News

40-Day Prayer Vigil for Life concludes

By Joanne Flemming
Compass Correspondent

GREEN BAY -- Although the national 40-Day Prayer Vigil for Life ended at midnight Nov. 4, groups from the Green Bay Diocese involved in the event plan for ongoing involvement.

According to Lori Koschnick, Green Bay coordinator, there are plans to continue scheduling prayers near the Medical Arts Building, Green Bay, during business hours. The 38 Catholic and non-Catholic churches that participated in the vigil have been asked to take two, three-hour shifts a month.

Since late September, individuals, groups and churches have been praying around the clock at the Medical Arts Building and the Planned Parenthood facility in Grand Chute.

"We can't go back home and about our business and forget what's going on with the Medical Arts Building," said Koschnick. "We will continue praying for his children. ... We plan on keeping it covered."

Dick Sheehy, a coordinator for the Grand Chute group, said Nov. 4 that further plans would be finalized at the closing celebration Nov. 5 at the Columbus Club, Appleton.

Green Bay and Grand Chute were two of the five sites in Wisconsin where the vigil was kept, said Koschnick. The others included two in Milwaukee and one in Madison. More than 90 cities across the United States took part.

Sheehy estimated that more than 230 people were involved in the Grand Chute vigil.

Participants came from throughout Fox Valley communities, Kaukauna to Fond du Lac, and as far west as Weyauwega, Waupaca and Wautoma.

John Young, Weyauwega, organized 22 people from St. Peter and Paul Parish, Weyauwega, who prayed midnight to midnight on Oct. 3 at Grand Chute. He credited much of the encouragement and enthusiasm for their involvement to their pastor, Fr. Bertin Samsa.

"The commitment of the people involved was phenomenal," said Young. Among them was a mother and daughter team; the daughter left to have a root canal, then came back to continue to pray.

Young participated with the Knights of Columbus in the 2006 vigil, he said, and at this year's vigils in Green Bay.

According to Sheehy, Oct. 31 had been designated Clergy Day, and clergy of all faiths were encouraged to join in the vigil.

Besides 38 churches, seven Knights of Columbus councils and four special interest groups participated in Green Bay, said Koschnick.

Among them was St. Norbert College sophomore Kristin Lynch, who, with a friend, is trying to start a Respect Life group affiliated with Wisconsin Right to Life on campus.

She and nine students prayed one night from 9 to 11 p.m. at the Medical Arts Building.

David Parker, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Pulaski, and a member of Esto Vir, the men's organization, kept vigil at the Medical Arts Building from 2 to 4 a.m. every Monday through Friday. He also signed up for two Tuesdays.

Parker, a leader of Conquest, the Catholic boys club that meets at St. Peter and Paul Parish, Green Bay, challenged the members' fathers and their families to help fill those days.

"This was such a beautiful opportunity to do something for the pro-life movement," Parker said. "There is so much suffering and pain out there from the effects of abortion. It was an honor to be there to represent the pro-life movement."

Lori Fameree, Little Suamico, her husband and family served as "pinch-hitters" whenever there was an unfilled shift at the Medical Arts Building.

Fameree explained that she told Koschnick to call "if you're short." Every couple days Fameree phoned or e-mailed to see if she was needed.

She thought that her family filled in six to eight times. Among the shifts they took were two midnight to 2 a.m. shifts and two 4 to 6 a.m. shifts.

Seven of her 10 children participated. "It was important for me to get my kids out because there are their peers in the doors," Fameree said.

"Abortion is an issue that is very close to my heart," she explained. "From experience I know that it is not a cure to an unplanned pregnancy. ... I understand what a girl's thinking, going in the door, but little does she know that she's not helping herself, but her problems are going to begin when she proceeds."

Fameree said she had been "blessed" with opportunities to talk to girls going into the Medical Arts Building and has "met babies that were saved due to our efforts."