Les 40 jours pour la Vie à Montréal

Tuesday, March 14, 2023
Day 21 – 40 Days for Life
Feria in Lent

Two exchanges to note on this day.

• The first occurred just before midday. While vigilating alone, a 25 y.o. approached me and engaged in an exchange first re the purpose of the vigil and then on other matters. Though angry, he was controlled and arguments to and from were exchange. During the conversation, two prayer volunteers, physician and a biologist, arrived and stood nearby praying. In turn they entered the discussion and exchanged some powerful arguments which the lad was not able to refute. He eventually left disgruntled.
• In midafternoon, I was visited by a couple. The woman did the bulk of the talking as she explained that she was unable to abort her child having made an appoint the previous week and gone to the appoint that day. In tears, she related how she experienced a change in conscience while waiting and thereupon left.

p.s. Montreal draws many tourists including students on March Break. While praying with Teresa and Karin, we three welcomed to the vigil location a group of students from the Greater Toronto Area, who were chaperoned a priest. They paused long enough to exchange, take pictures, and to give us three a clerical blessing.

Rapport de Brian Jenkins, vice-président de Campagne Québec-Vie et organisateur des 40 Jours pour la Vie à Montréal

Bébé sauvé

Bonjour à tous et toutes,

Hier un incident remarquable s’est produit en mi-après-midi.

Une dame accompagnée m’approcha pour m’informer qu’elle garderait son enfant à naître plutôt que de l’avorter.

En bref, il a fallu qu’elle se rende à son rendez-vous au centre d’avortement de la rue Berri pour qu’elle prenne conscience de l’horreur de ce qu’est un avortement, la destruction d’un innocent.

Je vous remercie tous et toutes d’avoir participé à cette journée de prière et de bénédiction.

JMJ

Brian

Lundi, 13 mars 2023
Jour 20 – 40 jours pour la vie
Temps ordinaire de Carême

Une matinée de prière m'a préparé pour un après-midi d'apologétique.

• Une anglophone aux yeux verts m'a parlé en français pour s'opposer avec véhémence à ma présence et échanger brièvement avant de partir.
• Un groupe de quatre jeunes hommes début vingtaine en visite de Toronto s'est arrêté et m’a demandé la signification des panneaux. Après avoir traduit, j'ai partagé le message pro-vie avec eux. Ils semblaient tous favorables à l'avortement, le qualifiant de droit de la femme à choisir.
• Anik, jeune quinquagénaire, s’est arrêtée pendant une bonne demi-heure en fin d'après-midi. Elle a partagé son parcours pro-vie, passant de la position pro-avortement à l'estime du caractère sacré de la vie.

Chiffres de la vigile : deux participants, dix heures de présence et douze heures de prière.

Intention de prière : J'ai reçu un appel d'une femme enceinte de cinq mois. En détresse, elle a surtout parlé du père absent qui ne l'a pas encore accompagnée à ses rendez-vous médicaux. Il est également négligent envers une autre femme et un enfant qu'il a engendré.

Sunday, March 12, 2023
Day 19 – 40 Days for Life
Third Sunday of Lent

It was a day of prayer, whether at the vigil location or in the chapel located across the street from the site.

I vigilated alone until Denis arrived just before 9am. He was then followed shortly thereafter by Charlotte and then Lise arrived next at 9:30am staying for her customary hour. Denis, Charlotte, and I staggered out vigil times so we three could take in one of the two masses at the chapel.

After mass, a few more people arrived to chat and pray - Filomena, Cécile, and a friend of the latter. We recited a rosary and then I remained alone from around 2pm until Greg’s arrival, just before 4pm.

My solitary time was marked by two exchanges.

