Mission Statement

To pray, fast and peacefully witness for an end to intentional destruction of all innocent human lives, especially those most in need.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

ONLY 70% FILLED WEDNESDAY--AN ABORTION DAY

 DAVID AND GOLIATH

In Steve Karlen's speech at our volunteer organizational meeting - he
likened us to David and Planned Parenthood to Goliath. Due to our
small stature, we cannot take down the giant abortion-minded
organization that is Planned Parenthood in the secular public arena
over which it has control however we can do it somewhat covertly - one
mother and one baby at a time!

Please bring your prayers to the sidewalk this week!

OPEN HOURS

Monday 7/28 - 100% filled; Praise God!

Tuesday, 7/29 - 100% filled; Praise God!

Wednesday, 7/30 - 70% filled on this Abortion Day; 2 needed at 9a; 1
needed at 3p; 1 needed at 4p and 2 needed at 5p.

Thursday, 7/31 - 80% filled; 2 needed at 5p.

Friday, 8/1 - 100% filled; Praise God!

To sign up for hours, go to:
http://vigilforlife.org/calendar/monthview
 or call Gwen Finnegan at (608)393-8545 or e-mail
info@vigilforlife.org.

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VIGIL FOR LIFE - MADISON - 40 DAYS FOR LIFE FALL CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEERS
STILL NEEDED!

It's time to start planning for our fall 2014 40 Days for Life
campaign!

(It runs from Wednesday, September 24, 2014 to Sunday, November 2,
2014.)

Thank you to all who attended our volunteer organizational meeting on
7/24. A special thanks goes to Steve Karlen - North American Outreach
Director for 40 Days for Life. He gave us lots of great tips on what
works and what doesn't work when recruiting new people to join a 40
Days for Life campaign:

What works:

1. Personally invite people you know

2. Be direct in your recruiting (In person communication first, phone
second)

3. Be specific

4. Challenge participants

5. Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up

What doesn't work:

1. Relying on Pastors or parishes to get the word out and to fill
hours

2. Being too vague in recruiting

3. Relying too much on publicity or social media

Thanks, too, to those of you who have already volunteered your time
and talent for the campaign. For those of you who have not been
discerned where your time and talent can best be used - we still have
the following volunteer opportunities available:

1. Volunteer Caller - Personally invite past participants to join this
year's 40 Days for Life.

2. Vigil Captain - Watch the vigil calendar throughout the week
leading up to your chosen one day of the week to ensure that each hour
is covered.

3. Outreach - Personally invite other churches and organizations that
are not currently participating in 40 Days for Life.

4. Emergency Prayer Warrior - Give availability to cover hours either
during the day or night after all other coverage options have been
exhausted.

5. Sleep No More Coordinator - Work with Curt Jacobsen to ensure that
all of the overnight hours (6p-8a) are covered by men.

To sign up for the above positions in support of this fall's 40 Days
for Life campaign - please call Gwen Finnegan at (608)393-8545 or
e-mail her at info@vigilforlife.org.

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LOST AND FOUND

A couple of weeks ago a music book (inspirational hits of the 30's,
40's and 50's) was left on the sidewalk. If you are missing it, please
call Katie Mueller at (608)742-1579.

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ST. LUKE'S RESPECT LIFE PRAYER

(St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church, Palm Harbor, FL)

O Blessed Mother,

Pray for us your children

That we may be strong against the forces of death.

Look down upon the babies not allowed to be born,

On the poor, on the victims of social injustice,

On the elderly and sick killed by the indifference or misguided mercy.

Help us appreciate the miracle of life as a gift from God,

And may we become a PEOPLE OF LIFE!

Amen.

Monday, July 21, 2014

The Holy Spirit intercedes for us

"Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God's will."  Romans 8: 26-27

It is true that there are days on the sidewalk when it is difficult to pray and we feel like "we do not know how to pray as we ought".  It's difficult to see a young woman walk out from Planned Parenthood after having had an abortion (truly one of the saddest scenes to ever witness).  Not only because she looks so, so sad but also because you know that her baby just lost his/her life to abortion.  You don't always know what to say.  So - thanks be to God that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and that Jesus - "the one who searches hearts"  - knows what are the intentions of the Holy Spirit; who is interceding for us when we find it difficult to pray and when we don't know what to say!  

Thank you to the prayer warriors already signed up for this week.  We are still looking for some more!  Don't worry if you're not sure how to pray on the sidewalk this week; the Holy Spirit will intercede for you!

OPEN HOURS

Monday, 7/21 - 100% filled; Praise God!

