40 Days for Life prayer vigil expanding again in Arkansas

Daily prayers will be said in Fayetteville, Little Rock, Jonesboro

Published: September 27, 2008

By Patricia May
Fayetteville Correspondent

Patricia May, Arkansas Catholic file photo

Katy and Debbie Magee (from left), Taylor Neff, Britanee Russell and Kiley Magee demonstrate across from the abortion clinic in Fayetteville Feb. 9 during a lenten 40 Days for Life project.

Patricia May, Arkansas Catholic file photo

Katy and Debbie Magee (from left), Taylor Neff, Britanee Russell and Kiley Magee demonstrate across from the abortion clinic in Fayetteville Feb. 9 during a lenten 40 Days for Life project.

FAYETTEVILLE -- 40 Days for Life, a national pro-life campaign that held daily prayer vigils in 59 cities last spring, is back with a fall campaign, and Fayetteville is once again on the growing list of locations. Prayer vigils began Sept. 24 and will continue daily through Nov. 2.

Added to the list of prayer vigils this time are Little Rock and Jonesboro.

"It was a Holy Spirit moment," Marti Haslauer said of the reason why she got involved in Little Rock only three weeks ago. "(When reading the 40 Days for Life e-mail), I had tears in my eyes and I asked, 'Why aren't we doing it in Little Rock?' It is where the largest number of abortions occurs (in the state)."

Haslauer decided to call Denise Shewmake, a parishioner from Christ the King Church in Little Rock, to get her input on the idea.

"By the time I got off the phone, we were the co-coordinators."

Haslauer, who is the respect life contact person at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Little Rock with her husband Jon, said 40 days of prayer will occur from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. outside the Family Planning Services abortion clinic at 4 Office Park Drive off of Financial Centre Parkway in west Little Rock.

Some times, a priest or layperson will lead the rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet, Haslauer said. Coordinators from central Arkansas parishes are asked to take one day during the vigil and find people to pray at the clinic for 12 hours.

Nationally, 40 Days for Life encourages prayer vigils to be held 24 hours a day.

"It's 960 hours straight in praying," Haslauer said, but she didn't know if pro-life supporters were ready to commit to that.

Debbie Magee, a parishioner at St. Joseph Church in Tontitown and co-chairwoman of the northwest Arkansas campaign, said the spring vigil was so successful nationally that organizers decided to expand the program to include a fall event.

"It's turned into a big deal," with local groups now in more than 177 cities in 45 states and with endorsements from various pro-life leaders as well as the Priests for Life and Silent No More groups, Magee said. But, "at the ninth hour, no one had signed up for (Fayetteville) and a friend of mine said, 'We just can't let this go.'" Magee said. "So we signed up for it, and we're trying to pull it together."

Her friend is Barbara Durkee, a parishioner at St. Benedict Church in Subiaco.

"I just could not see this (fall event) not happening (in Fayetteville)," Durkee said in a telephone interview. "I've just got to continue (the pro-life fight). It's something deep in me."

As they did last spring, participants will hold daily vigils on College Avenue, across the street from The Women's Clinic, where abortions are performed.

With just a few weeks to prepare before the vigil, the friends are working diligently to get the word out. Magee said she's already received commitments from three area priests, each of whom has committed to leading the rosary on at least two different days.

The effort is again interdenominational. "I've spoken with Lutheran church, Churches of Christ, Baptist churches, and they're all very receptive and ready to do what they can," Magee said.

To help pay for expenses, the group is selling $10 yard signs that say "Pray to End Abortion." Any money left after expenses will be used for next spring's campaign.

To participate this time, visit http://www.40days forlife.com. In Fayetteville, call Durkee at (479) 847-5535 or Magee at (479) 225-1061. In Little Rock, call Haslauer at (501) 221-9925 or Shewmake at (501) 821-6864.

The Craighead County Courthouse in Jonesboro is listed as a location for the fall campaign. Chris Winberry is listed as the contact at (870) 225-1061. Winberry could not be reached for comment.