1. The first was with a woman in her mid-fifties who disagreed with my sign, "Pray for the end of abortion." She said that the two abortions she had had were the best decisions she had ever made and prepared her for the subsequent three children. She didn't stay much longer to discuss the matter further.
2. A young woman, not quite 30, with her boyfriend came and objected to the same sign saying that it wounds women. She did not say how, whether post-abortive women had mentioned such to her or the like. Respectful, she listened as I presented the pro-life argument - the life of the unborn deserves respect and protection. A few more words were exchanged before she left.

I ended my day early thanks to Greg. At close to 4pm her arrived to replace me. Before leaving, I did some silent adortion in the chapel and recited a rosary with him. 

The weather was fine, sunny with the temperatures rising from -8c to +4c, though the wind picked up as I was leaving.

About nineteen hours of vigil prayer was done this day by eight participants during the twelve hours of coverage.

Samedi 11 mars 2023
Jour 18 – 40 jours pour la vie
Temps ordinaire de Carême

Journée ensoleillée et venteux à la vigile.

Des remplaçants se succédèrent à la vigile aujourd'hui. À partir de 9h30 et continuant jusqu'à 16h30, il y avait Michael & Barbara, Jean-Léon; Mario et Denis: Charlotte et Greg; et finalement Martin. En total, onze participants sont venus accumulant 24 heures de prières. Remerciements à tous et toutes.

Friday, March 10, 2023
Day 17 – 40 Days for Life
Feria in Lent

The Penitent Woman In midafternoon - I was startled out of my meditative prayer. While I sat on my stool, a middle-aged woman had approached from behind me and shouted maddingly into my right ear. She was no stranger to me. A few days earlier as I vigilated, she had passed by and shouted aloud about the ‘right’ to abortion and how she had had two. On this day, the script was similar – she berated me and shouted about how glad she was for having procured two abortions. Her words and tone of voice spoke loudly of her inner turmoil.

We pray that such suffering souls, women and men, victims of abortion receive the support they need to mourn their losses.

At day’s end and for a third consecutive Friday, I was invited to join a local food assistance group to the local homeless for a prayer session.

Daily figures: Five came to vigilate today including Roseline pictured with me above and Nelly who took the picture. All together, about eighteen hours of prayer time were done in eleven hours of coverage. One first timer was among these five.

Jeudi 9 mars 2023
Jour 16 – 40 jours pour la vie
Temps ordinaire de Carême / Sainte Françoise de Rome, veuve

Rencontrer les nombreux sans-abri et partager du temps avec eux est une bénédiction des vigiles.

Norman a visité le lieu de la vigile aujourd'hui. Son anniversaire est ce dimanche prochain. Homme de foi âgé d'une soixantaine d'années, il est régulièrement venu à la vigile au cours des dernières années et a partagé des points de vue sur la vie et les maux sociaux. Depuis que je le connais, il est passé de l'itinérance à la vie dans de petits logements simples. Après l'expérience de l'hiver dans la rue l'année dernière, il a décidé de ne plus jamais recommencer et cet hiver, il a un appartement. Aujourd'hui, il a parlé de l'arthrite dans ses pieds. Il ne peut plus faire de longues promenades quotidiennes aussi loin à l'ouest qu'Atwater et l'Oratoire. Après son partage, j'ai pris une pause avec lui et nous avons savouré un café et un muffin dans un café local.

Nelly prend une photo de Charlotte et moi à la vigile.

Chiffres quotidiens : Huit volontaires de prière, dont trois étaient nouveaux à la vigile, ont enregistré 16 heures de temps de prière. Onze heures des douze quotidiennes ont été couvertes.

Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Day 15 – 40 Days for Life
Feria in Lent

International Women’s Day did not go unnoticed at today’s vigil as several women, and a few men, pointed this out to me. First, as the vigil began, a young woman remarked as she walked by that I should have stayed home on account of the memorial. In hindsight I could have pointed to the sign strung around my neck offering support to women experiencing a difficult pregnancy.

A second woman passer actually stopped. Four of us who were present engaged in reciting a rosary and did not engage her. After a few comments she then headed on her way. (This woman is not unfamiliar to the vigil as she has exchanged with us on several previous occasions.)

