An interesting letter from a local pastor
Posted on October 15, 2009
I want to share something that came about this past weekend that tells us how far we have to go. One of our wonderful teens came up to me after Mass and asked "my friends and I can’t understand why those people picket in front of Planned Parenthood when all that is done there is to prevent pregnancy before it happens with condoms and the pill and other stuff" nearly a literal quote. "I asked my mom, and she didn’t know either."
I thanked her for her 'great question' and then proceeded to describe what goes on in the abortion clinic and the number of women that come to me afterwards full of remorse for taking a life. She thanked me and said she was going to tell her friends and would pray about it. The young lady graduated from a Catholic elementary school. Her mother is a graduate of a Catholic high school.
This great young lady represents many of our Catholics, not only youth, but their parents and other adults. I am so grateful for the many members of Respect Life in your continued efforts to help people understand the ramifications of a national and global attitude of 'all things disposable'.
Please feel free to share this story and to encourage people to know that we must do more not only with prayer but EDUCATION. I'm sharing this with a few people who influence youth greatly and to encourage them to continue to see the importance of value formation in Christ.
Keep up the witness!
So here is another challenge for us to EDUCATE the public and those around us by what we say and what we do about the dignity of life.
-- Howard Haupt
Date Change for Half Way Vigil
Posted on October 12, 2009
Just a quick update. The date for the half-way vigil has been changed to Wednesday, October 14th at 7:00 PM.
In front of Planned Parenthood
1735 Jefferson St.
Napa, CA 94558
Letters from Vigil Volunteers
Posted on October 9, 2009
My dear Ron I have just returned from spending two hours at the Planned Parenthood in Napa. It was such a blessing. The response was overwhelmingly positive and I made some new friends with whom I prayed. It is so good to observe that despite the few hecklers who hurl obscenities there are others who are not afraid to show their support. Many people honked and waved and gave us the thumbs up as they drove by. I was especially impressed by the public workers obviously on duty who weren't ashamed to show their support. We had a bus driver honk and wave, a police officer wave from her patrol car and firefighters smile and give us a thumbs up from their fire truck. I wish I could spend more time with you but I live and work in San Francisco. I do want you to know even when I'm am not with you in person I will be with you in prayer.
-- Vanessa
Liturgy of the Hours
Posted on October 1, 2009
Just a quick entry to let everyone know that on Friday evening's throughout the 40 Days Campaign we will have "Liturgy of the Hours" led by Stan and Sue Thompson-Short. Please join us in praying the universal prayer of the church.
Liturgy of the Hours
Every Friday evening in October @ 8:00 PM
In front of Planned Parenthood
1735 Jefferson St.
Napa, CA 94558
Also, the weekly candle light vigil has been moved to Sunday evening at 7:00 PM. Since there are a lot of school activities for high school students they have asked if the candle light vigil could be moved to another night and Sunday was selected. These are a group that always impress me. They are the young adults who will renew the world with their educational, moral, civic, and spiritual values.
Little Things that Mean the Most
Posted on September 24, 2009
a reflection by Jennie Kersting in Napa
Sometimes it's the little things that mean the most. I was driving home from 40 Days in front of Planned Parenthood, and I was thanking God that the timing of my dropping off my husband to pray for an hour had allowed me to hold open the parking spot used by our home base vehicle, while Ron drove it around the block to repark in the same spot, thus avoiding overparking in a newly established 2 hour parking zone. I had seen one Planned Parenthood escort on her cell phone watching us, and then a second escort had driven her car up, no doubt hoping to take the vacant spot. Too bad -- I was there. God provides! And I was praising Him as a drove home, when I had to stop at a red light. The fellow in the car next to me to my right was playing rap music. I pulled up a little more, as I often do, so that my Mother Teresa bumper sticker on my driver's door was more likely to be visible. A moment later he rolled down his window to call to me, "That's quite a profound bumper sticker you have on your car." I nodded in agreement and said, "That's Mother Teresa." He said, "I never thought about it that way before," to which I answered, "She's a profound lady." The bumper sticker was one I had bought at the last Walk for Life West Coast, and reads: It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.
-- Jennie
Letter from a Young Mother
Posted on September 8, 2009
The following letter was handed to a volunteer at our sister 40 Days for Life team in Fairfield, CA. YOU are making a difference and this young mother is grateful for your prayers and dedication.
Hi, I am 10 weeks pregnant. I want to thank you for taking time out of your day to do what you do. It’s because of you I am understanding I have other options. I work down the street {from planned parenthood], and everyday I want to run down and get an abortion, because I am pregnant by a man who wants me to have one. I am already a single mother, so I know I can do it again, but when I see you in the morning on my way into work, it helps me understand I am doing the right thing.
I know you may have days when you think you have not touched someone’s life, but you have given me hope.
Thank you for taking a stand in a peaceful way.
Kick Off Rally & Candlelight Vigil
Posted on September 4, 2009
It's down to the wire and the Fall 40 Days for Life Campaign is less than 3 weeks away. For those of you who have not yet heard we will be having a Kick Off Rally & Candlelight Vigil (information below), and we will joined by the heroic pro-life cleric from Oakland - Rev. Walter Hoye. The candlelight procession will start at 9:00 pm, walk to Planned Parenthood, then back to St. John's Hall.
Kick Off Rally & Candlelight Vigil
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
St. John's Hall
960 Napa St.
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
The Following morning, Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 10:00 am we will have our Opening Ceremony. Come and join us for the prayerful opening of our 40 Days for Life Fall Campaign.
Opening Ceremony
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
In front of Planned Parenthood
1735 Jefferson St.
Napa, CA 94558
10:00 am
Click Here to download the flyer for both the Kick Off Rally and the Opening Ceremony.
Napa 2009 Fall 40 Days for Life Campaign
Posted on August 18, 2009
This Fall, from September 23 - November 1, 2009, our community will be uniting with other cities across North America and around the world for another massive coordinated pro-life mobilization - the 40 Days for Life campaign. People of faith are praying that, with God's help, this effort will help bring an end to the tragedy of abortion.
40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign that has generated measurable lifesaving results in more than 200 cities where it has been implemented. Some locations have reported as much as a 28% drop in local abortion numbers and hundreds of new people getting involved in local lifesaving ministry efforts. The 40 Days for Life campaign is made up of three key components:
Prayer and Fasting: inviting people of faith throughout our city to join together for 40 days, beginning September 23 through November 1, 2009, for an end to abortion.
Peaceful Vigil: standing for life through a 40-day peaceful public witness outside the local Planned Parenthood facility at 1735 Jefferson St, Napa.
Community Outreach: taking a positive, upbeat pro-life message to every corner of our city through media efforts, church presentations, petition drives, and public visibility.
National information is available at: www.40daysforlife.com.
Click here to sign up on the Vigil Calendar
Click here for a map of the location of the Napa Vigil.