Tuesday, 7/22 - 94% filled on this Abortion Day; 1 needed at 12p.

Wednesday, 7/23 - 90% filled on this Abortion Day; 1 needed at 8a and 1 needed at 9a.

Thursday, 7/24 - 80% filled; 1 needed at 4p and 1 needed at 5p.

Friday, 7/25 - 50% filled; 2 needed at 1p.

To sign up for hours go to:  vigilforlife.org/calendar/monthview or call Gwen Finnegan at (608)393-8545 or e-mailinfo@vigilforlife.org.

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VIGIL FOR LIFE - MADISON - 40 DAYS FOR LIFE FALL CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEER MEETING

It's time to start planning for our fall 2014 40 Days for Life campaign!   
(It runs from Wednesday, September 24, 2014 to Sunday, November 2, 2014.)

Vigil for Life is pleased to report that since last year's 40 Days for Life prayer vigil, God has blessed us with many graces in changing hearts & minds and in saving lives.  Through our daily peaceful and prayerful presence and with God's grace, we have been able to send many women over to the Women's Care Center where they are given the support needed to choose life for their baby.  We are seeing the fruits of our labor due to sacrifice (giving until it hurts) and God's guiding hand.  OUR PRAYERS ARE BEING ANSWERED! God is working through us to bring an awareness; to open hearts & minds; to change hearts & minds and to save lives !

Come and hear from Steve Karlen - North American Outreach Director for the 40 Days for Life national organization.  Come and see how God can use you to open hearts & minds and to save lives!!

Our 40 Days for Life Fall Campaign Volunteer meeting will be held on Thursday, July 24th at 6:30p.m.at the Bishop O'Connor Center in Madison.
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LOST AND FOUND

A couple of weeks ago a music book (inspirational hits of the 30's, 40's and 50's) was left on the sidewalk.  If you are missing it, please call Katie Mueller at (608)742-1579.
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PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT (from Catholic Online) 

Holy Spirit of light and love, you are the substantial love of the Father and the Son; hear my prayer. Bounteous bestower of most precious gifts, grant me a strong and living faith which makes me accept all revealed truths and shape my conduct in accord with them. Give me a most confident hope in all divine promises which prompts me to abandon myself unreservedly to you and your guidance. Infuse into me a love of perfect goodwill, and act according to God's least desires. Make me love not only my friends but my enemies as well, in imitation of Jesus Christ who through you offered himself on the Cross for all people. Holy Spirit, animate, inspire, and guide me, and help me to be always a true follower of you. Amen. 

Monday, July 14, 2014

Sent by God

"Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
and do not return there
till they have watered the earth
making it fertile and fruitful,..."  Isaiah 55: 10

In yesterday's first reading, Isaiah relays to us how the rain and snow are sent from the heavens (by God) to water the earth so that the earth will become fertile and fruitful.  You, our Vigil for Life Prayer Warriors, can be likened to the rain and the snow (and yes, sent from God) as your prayers, peaceful witness & sidewalk counseling all help to open ears and soften hearts to make them more ready to hear God's word and Gospel of Life. 

Thank you to all who are bringing your prayers to the sidewalk this week.  And - to those who are not yet on the schedule - won't you please bring your prayers to the sidewalk this week?

OPEN HOURS

Monday, 7/14 and Tuesday, 7/15 - 100% filled; Praise God!

Wednesday, 7/16 - 80% filled on this Abortion Day - 1 needed at 9a; 1 needed at 3p; 1 needed at 4p and 1 needed at 5p.

Thursday, 7/17 - 80% filled - 1 needed at 4p and 1 needed at 5p.

Friday, 7/18 - 100% filled - Praise God!

To sign up for hours, please go to: vigilforlife.org/calendar/monthview or call Gwen Finnegan at (608)393-8545 or send an e-mail toinfo@vigilforlife.org.
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VIGIL FOR LIFE SIDEWALK COUNSELOR TRAINING

If you are interested in sidewalk counselor training - mark your calendars for Wednesday, July 16th at 6:30p.m.  Veteran sidewalk counselor and head of the Servants of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Will Goodman, fellow servant, Jen Dunnett and head of Rachel's Vineyard in Madison, Mary Mead - will conduct the training.  It will be held at the Bishop O'Connor Center in Madison.

If you are already a sidewalk counselor and wish to come just to share stories with others, feel free to join with this training group.
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VIGIL FOR LIFE - MADISON - 40 DAYS FOR LIFE FALL CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEER MEETING

It's time to start planning for our fall 2014 40 Days for Life campaign! 