The last reminder came around midday. While Jerome and I were praying, we found ourselves accompanied by upwards of seven mostly women with handmade signs These stayed for close to an hour, keeping a respectful distance from the two of us. Thanks to Jerome for accompanying me.

Note. I believe the spitter that I reported on the previous blog entry returned, though amiable to conversing. Unfortunately, I was not able to. As I took a step towards him, a young man early twenties appeared and engaged the first man leading to a heated discussion. Have you noticed that nine out of ten conversations re abortion becomes heated? This exchange ended as the men had the sense enough to leave each other. Incidentally, the pro-life defender returned to excuse his behavior.

Vigil daily stats: Eleven people came to pray, logging in about 17 hours of prayer time with a full twelve hours of coverage. Among the vigil participants, there were six first-timers.

Mardi 7 mars 2023
Jour 14 – 40 jours pour la vie
Saint Thomas d'Aquin, confesseur, docteur

« Je sais tes œuvres : tu n'es ni froid ni bouillant. Que n’es-tu froid ou bouillant ! » Ap 3:15

Le jour 14 de la vigile a été une véritable bénédiction car j'ai connu les deux, le froid et le chaud, le froid étant pris en sandwich entre deux épisodes chauds.

Tout d'abord, une mention spéciale de reconnaissance va à Karin et Teresa. Les deux dames sont brûlantes pour Notre Seigneur, donnant près de six heures à la vigile aujourd'hui. Je suis sûr que Dieu les bénira plus que les dons qu'elles ont reçus de lui aujourd'hui.

L'épisode froid, « froid » au sens d'opposition à Dieu, donneur de vie, a deux facettes. Premièrement, un monsieur âgé est passé à côté et m'a craché au visage. Si seulement une telle passion pouvait être dirigée pour défendre les plus vulnérables de notre société ! La deuxième partie de la douche froide arriva peu de temps après. Environ sept hommes et femmes d'âge universitaire se sont imposés et ont volé deux des trois pancartes que j'utilise pour promouvoir la vigile de prière. Merci à Maria ainsi qu'à Ghyslaine et Jeanne qui ont offert des prières pour ces personnes après les deux incidents.

Enfin, un baume de guérison a été appliqué sur la journée pendant la dernière heure alors que sept jeunes adultes, brûlants eux aussi pour Notre Seigneur, sont venus prier et témoigner pour la vie.

Comme l'atteste la citation de l'Écriture, bénis sont les chauds et les froids car Notre Seigneur en fera de dignes disciples, les chauds dont Il augmentera encore leur chaleur et les froids, dont il transformera la passion pour le vrai, le bien et le beau.

Monday, March 6, 2023
Day 13 – 40 Days for Life
Ss Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs

A quiet day at the vigil.

Teresa. who has consistently been coming out, called around 9am asking whether I would welcome her and two friends so that they could spell me for an hour or so. I said, “Of course!” These ladies ended up staying until about noon. From then, different people dropped by to pray staying varying periods of time – Maurice, Jerome, Francis (a first timer), Albina. All together eight of us came to vigilate.

Pictured above are, from left to right,
myself, Dina, Teresa, and Maurice, with Nelly taking the picture.

In mid to late afternoon, a UQAM student walked over. A woman and by her disposition I felt a tad tense. Staring into my eyes, she asked me, why I was opposed to abortion. I was wearing at the time the sign that read: “Prions pour la fin de l’avortement.” I gave the basic prolife message – an unborn child is a human person whose life has value and deserves to be protected by our society. Her response was predictable; she said that she spits in my face and then walked off.

Women and men have been lied to re the unborn child. From an early age, they are told: “It is only clump of cells.” The fetus is dehumanized. We pray for them all, that the scales of blindness fall off their eyes and that they see the marvel that life is from its very first moment.

The weather was great here – sunny and above zero temps. Tomorrow Tuesday, it is a return to sub-zero temps.