“40 Days for Life” campaign timely for uptick in pro-abortion legislation

New York’s new law legalizes abortion up to birth and allows non-physicians to perform abortions, while simultaneously removing protections for children born alive after surviving abortions.

Virginia legislators have followed suit, presenting a similar state measure that would loosen significantly restrictions on late term abortions.

Delegate Kathy Tran testified her bill would allow abortion even as a mother is beginning to deliver her child.

Governor of Virginia and pediatric neurologist, Ralph Northam, took it a step further advocating for infanticide. 

The Catholic Church teaches that all life should be respected from conception to natural death.  

Some advocates attribute an increase in neonatal development awareness to the growing number of pro-life advocates. 

Recent movies such as “Gosnell” and “Unplanned” (March 2019) are throwing open the shades covering the gruesome reality of abortions, including the use of sterilized language to lure vulnerable women.

In a recent interview with Sirius XM’s Breitbart, Shawn Carney, president and CEO of 40 Days for Life said the “pro-life side” is the “only side discussing science” in the abortion debate, to which the host, Alex Marlow, agreed. 

“There’s a huge science component to why the pro-life movement is thriving,” he said. “The more people understand about abortion and the more they understand how developed the fetus is typically at the time of abortion, the arguments to be pro-abortion get so much less persuasive.”

On March 6, Oklahomans are uniting with the global movement 40 Days for Life, a multi-denominational, community-based campaign that takes a peaceful approach to draw attention to the evil of abortion through the use of prayer and fasting, vigil and community outreach. 

The campaign lasts from March 6 to April 14 and spans from coast to coast, covering more than 800 cities 56 nations and nearly 800,000 volunteers. 

Connie Lang is the co-coordinator of the Norman 40 Days for Life campaign. 

“We truly pray that this 40 Days for Life campaign will mark the beginning of the end of abortion in Norman,” Lang said.

This year’s 40 Days for Life will begin with a kick-off rally at 6:30 p.m. March 4 at Saint Mark in Norman. The kick-off rally is an exciting time for the community to come together to share the vision of the campaign and pray for its success. 

“It is a time to focus attention on the harm abortion has done to our city,” Lang said.

Saint John in Edmond has volunteers making the drive to Norman to cover shifts at the abortion clinic. This year, Norman will divide shift times by days of the week, designating one parish to a specific day. 

Lang said she’s excited about the enthusiasm for this year’s program and hopes it will be the “best turnout ever.” 

Catholic volunteers are hoping to bring more protestant awareness and volunteers. 

Julie Lewis is the co-leader for Norman’s 40 Days for Life campaign. Lewis and her husband, David, both non-Catholic, say the campaign is personal for them. 

Lewis, an OBGYN nurse of more than 18 years, says these types of resources are not talked about in the clinic setting. Until recently, neither had knowledge of such a campaign. 

“It’s up to all of us,” Lewis said. “This has changed our lives.”

“I always point out to folks this is not a movement of a bunch of self righteous Christians trying to tell everybody how to live. Quite the opposite,” said Carney, the president of 40 Days for Life. “It’s a movement of people who have had an abortion, or have paid for or encouraged an abortion, worked at Planned Parenthood, and doctors who have done abortions.” 

Eliana Tedrow is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.


For information visit www.40daysforlife.com. Oklahoma City vigil, contact Erika Martinez at 40days4life.okc@gmail.com or (405) 615-7642. For the Norman vigil, contact Connie Lang at (405) 249-1041 or jlang9@cox.net. 
 
 
• 750,000 volunteers 
• 816 cities
• 56 nations
• 6,020 local campaigns
• 15,256 lives saved
• 156 abortion workers quit
• 99 abortion centers closed