I spoke with Sister Janine Van Tran from the order Congregation of Mary Queen about the 40 Days for Life ministry.
40 Days for Life is a pro-life campaign in 2004 in Bryan/College Station, Texas, initiated by a group led by David Bereit. It’s a focused, peaceful effort to end abortion through prayer, fasting, and community outreach, typically held outside abortion facilities. The campaign runs for 40 days—symbolizing a biblical period of transformation—and occurs twice a year: once in the spring (often aligning with Lent) and once in the fall (usually September to early November).
Sister Janine works in Springfield with the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Catholic Diocese to help protect children. She does so through peaceful vigils, aimed at communicating redemption and care to those who need another option besides the one offered by Planned Parenthood or Abortion Clinics.
Through the 40 Days for Life ministry, every child and mother is offered community resources, including safe places to stay, utilities, and other care. Our children aren’t meant to be lost but can be saved through the patient prayers of believers.
While 40 Days of Life is a ministry, it works with everyone committed to helping save unborn children and rescuing mothers. As Sister Janine said, this is the most critical issue of our time.
If you want to sign up, joining a vigil is quick and easy. It only took me about 3 minutes.
Abortion is a polarizing issue. It is hard for it not to be. Any problem that is a choice between all or nothing will be polarizing. A child cannot be partially born and partially aborted.
Because of this, Abortion ends up being an all-or-nothing issue. Yet, the children, women, and men affected are not an all or nothing for Christ who redeems us all. I am a sinner who should offer grace to those whom God offers grace. It is not my place to deny God’s gifts to anyone seeking them, even if they don’t know it yet.
Share this post