That they might have life — 40 Days for Life opening rally, prayer vigil

More than 40 people gathered for a photo with their placards Sept. 23 during the opening rally for the 40 Days for Life fall campaign in Columbia, beginning the 17th year of peaceful pro-life vigils on the sidewalk.

Participants came from all over central Missouri, including Prairie Home, Taos, Eldon, Jefferson City, New Bloomfield and Columbia.

Father Gregory Clever, associate pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Columbia, opened the rally with a prayer and blessed the crowd.

The Columbia Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary provided the light repast of sandwiches, cookies, and drink.  It was so delightful to see so many of you who attended the beginning of the 17th year on the sidewalk.

Mary Browning JD spoke briefly about her involvement with court cases, stories of women who suffered from abortion, and her own abortion experience.

From there, the participants traveled to the sidewalk outside the Planned Parenthood abortion clinic and abortion-referral center in Columbia for a candlelight vigil on the public sidewalk.

40 Days for Life is an internationally-coordinated 40-day campaign, held twice a year, that aims to end abortion through prayer, fasting, community outreach and compassion for mothers, fathers, babies and abortion employees.

Throughout the 40 days, all-day, peaceful prayer vigils are maintained outside abortion clinics or places where abortion referrals continue to be given.

Daily prayer vigils are being held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each Monday through Saturday until Nov. 1, on the sidewalk outside Planned Parenthood, 711 N. Providence Road in Columbia.

Visit www.40daysforlife.com/columbiamo to sign up to participate.