Huddle Up!
It is that time of year when the air is getting chilly, the days are getting shorter and we are in need of some pro-life warmth! When the world seems dark and cold, there is no better way to warm up your heart and your soul by gathering together with some of the best people in the world…your pro-life brothers and sisters!
This coming week there are a plentitude of pro-life activities that you can choose to join!
This Sunday, October 15th, join us at the PCUC Celebrate Life Luncheon! Tickets are still available until Thursday! See below for more details:
On Monday, Oct. 16th, join thousands of your pro-life friends in Harrisburg for the Pennsylvania March for Life! I hope to see you there!
And on Tuesday, October 17th…help us to celebrate the MID-POINT of our fall campaign by joining us as we welcome national 40 Days for Life team member, Heather Gartner as she visits our Pittsburgh Vigil!
I look forward to seeing you at some of these wonderful events! God bless you and enjoy today’s shift reports and photos from day 15!
-Nikki
Stories from the Sidewalk
When we arrived there were some homeless people in the doorways of the bar. One nice young man (with mental challenges) asked about our signs, etc. He agreed that babies should not be killed and wanted to go in and tell them so, even kick their *****. We told him no, that would not help and just get him into trouble. Fortunately, his friend took him away to get coffee. He meant well.
There were 3-4 couples and a few individuals that went in, all sadly refusing offers of help. One car drove by with passenger yelling that we should be out helping people. Little did they know that’s what we do.
Anthony led the rosary for Peg, Mary, and me.
Cathy
Another sad morning in front of the saddest place in Downtown Pittsburgh. Mothers went in to be made heartbroken mothers of dead children, and I failed utterly to engage any of them in conversation about how we can help. The only encouraging signs were fellow 40Days folks & some passersby. Conrad & Susan shared the shift with me, both building their arm muscles by holding signs aloft in Liberty Avenue (just outside the Bubble Zone) for the entire time. Conrad’s sign was the lovely replica of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the hidden, unborn Lord of Guadalupe. May They triumph yet again over human sacrifice!! Susan’s sign is a beautiful photo of a baby just 6 weeks after conception. Once somebody sees that, he or she can’t un-see it. Bill H. stopped by to encourage us. Please keep him in your prayers, as he is grieving the loss of his infant granddaughter and having a health worry. Laura stopped by, but unfortunately she is back in her wheelchair; maybe she had been pushing herself too fast. A man stopped by for a few minutes to debate me a bit. Since he clearly has kindness in his heart, there is reason to hope that he may come to see that human beings in the womb shouldn’t be robbed of their entire futures. He would make a great defender of the babies and helper to their moms and dads! Katie, Terri, Priscilla, and Joyce showed up for the next shift. The nice gentleman from Saint Anne’s came to hold the Guadalupe image, and a lovely group from St. Bernard’s in Indiana County gathered to pray the Rosary for the poor moms and babies in imminent danger.
Elsie
The group from St. Bernard of Clairvaux in Indiana
Katie and Terri
Priscilla and Joyce
Katie and I were joined by parishioners from St. Bernard of Clairvaux in Indiana. It was nice to hear songs and prayers from a booklet that Father Tim Kruthaupt used with many of us during his many trips to Liberty Avenue. We were also joined by two faithful prayer buddies, Joyce and Priscilla. Not many passersby were interested in taking information, but there were few negative comments. It didn’t seem like there were as many clients today as in the past. I spoke for a while to a young woman who questioned me as to what I know about abortion. I had a beautiful exchange with her, and she took a card before she went on her way. We also had a conversation with a young woman on the street who is schizophrenic. It was obvious that she has many struggles. She told us that she had two children, and they were both adopted. She said that she knew that she couldn’t take care of them but would not have considered aborting them. I am sometimes humbled by those whom I encounter on the street.
Terri
Shift Buddy, Elaine, with Kevin
Robert, Irene, Cheyenne, Dennis, Josh, and Lisa, all from Indiana, PA.
When I arrived for my shift, a wonderful group of prayer warriors from Indiana, PA, all wearing signs, were praying the Stations of the Cross and singing hymns. They began praying and singing at the start of the previous shift and stayed halfway through my shift. Praying multiple Sorrowful Mysteries, Divine Mercy Chaplets, and the Loreto Litanies were my Shift Buddy, Elaine (Lady of Perpetual Help), Phil (St. Aidan Parish), and Kevin (Regina Coeli Parish.) Sidewalk Advocates Katie and Judy were vigilant in offering potentially, life-saving information to women passersby.
Chris
Larry, Eileen, and Steve. Steve did wear a sign, but took it off to clean up the handouts.
Mostly quiet today, one young lady gave us a hallelujah, and a few passersby blessed themselves when passing PP. Another woman kicked the case onto Liberty Avenue and we had to pick up all the handouts before they blew away. She then tried to tear the wrap around the sign from the traffic controller. We did get in a Chaplet and Rosary.
Larry