40 Days for Life to kick off next campaign

A Catholic musical sensation will be headlining a pro-life event in Vancouver.

A pro-life banner displayed promoting group prayer to convert hearts and end abortion. Photo taken from the 40 Days for Life Vancouver Facebook page.

The spring campaign for 40 Days For Life will start with a kick-off Mass and rally March 4. Set for the eve of the next six-week-long vigil, the group is inviting supporters to Precious Blood Parish to celebrate Mass and then listen to musical guest speaker Kathleen Dunn.

We are “definitely looking forward to bigger participation numbers (this year),” says campaign director, Carmela Cruz. The campaign expects more young people to become involved as 40 Days “open[s] up another outlet for them to participate” in the pro-life movement.

With the Lenten season also coming up, 40 Days predicts that more youth will become involved as part of their Lenten preparation. Cruz notes that “being pro-life is almost taboo” and nowadays it is especially “hard to fight for (abortion) in our society.”

Guest speaking and performing at the rally will be Catholic musician, Kathleen Dunn. She is a successful singer-songwriter from Ancaster, Ontario who uses her music to share the love she receives from Christ.

“She (Dunn) personally asked us how she can get her youth group involved,” recalls Cruz. She’s “young, Catholic and actively pro-life. That’s inspiring enough.”

Kathleen Dunn will be sharing about her work and experiences with pro-life movements, such as 40 Days For Life and the National Campus Life Network (NCLN). The NCLN is a national organization dedicated to supporting and building up pro-life leaders in post-secondary institutions across Canada. The NCLN seeks to form and assist pro-life groups through education, networking, and support.

With a core team of nine hardworking individuals, “it’s really a team effort for the rally,” says Catherine Ching, vigil coordinator for 40 Days For Life.

This kick off event is important to supporters of the pro-life movement because it reminds us, “that there are more people willing to fight for life with us and to join us together as one”, comments Cruz. It “helps not only get the ball rolling, but it’s to help inspire one another” to keep praying for the end of abortion.

40 Days for Life Vancouver is part of the international Pro-Life Campaign to End Abortion. According to their website, 40 Days uses prayer, fasting, and community outreach in hopes to “seek God’s favour to turn hearts and minds from a culture of life to a culture of life, thus bringing an end to abortion.”

The kick-off event will consist of mass, celebrated with Fr. Anthony Ho at 6:30 p.m. at Precious Blood Parish in Surrey at 17475 59 Avenue. Even prayers will follow the Mass and then a reception with entertainment at 7:15 p.m.

The campaign will run from March 5 until April 13. For more information on how to participate in the prayer vigils both on-site and off-site, sign up for a time slot at 40daysforlifevancouver.blogspot.ca, and for more information on Kathleen Dunn, visit kathleendunn.ca.