Vigil for Life is pleased to report that since last year's 40 Days for Life prayer vigil, God has blessed us with many graces in changing hearts & minds and in saving lives.  Through our daily peaceful and prayerful presence and with God's grace, we have been able to send many women over to the Women's Care Center where they are given the support needed to choose life for their baby.  We are seeing the fruits of our labor due to sacrifice (giving until it hurts) and God's guiding hand.  OUR PRAYERS ARE BEING ANSWERED! God is working through us to bring an awareness; to open hearts & minds; to change hearts & minds and to save lives !

Come and see how God can use you to open hearts & minds and to save lives!!

Our 40 Days for Life Fall Campaign Volunteer meeting will be held on Thursday, July 24th at 6:30p.m.at the Bishop O'Connor Center in Madison.
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STORIES FROM THE SIDEWALK

Great news! The City of Madison will not be enforcing the buffer zone portion of the city ordinance calling for such (for the time being). They will still, however, enforce the no trespassing and the no blocking the entrance to the facility portion. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! All prayer warriors can relax and go back to not worrying about being in violation of the buffer zone!

Here are links to a couple of articles regarding this decision by the City of Madison:


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54 DAY NOVENA TO CLOSE ABORTION MILLS

This Novena is being led by Fr. Richard Heilman.  Please join us in praying to close abortion mills including Planned Parenthood - Madison.  For more information go to: www.facebook.com/events/499446790186729/

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PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

Our Lady of Guadalupe, we turn to you who are the protectress of unborn children and ask that you intercede for us, so that we may more firmly resolve to join you in protecting all human life. Let our prayers be united to your perpetual motherly intercession on behalf of those whose lives are threatened, be they in the womb of their mother, on the bed of infirmity, or in the latter years of their life. May our prayers also be coupled with peaceful action, which witnesses to the goodness and dignity of all human life, so that our firmness of purpose may give courage to those who are fearful and bring light to those who are blinded by sin. Encourage those who bring prayer and peaceful witness to the sidewalk of Planned Parenthood, Madison; help them to walk closely with God and to give voice to the cry of the oppressed, in order to remind our nation of its commitment to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all people. O Virgin Mother of God, present our petitions to your Son and ask Him to bless us with abundant life. Amen.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.



Monday, July 7, 2014

Give until it hurts

“And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? How do we persuade a woman not to have an abortion? As always, we must persuade her with love and we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts. Jesus gave even His life to love us. So, the mother who is thinking of abortion, should be helped to love, that is, to give until it hurts her plans, or her free time, to respect the life of her child. The father of that child, whoever he is, must also give until it hurts.” - Mother Teresa

Can you bring some love to give to the sidewalk this week?

OPEN HOURS

Monday, 7/7 - 100% filled; Praise God!

Tuesday, 7/8 - Just 63% filled on this Abortion Day; 1 needed at 12p; 2 needed at 1p; 1 needed at 3p and 1 needed at 4p.

Wednesday, 7/9 - Only 60% filled on this Abortion Day; 1 needed at 8a; 1 needed at 9a; 1 needed at 12p; 1 needed at 2p; 2 needed at 3p and 2 needed at 5p.

Thursday, 7/10 - Just 70% filled; 1 needed at 4p and 2 needed at 5p.

Friday, 7/11 - 75% filled; 1 needed at 2p.

To sign up for hours go to: vigilforlife.org/calendar/monthview or call Gwen at (608)393-8545 or e-mail info@vigilforlife.org.
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VIGIL FOR LIFE SIDEWALK COUNSELOR TRAINING

If you are interested in sidewalk counselor training - mark your calendars for Wednesday, July 16th at 6:30p.m.  Veteran sidewalk counselor and head of the Servants of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Will Goodman, fellow servant, Jen Dunnett and head of Rachel's Vineyard in Madison, Mary Mead - will conduct the training.

If you are already a sidewalk counselor and wish to come just to share stories with others, feel free to join with this training group.

The location is still TBA.
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VIGIL FOR LIFE - MADISON - 40 DAYS FOR LIFE FALL CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEER MEETING

It's time to start planning for our fall 2014 40 Days for Life campaign! 

Vigil for Life is pleased to report that since last year's 40 Days for Life prayer vigil, God has blessed us with many graces in changing hearts & minds and in saving lives.  Through our daily peaceful and prayerful presence and with God's grace, we have been able to send many women over to the Women's Care Center where they are given the support needed to choose life for their baby.  One of the best phone calls to get is from those on the sidewalk telling of "turn arounds" and of lives saved.  We are seeing the fruits of our labor due to sacrifice (giving until it hurts) and God's guiding hand.  OUR PRAYERS ARE BEING ANSWERED! God is working through us to bring an awareness; to open hearts & minds; to change hearts & minds and to save lives !

