40 Days for Life vigil with Bishop Alan Hopes was both an inspiration and a wake-up call
Posted by Jack Francis on 2 April 2012
Last Friday evening Bishop Alan Hopes led London's largest ever 40 Days for Life vigil for an end to abortion.
In response to the success of the 40 Days for Life campaign a loud and aggressive counter-demonstration was organised by a pro-abortion group. Some media sources have claimed that the counter-demonstration was attended by more people than the vigil in defence of life.
As far as I could see the pro-abortion group was approximately half the size of the 400-500 pro-lifers in attendance. Joseph Shaw has published a series of pictures which compare the two groups.
This event was both uplifting and a wake-up call. Uplifting because it was wonderful to be amongst so many people praying for an end to abortion. Uplifting because of the courage of Bishop Hopes in leading the vigil in the face of such hostility. But the aggression of the opposition served as a wake-up call and a reminder of the urgency of the pro-life cause.
None of the aggression mustered outside the abortion centre on Friday can compare to the violence of abortion.
The vigil on Friday showed the strength of the pro-life movement when roused into action, and our great potential to powerfully oppose this violence. It is crucial for the sake of unborn babies and mothers that we continue to increase in our determination to bring an end to abortion.
The campaign has now come to an end and will resume again in the autumn. Robert Colquhoun, the 40 Days for Life London campaign director, has published a blog-post with the highlights from this campaign, in London and throughout the country. This evening there is a closing party in Pimlico.
Between now and the next 40 Days for Life campaign there are lots of other vigils which need your support. The Good Counsel Network organise a daily vigil in London and the Helpers of God's Precious Infants organise vigils around the country and throughout the whole year.