The next 40 Days for Life campaign will be held Feb. 18 to March 29. The effort is held twice a year — in the fall and during Lent. It calls for peaceful prayer vigil, fasting and community outreach to bring an end to abortion.
The prayerful part of the campaign is carried out by volunteers who gather on the sidewalk outside the EMW Women’s Surgical Center in downtown Louisville. They pray in hour-long shifts 24 hours a day throughout the 40-day campaign.
In years past, some Catholic parishes have participated by coordinating groups to take shifts. During the day shift, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., organizers hope to have at least two people present and during the nighttime shift, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., organizers hope two to three men would gather to pray.
Last fall, 700 volunteers participated in the campaign and gave more than 960 hours of service, according to a news release from 40 Days for Life.
The release noted that participants are asked to ensure their prayer vigil is peaceful and to behave in a Christ-like way at all times.
“We pray that these efforts will help mark the beginning of the end of abortion in Louisville,” said Laura Grijalba, one of the organizers, in the release.
To sign up for prayer shifts, visit www.40daysforlife.com/louisville or call Grijalba at 384-4884.