Our 40 Days for Life Fall Campaign Volunteer meeting will be held on Thursday, July 24th at 6:30p.  Location is TBA.
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STORIES FROM THE SIDEWALK

Great news! The City of Madison will not be enforcing the buffer zone portion of the city ordinance calling for such (for the time being). They will still, however, enforce the no trespassing and the no blocking the entrance to the facility portion. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! All prayer warriors can relax and go back to not worrying about being in violation of the buffer zone!

Here are links to a couple of articles regarding this decision by the City of Madison:



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Prayer for the Protection and Promotion of all Life
By: 2hearts network

Loving God, I thank you for the gift of life you gave and continue to give to me and to all of us. Merciful God, I ask your pardon and forgiveness for my own failure and the failure of all people to respect and foster all forms of life in our universe. Gracious God, I pray that with your grace, I and all people will reverence, protect, and promote all life and that we will be especially sensitive to the life of the unborn, the abused, neglected, disabled, and the elderly.  I pray, too, that all who make decisions about life in any form will do so with wisdom, love, and courage.  Living God, I praise and glorify you as Father, Source of all life, as Son, Savior of our lives, and as Spirit, Sanctifier of our lives.
Amen.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Peter's jail break

In today's first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear about
Peter's imprisonment and how an angel of the Lord led him out of
prison thereby saving him from Herod's wrath. However, before this all
happened, "...prayer by the church was fervently being made to God on
his behalf." (Acts 12:5)

This phrase from scripture certainly speaks to the great power of
intercessory prayer.

Please bring your fervent intercessory prayers to the sidewalk this
week.

OPEN HOURS

Monday, 6/30 - 100% filled; Thanks be to God!

Tuesday, 7/1 - 94% filled on this Abortion Day; 1 needed at 4p.

Wednesday, 7/2 - Only 75% filled on this Abortion Day; 1 needed at 2p;
1 needed at 3p; 1 needed at 4p and 2 needed at 5p.

Thursday, 7/3 - 90% filled; 1 needed at 4p.

Friday, 7/4 - Planned Parenthood will be closed this day. Enjoy the
holiday! By the way, their tag line on their website reads, "Care. No
Matter What."

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*YOU ARE INVITED TO: A Prayer Rally for Purity* organized to
spiritually combat the impurity that permeates throughout our society
and our culture. On Tuesday, July 1st during the Hour of Mercy from
3pm to 4pm we are asking people throughout our country to unite in a
Prayer Rally for Purity.

 To Register for this event or for more information visit
-http://reclaimthekingdom.org

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VIGIL FOR LIFE SIDEWALK COUNSELOR TRAINING

If you are interested in sidewalk counselor training - mark your
calendars for Wednesday, July 16th at 6:30p.m. Veteran sidewalk
counselor and head of the Servants of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Will
Goodman, fellow servant, Jen Dunnett and head of Rachel's Vineyard in
Madison, Mary Mead - will conduct the training.

If you are already a sidewalk counselor and wish to come just to share
stories with others, feel free to join with this training group.

The location is still TBA.

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*Prayer for Joyful Fidelity to our Mission*

*by Fr. Frank Pavone, M.E.V.*

Lord God,

We thank you for our salvation in Jesus Christ.

We thank you for the call he gives us –

Not a call to sit in a corner cowering in fear over our enemies,

Mystified about how to overcome the Culture of Death,

Despondent because of our sins,

Or worried about the perceived political strength of our opponents.

Rather, it is a call to stand victorious in the light of the
Resurrection

And to proclaim to the Culture of Death:

“You have been conquered!

You have no place here,

No power to defeat the forces of truth and goodness!”

Yes, Lord, we stand in that light

And we are filled with joy –

Not a superficial joy that rises and falls

With the ebb and flow of circumstances beyond our control,

But with the profound joy

That only you can give

And that nobody can take away.

In the strength of that joy,

May we your people continue to proclaim your truth

And share your grace

Not only within the walls of our Churches,

But in the halls of government,

In the voting booth,

In the media,

And in every inch of the public square.

Lord, in our work for you, may we find you.

In our efforts to change the world, may we ourselves be changed.

In our struggle to build a Culture of Life, may we find life eternal.

We pray through Christ our Lord.

Amen.