate or angry protest. It is a time of silent, intercessory prayer that serves as a peaceful witness of God’s love for all people during all stages of life. Our presence at the prayer vigil is a sign to the community that we affirm the sanctity of life and we deplore the evil of abortion and its devastating aftermath. We offer loving abortion alternatives and we support women during their time of need."

Don and Kim Franklin are the Knights of Columbus couple representatives and members of Saints Peter and Paul Parish.

"Since 40 Days For Life began, reports document 3,599 lives have been saved from abortion, 43 abortion workers have quit their jobs following the 40 Days for Life vigil and nine abortion facilities have been shut down," said Don Franklin.

"We have pro-life coordinator couples at some of the parishes in the diocese and we have asked them to help recruit volunteers to pray during these 40 days," said Kim Franklin.

Eileen Bodell, a member of Blessed Sacrament Parish, has been encouraging others to pray for the unborn by sharing information while giving pulpit announcements in her parish. "Each year 1,200,000 babies die from abortions in the United States and it is our responsibility to stop this atrocity," Bodell said. "It should offend, outrage and bother us. It is really rewarding to pray in front of the women’s clinic. We are a very prayerful and peaceful group. Last year there were only six of us and we only prayed during our lunch hour, but our presence does make a difference. After I spoke at the parish, people said they wanted to help make a difference."

The Knights of Columbus sponsored three college students to attend the Walk for Life in San Francisco this past January, said Kim Franklin.

"It was inspiring to be among a lot of passionate people who were gathering together for the cause," said Clare Rakowski, a student from Westminster College working on a master’s degree in counseling.

"It is important to emphasize that while we hate the sin of abortion, we love the sinner and we point people to the healing and forgiveness available to all through Christ," said Snow.