Today’s 40 Days for Life prayer vigil in San Rafael
(San Rafael, CA–Saturday October 24, 2020) In all the years that I have participated in 40 Days for Life prayer vigils in Marin County, I have never witnessed/encountered the amount and intensity of counter-protestors as I did today. This is possibly not saying much, in comparison with other places, but it was very significant for Marin.
The ramping-up of protests began last Saturday, October 17th, when Archbishop Cordileone, of the Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, conducted Mass and performed an exorcism at Mission San Rafael, to counter the vandalism and toppling of the mission’s statue of Fr. Serra, which happened on Columbus Day. After the exorcism, the entire congregation processed to Planned Parenthood, where they said the rosary right in front of the doors of the abortuary. Counter-protestors had heard of the event and were present in large numbers. Saturday morning is now their rallying day. I was glad and honored to be present for life today.
During the time I was there (11 am to 12:30 pm) there were 21 or 22 pro-aborts present. There were ten to eleven of us praying for life. We all started out at the corner nearest Planned Parenthood’s door, but the opposition gradually spread to all three other corners–for a “surround-sound” effect, perhaps? They were extremely vocal, and every one had large signs with the usual sayings: “My Body, My Choice”, “Stay Out Of My Uterus”, We Are Women Not Wombs”, “Long Live Roe v. Wade”, etc. They were very loud, sometimes actually screaming. Most ages were represented in the opposition, with the exception of young children, and both men and women took part (“Her body, her choice!” chanted over and over…)
We also had both men and women present, praying for life. We spent almost the entire time praying through the rosary, just continuing on to the next set of mysteries as we finished each one. It was difficult to hear each other and to stay together on the responses–due to the screaming pro-aborts, the high number of cars honking their horns as they passed by, and the face masks we have to wear–but we managed it. Of course, the overwhelming amount of passer-by reactions were on the side of the pro-aborts (this is Marin County after all, a very liberal bastion in California) but once in a while a car would go by, eye contact would be achieved, and a firm, definite thumbs-up given to us. The positive, pro-life reactions are cherished and remembered.
This will happen again, next Saturday, for Hallowe’en. I expect a stronger swirling of demonic forces that day. Please remember the daily 40 Days for Life prayer vigils, taking place all over the world right now, and lift up the participants in your prayers for courage, commitment, and strength.
The babies cannot speak for themselves, so others must speak for them.
For more information: 40 Days for Life
h/t MaryfromMarin
Bravo to those that cherish life, not murder.
Reading that back to myself, it is heartbreaking that it has to be stated such.
Amen
I have encountered ugly counter protestors at pro life events including doing a rescue with Operation Rescue in San Diego in August 1996. They are some of the meanest vile pukes shouting all sorts of epithets and vile and nasty phrases at us as we were peaceably protesting against abortion. They were totally angry and consumed with hatred towards us all the time we were there. When you align yourself with the devil and his blood sacrifice of unlimited abortion on demand what else would you expect. We were well covered with prayer and God’s grace to get ourselves thru their ungodly tirade. I’d do it again and may have to once again still armed with Gods holy presence surrounding me. When we were in the basement of an abortion clinic in La Mesa I have never before or after experienced such a powerful presence of God being there with us standing in the midst of the gates of Hell, I’ll never forget that Gods presence with us was totally overwhelming and humbling as well as awesome.
“A Day in the Life” should be, ultimately, a LIFE of LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS and full of hugs and cute fun filled moments, WATCHING, children grow up.
It’s amazing process to either watch OR be a part of.
What I don’t understand is why these pro-abortion people are SO vile to ACTUAL peaceful protestors who just trying to save the innocent unborn AND the women carrying them? No one is stopping them from going in for an abortion; people are simply praying and trying to reach out to them to think it over and have a change of heart.
God Bless you Mary from Marin!
Thank you, Mary, for your courage and your commitment. Nothing happens in this world without the prayers of believers. He gave this job to US! Prayers, love and blessings❤️
Thank You Mary, you’re doing The Lord’s work. God Bless the innocence of the unborn. 🕊️❤️🙏
Stay strong, Mary!
My wife and I have been to several Trump roadside rallies where we’ve enjoyed cheers, honks and thumbs up from passing cars. There are also some thumbs down. What is deeply disturbing is the language, with shouted F U’s. Worst of all have been three instances of families driving by and their grade school aged KIDS yelling F U.
What happened to the blogger on here named Lady in Red? She was always on the side of abortion.