Brian Jenkins

Dear Friends, of Life,

I have some exciting news.

This past Wednesday, September 24, 2014, we began our twice annual 40 Days for Life prayer vigil for the end of abortion, the other occurring in the springtime.

From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., we meet to pray across the street from the Morgentaler abortion mill on Saint Joseph Blvd., encouraging young families to keep rather than destroy the young life that God has blessed them with. (Considering that one in five Canadian couples is infertile, becoming pregnant is indeed a blessing.)

Please pray and fast for the stalwart ones who are manning this prayerful and peaceful outpost.

Though beginning on the 24th, this vigil was inaugurated the previous Sunday. On September 21, we met at Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius church to kick-off this our twelfth vigil –twice a year since the spring of 2009. This evening was characterized by hymns and adoration, beseeching Our Lord to help end this slaughter.

In addition, the program included an invited speaker – Mr. Steve Karlen, Outreach Director for North America of the 40 Days for Life organization, the international agency coordinating the over 279 vigils occurring simultaneously worldwide this fall.

Having travelled from his home in Madison, Wisconsin, via Ottawa, Steve shared his journey from a slumbering pro-life believer to ardent advocate, criss-crossing Canada and the U.S., encouraging groups for the cause of life. Steve is married to Laura and they are raising two children.

On this evening, Steve shared about the precarious battle for life raging in our midst. He and his wife have witnessed firsthand how vulnerable women can be pressured to abort their child, how men also can be wounded by a woman’s decision to abort a child, and how communities that come together can thwart the plans of large institutions planning to open late-term abortion facilities.

(Pictured is Mr. Steven Karlen, on the right, receiving a hooded fleece sweatshirt with the 40 Days for Life logo in French at the end of his presentation from your author.)

His first example sounded eerily familiar. I met Sandra (alias) during the spring vigil. She came to the Morgentaler mill to abort her child but had a change of heart, crossed the street to speak with us, and has welcomed our supportive presence ever since.

As in Steve’s example, Sandra faced pressures to abort. The child’s father, her ex-boyfriend and father of her son, her mother and her grand-mother, and even her social worker have all at one time or another and in varying degrees coerced her to abort. In fact, two of us have even been present when these cajoled, shamed, begged, and threatened her to commit this crime!

Fortunately, differing from Steve’s example, Sandra has withstood the pressures and is set to deliver on October 19, a girl. Please keep her in your prayers over these final weeks.

In summary, we are very grateful for the support you have given us and are giving. In turn we can hold such event as the 40 Days for Life prayer vigils, bringing not only the culture of life message to the streets of Montreal and Quebec, something our government and media fail to do, but also occasionally helping persons like Sandra in their decision to choose life.

Thank you for making the Quebec Life Coalition possible to exist in our society, through your prayers and financial support.

Yours in Christ Jesus,

Brian Jenkins

Outreach Coordinator, Quebec Life Coalition

p.s. Sunday, October 5, 2014, was a busy day at the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil site as upwards of 50 people and many families came out. Have you thought of passing by to say “Hi”? The vigil runs through to Sunday, November 2, 2014.