By Deborah Gyapong
Canadian Catholic News

AS 40 Days for Life campaigns across Canada drew to a close November 1, representatives in Winnipeg reported that as many as 15 babies' lives may have been saved.

"It was a substantial struggle along the way, but we are happy that our sacrifices contributed to 15 women changing their mind about abortion," said Winnipeg coordinator Sherry Matteotti in an interview.

The information comes from a "credible source," she said.

Winnipeg's participation also grew substantially, up to about 250 people. "We were very excited to welcome about 100 people on board."

One of the highlights for the Winnipeg campaign, said Matteotti, was drawing a group of demonstrators from two universities. "Our folks came out in force," she said. "We were able to enter into some fruitful dialog with them and approach them in a peaceful attitude and share our position in a peaceful and friendly manner."

The 40 Days for Life organizers across Canada are assessing the results and pondering their next moves. Reports from across the country showed mixed results for the vigils that bring people to pray and fast outside abortion facilities. From September 23 to November 1, Canadians spanning five provinces participated in Halifax, Fredericton, Montreal, Ottawa, two locations in Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo and Winnipeg.

The best news came from Kitchener-Waterloo, which held its first campaign this year. "It went fabulously well," said coordinator Denise Cummins. She said 800 people participated from 15 churches or ministry organizations. They are already planning for next fall with a goal of getting 40 churches to participate, one for each day of the vigil, she said.

The worst news came from Ottawa. There, on October 22, a young man holding vigil in the wee hours was punched twice in the face after two young men and two young women began tearing at pro-lifers' signs and yelling at them.

"I knew that taking a violent approach was not going to go very well," said Chris Hannon, 23. "If I'd fought back after he punched me the first time, it would just encourage him more."

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Hannon added: "I was a little surprised when he punched me the second time. Why do you keep punching a person who is not fighting back?" But he was back on the street holding vigil the next night, even though the first punch had dislocated a front tooth.

Ottawa ran its third campaign, closing with a rally outside the Morgentaler abortion clinic that attracted about 200 people. While there was some trouble filling slots, a small group of sidewalk counselors plan to continue holding vigils for the rest of the year at least once a week. They have established a chapter of Helpers of God's Precious Infants, a ministry started in Brooklyn, New York in 1989 that couples sidewalk counseling with prayer.

"It's important that we continue," said Helpers organizer Doris Gagnon, who has established a website at HelpersOttawa.org and participated as a sidewalk counsellor during 40 Days for Life. "Pro-life needs to become a way of life; 40 days is good -- but its not enough."

She said she has met people who said after participating in 40 Days vigils, who have said, "I've never been involved in the pro-life movement before and now I can't stop."

She said many people who were not involved in pro-life ministries have found their place: "It's something we're all called to do, to be a prayerful witness to bring the presence of Christ to a lost world."

Further east, it was harder to keep the vigils together.

"It was a real struggle to get through to the end," said Halifax coordinator Julie Culshaw, who wondered whether the child pornography charges against Bishop Raymond Lahey put a damper on the vigil outside Victoria General Hospital there. "Some of the Catholic priests were very afraid to come out in public," she said.

Montreal succeeded in filling every day's 12-hour schedule, said coordinator Georges Buscemi. But participation was limited to a core group of about 20 people. The closing ceremony drew about 50 people, and up to 70 people may have come to the vigil location at least once, he said.

"A lot of volunteers over-extended themselves five days a week for three hours a day," he said. They have not ruled out doing another campaign, however. He noted the 40 Days campaigns need to have a longer period of outreach to the various churches than the three weeks lead up to the fall campaign. "People have to hear it a lot of times before it sinks in."

The Kitchener-Waterloo outreach to churches began the previous spring, he said.

-- Courtesy of Canadian Catholic News. Please do not reprint without permission

November 12/2009