Will you also leave Me?

Abandoned!

That word has been in the forefront of my mind lately, especially every Thursday morning as I watch couples entering Planned Parenthood to terminate the life of the child they carry safely within them.

This idea of abandonment…it is something we all fear. We all need to be loved by someone…especially when we are weak and vulnerable. To be abandoned in that state is the worst thing that can happen to any of us. I keep thinking of the little baby boy who was left to die in California last month, after his homosexual “parents” (two men), decided they didn’t want him anymore and legally forced his surrogate “mother” to abort him, very late into her pregnancy. That little boy was totally abandoned. He wasn’t given any medical care as he was abruptly forced out of the warm safety of the womb into a bright, harsh and cold world, where he struggled to breathe until he died.

What a world we live in now! When human beings are no longer worth anything unless they are “wanted” by someone more powerful than they are. Might makes right in this new age. If you are weak, or sick, or imperfect…or maybe just depressed…you can be done away with.

Our prayerful witness in front of Planned Parenthood is the only thing standing in the way of this world’s mindset right now. Of course all the wonderful pro-life ministries are absolutely necessary, to help women choose life and to assist them in that choice! But 40 Days for Life addresses the issue right at it’s heart. We stand (or kneel) and pray at the killing centers because every human being…and especially the weak and vulnerable ones…have the same dignity and worth as we do…and they deserve to be recognized, defended and prayed for!

40 Days for Life begins next week. We have had some cancellations at the vigil and have many times that need filled. Our vigil is from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm EVERY DAY from Wednesday, September 27th through November 5th. I hope you will not abandon these little ones who have already been abandoned by those who should have loved and protected them. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!

Jesus was abandoned in His most desperate hour. We weren’t alive at that time in order to remain with Him and comfort Him…but we ARE alive at THIS time in order to remain with those being led to the slaughter at Planned Parenthood! Come and pray for them. Pray for their parents to change their minds. There is always hope. In fact, just this past week we had four “hopeful” turn-aways. It happens, when people are praying outside. People do change their minds. Even when we don’t know it. It is important. In fact, it is so important that local anarchists are targeting us.

40 Days for Life Pittsburgh is being targeted by local Anarchists

The local anarchist group, “Abortion Forever”, is targeting 40 Days for Life in Pittsburgh. They are planning to be in front of Epiphany Church to disrupt our kick-off Mass & Eucharistic Procession to PP on Tuesday, Sept. 26th. Here is their flyer, posted on Twitter:

They have also created a manual to instruct their group how to counter our 40 day prayer vigil at Planned Parenthood. They posted a photo of it, but not the content:

Be Peaceful & Prayerful…do not engage with those who are targeting us!

I share this just to make everyone aware, not to scare anyone. I am actually encouraged that they feel so threatened by our peaceful prayers that they are going to all this trouble to oppose us! If they were ignoring us, I would be inclined to think that maybe our prayers weren’t making a difference.

So, be encouraged and come join us…both at the Jericho March around Planned Parenthood this Sunday, and at the kick-off Mass & Eucharistic Procession next Tuesday, and on the sidewalk during the 40 days (Click for more info)! Be aware however, that these people are trained to try to antagonize and goad us…hoping that we will react in anger or engage them in argument. Please do not fall for their strategy! Remain quiet and prayerful, do not engage them. Call 911 if you ever feel threatened. Pittsburgh Police will be there to keep everyone safe at the church and on the procession, and our security guard should be there to keep us safe during the 40 days on the sidewalk. Trust our Lord and be encouraged!

Although we should never engage in discussion with them, we should pray for them. They are God’s lost sons and daughters, just as we once were. For instance, after the first kick-off event that I ever led, in the fall of 2010, a group of anarchists (dressed all in black, with their faces and heads covered), showed up outside of my home late in the evening. They were there to intimidate me, and were chanting my name while banging on pots and pans. Luckily, I was too stupid and naive to be scared, and they quickly disbanded and left…but years after this happened, I was contacted out of the blue by one of the former “anarchists” who had taken part in this protest at my home. She had since converted to Christ and had this one thing on her conscience that she wanted to ask forgiveness for! She and I even met for coffee and she shared her story, and then shared it at our 40 Days for Life closing event. She has since married and has children. It is a beautiful story, and a reminder that we should always pray for the conversion and salvation of those who are opposed to us.

Help fill the vigil schedule!

In conclusion, I will just say that I don’t know how we can expect God to end abortion if we aren’t even able to find three people per hour, for 40 days, to pray and witness in front of the center that kills over 3,000 little ones each year here in Pittsburgh! God really doesn’t ask for much. Can we give Him this? There are many hours when we have only two people scheduled, and even some hours where there are only one person and two hours where there is no one. To see the schedule as it stands now, go CLICK HERE for the first 20 days, and CLICK HERE for the second half of the campaign.

If you need a reminder of how important it is to be a defender of these precious little ones, watch “I am Alive”, by Susanna Lynn HERE. (A short music video).