By Jenna Murphy
TORONTO, ON, October 15, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Tonight (Thursday, Oct. 15), participants in the Toronto 40 Days for Life campaign are invited to take part in the campaign's mid-point Mass at Blessed Sacrament Church in Toronto. The Mass, which will take place at 7:30 PM, will be celebrated by Toronto Auxiliary Bishop Peter J. Hundt.
With nearly half of the 40 Days for Life Campaign behind them, Toronto vigilers have been reflecting on the fruit that has been borne since 40 Days For Life made its debut in Toronto.
“I see a real maturity and wisdom among the participants this time around,” says Toronto 40 Days For Life Organizer Nicole Campbell. “Those who show up are focused and serene. They know exactly what is being accomplished with their prayers and they know that the difference they're making is the difference between life and death.”
Campbell mentioned that Saturdays are especially moving at the “Women's Care Clinic” at Dufferin and Lawrence (one of the two Toronto vigil sites, the other being the Cabbagetown Women's Clinic in the East end).
“Saturdays are usually big days for sidewalk counselors,” Nicole said. “There are usually anywhere from 15-20 people praying on the sidewalk at any given time on Saturday morning and because of this, the sidewalk counseling is especially powerful.”
Campbell explained how this past Saturday, a young woman with a toddler was making her way into the “Women's Care Clinic” with her boyfriend. When asked by one of the sidewalk counselors if she was going in for an abortion, the young woman broke down, explaining that she really didn't want to “murder her child” but she felt like it was her only option. After a long conversation and many tears all around, the young girl and her blossoming family got back into the car and, after exchanging information and promising to keep in touch, the young woman is now getting the help she needs.
This story highlights just one of the over 200 “turn-arounds” across North America from the first half of this campaign alone.
“One thing that I habitually tell the young women is that all of us are here because we care and we want them to avoid the pain of loss. Many of them are so used to conditional love that the support they experience on-site is earth-shattering for them,” said Campbell.
Along with Toronto's two vigils, six other Canadian cities are partaking in the 40 Days for Life; these cities include Ottawa, Winnipeg, Fredericton, Montreal, Halifax and Kitchener.
Ottawa held its midpoint celebration on October 13th where over 100 people processed from the vigil site downtown to St. Patrick's Basilica to join 200 others for a Mass celebrated by His Grace Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, Archbishop of Ottawa.
Kitchener will hold their midpoint rally on the evening of October 14th with a keynote address from Auxilary Bishop Gerard Bergie and a talk given by Gloria Lawrenson of Silent No More.