News

By Thaddeus M. Baklinski

September 18, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The annual Life Chain, a pro-life prayer and witness event, will take place this year in cities across the United States and Canada on Sunday October 4.

Life Chain involves an hour of silent prayer and public witness and will take place from 2 to 3 p.m. Participants stand in witness for one hour on sidewalks along major streets in towns and cities, peacefully and prayerfully holding signs reading “Abortion Kills Children,” “Abortion Hurts Women,” “Jesus Forgives and Heals” and “Adoption: The Loving Option” before passers-by and motorists.

Suresh Domenic, past Canadian co-ordinator for Life Chain at the national headquarters of Campaign Life Coalition in Toronto said Life Chain “is for anyone who cares about the sanctity of life, of whatever faith or no faith.”

“It's also to increase public awareness of the abortion issue and to support, through our prayers, women who have undergone abortions and their babies. We are a voice for the victims and we pray for the conversion of those who promote abortion and that those who have been hurt by it will be consoled,” Domenic noted.

This year's Life Chain marks the 22nd year that thousands of pro-lifers throughout the USA and Canada have stood for one hour in peaceful and prayerful public witness, praying for their countries and for an end to abortion.

Mary-Ellen Douglas of Campaign Life Coalition told LifeSiteNews.com, “Life Chain is a peaceful and prayerful event. It gives people the opportunity to stand up for what they believe in with a sign that gets a message out there. It's a nice opportunity for people to pray for the victims of abortion, the babies, the parents, the nurses, and the doctors, everyone who's involved.”

“It's a very spiritual event. We do encourage everyone to come out. It's only for an hour. Even if it's not a nice day we don't care. Come out anyway.”

Endorsers of this year's Life Chain in Canada include: Most Reverend Thomas C. Collins – Archbishop of Toronto, Most Reverend Terrence Prendergast – Archbishop of Ottawa, Most Reverend Brendan Michael O'Brien – Archbishop of Kingston, Most Reverend Nicola De Angelis, CFIC, DD Bishop of Peterborough Diocese, His Eminence Metropolitan Archbishop Sotirios – Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto, Most Reverend Michael Mulhall – Bishop of Pembroke Diocese, Most Reverend James M. Wingle D.D. – Bishop of St. Catharines Diocese, Bruce Clemenger – Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Rabbi Jack Farber – Congregation Melech Yisrael, Habeeb AlIi – Secretary Islamic Council of Imams Canada, Equipping Christians for the Public Square, National Campus Life Network, Niagara Region Right to Life, Teachers for Life, Toronto Right To Life, and Salt & Light TV.

Campaign Life Coalition's 2009 Life Chain poster is available here.

Too see the Life Chain locations across North America and find the closest one, visit: https://www.lifechain.net

Toronto and area Life Chain locations may be found here.

For more information contact your local pro-life group or in Ontario call Campaign Life Coalition:
Phone: (416) 204-9749 or 1-800-730-5358
Email: [email protected]

See previous LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS JOIN IN LIFE CHAIN DEMONSTRATIONS WORLDWIDE
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/oct/02100805.html