Join us in CELEBRATING:
40 Days of Prayerful Vigil at Hillcrest
This Spring, from February 13th to March 24th, we pray for:
- Women and their babies who are in danger of abortion
- Healing of men and women who carry the pain of a past abortion
- Workers at abortion clinics, and local, state and national leaders who misguidedly support abortion.
WHAT: A focused pro-life effort consisting of fervent prayer coupled with fasting and peaceful vigil at an abortion facility, in church, school or home.
See Photos of People Praying during THIS Vigil
Check out this short video about our campaign: baltimore/flash/40DaysBaltimore.wmv
See other videos on our YouTube Channel.
WHEN: Wednesday, February 13th to Sunday, March 24th
Locally, our goal is to have fervent prayer at the site of the Hillcrest "Clinic", seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Hillcrest is one of the longest operating and busiest abortion facilities in the Baltimore area. A non-profit gathering permit is secured for the sidewalk outside Hillcrest.
Abortions are scheduled between 8:30am and 11:30am on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, so we are focusing especially on these days when mothers are going in and out of the clinic.
In addition, we encourage parishes, particularly those located far from Hillcrest, to hold vigils at their local abortion facilities or in their parishes.
HOW: one person can help make a difference
- Sign up through your church or Respect Life Coordinator.
- Sign up to pray online using the vigil calendar. Please note that times in green have at least 2 sign ups; times in red have no sign ups; times in yellow have just one; and times in orange have a committed group. The priority is to fill the red and yellow times on T, Th, F, and Sat. However, please feel free to sign up ANYTIME! The more pray-ers, the better!
- Sign up to be a substitute
- Request someone to come and speak to your church or prayer group
- Ask your pastor to include a prayer in support of this effort at all your services.
- Put reminders in the bulletin each week of the campaign.
For help in recruiting in your church or community, check out this How-To Guide.
WHO: You!
We need individuals to commit to pray outside Hillcrest's parking lot on the public sidewalk during any open hours by signing up to pray for one hour on a weekly basis, or even on a one time basis.
New to this powerful prayerful ministry? You are not alone. At least 1/3 of prayer vigil volunteers for 40 Days for Life have never prayed outside an abortion facility before. Please Let us Know if you would like to be paired with a seasoned vigil participant.
95% of Vigil participants surveyed report that they personally grew spiritually as a result of their involvement: "I didn't think I could pray in front of an abortion facility. Now I feel that I must."
WHERE: Hillcrest Clinic
5602 Baltimore National Pike, Catonsville, MD
Hillcrest is on the 6th floor of the Suburbia Building, a seven story building at the intersection of Route 40 and Johnnycake Rd. Please park in the overflow lot behind Burger King. For more information on where to park and where to pray, please see this map.
WHY: Because YOU can help save lives... and souls...
Why is 40 Days for Life succeeding where other efforts have failed? There is a reason that we are embarking on the largest, and most successful ever, nationally coordinated 40 Days for Life campaign in the US. Because every aspect of this prayer, fasting, and vigil effort begins and ends with God. We seek to do His Will in all situations, and most especially in knowing how to respond to the bloodshed in our midst. Abortions are not performed in the White House, or the Supreme Court, or Congress. They are taking place in our communities, and -- with God's help -- we will end the holocaust in our own neighborhoods.
Resources
Click here for an overview of logistics at Hillcrest, or watch this short (6 minutes) logistics video (location of vigil materials e.g. prayer cards, rosaries), what to do if approached, etc). If a last minute conflict comes up, you can find a substitute by contacting someone on our substitute list.
Please only use 40 Days for Life signs, if ANY. If you feel you must bring your own signs, please be sure they are very mildly worded, e.g. that they offer help or resources. This is supposed to be a prayerful event, in the spirit of the Mother of Jesus and John at the Cross, not a protest. (See "Good vs. Bad Signs" for examples). Remember always that we are trying to soften women's hearts to be open to God's Grace as we pray for them to turn away from the tragic, irreversible decision to abort their babies. All participants must agree to abide by 40 Days for Life's "prayerful presence" guidelines as outlined in the Statement of Peace.
Attention Respect Life Coordinators: Have your parish fill an "adopted day" or sign up directly on the vigil calendar. For an individualized Facility Vigil Sign Up (for your group or parish) please email johanna.coughlin@archbalt.org.
Please contact Johanna Coughlin at johanna.coughlin@archbalt.org or (410) 707-9842 to report your church/group's activities and date/hours of vigil.
Private Prayer Sign Up
Click here to learn more about the national 40 Days for Life campaign.
Pledge Reminder Cards (Front & Back) to print 2-sided and cut up.
Children's Prayer Cards
Other 40 Days For Life Locations
Severna Park: (GyneCare CLOSED after three 40 Days for Life campaigns!!)
Whole Woman's Health, 7648 Belair Rd., Baltimore. Please stand on the sidewalk in front of the parking lot.
American Women's Services, 801 Tollhouse Ave, Frederick. www.40daysforlife.com/frederick
Hagerstown Reproductive Services, 160 West Washington Street, Suite 100, Hagerstown. The vigil is held Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 9am to 2pm (the hours the abortionist keeps). For more information, contact Janel Neet, (240) 420-0440.
Planned Parenthood, 929 West St., Annapolis. www.40daysforlife.com/annapolis
CONTACT US: To learn more, sign up for specific vigil hours, or to let us know how you feel called to serve God in this effort, please contact a member of your local 40 Days for Life leadership team, or:
Johanna Coughlin - 410-707-9842, johanna.coughlin@archbalt.org
Linda Brenegan - 410-547-5537, Life@archbalt.org campaign. History will show that this unprecedented initiative -- uniting people of faith and conscience in an intensive, focused prayerful vigil -- marked the beginning of the end of abortion.
Our local Baltimore community has joined more than 300 U.S. cities (and a half dozen other countries) for the largest pro-life mobilization in history -- the 40 Days for Life rayer vigil.
