Local

40 Days for Life rosary in Alexandria

Ashleigh Kassock | Catholic Herald

40 Days for Life demonstrators hold pro-life signs and pray the rosary for an end to abortion along Duke Street in Alexandria Oct. 18. ASHLEIGH KASSOCK | CATHOLIC HERALD

CROP_40-days-for-life-16.jpg

Senior Anna Johnson, president of Bishop Ireton High School Catholic Witness for life club leads a decade of the rosary during 40 Days for Life in Alexandria Oct. 18. ASHLEIGH KASSOCK | CATHOLIC HERALD

CROP_40-days-for-life-21.jpg

Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge prays the rosary next to students from Bishop Ireton High school as part of 40 Days for Life in Alexandria Oct. 18. ASHLEIGH KASSOCK | CATHOLIC HERALD

CROP_40-days-for-life-8.jpg

More than 40 demonstrators witness to the sanctity of human life along Duke Street in Alexandria on the 22nd day of the 40 Days for Life campaign with Bishop Ireton High School students and Arlington Bishop Michael F. Burbidge Oct. 18. ASHLEIGH KASSOCK | CATHOLIC HERALD

CROP_40-days-for-life72.jpg

Employees of Annandale Women and Family Center were greeted by a
peaceful and prayerful protest against abortion Oct. 18. The clinic is one of
two abortion facilities in Alexandria and provides suction abortions up to 12
weeks of pregnancy, according to its website. 

The peaceful protest is part of the 40 Days for Life campaign from
Sept. 27 to Nov. 5. 40 Days for Life is a worldwide pro-life effort that
includes prayer and fasting, peaceful vigils and community outreach.  

As the sun peeked over the horizon around 7:30 a.m. on the 22nd day of the campaign, the sound of traffic on Duke Street mingled with the sound of 43 voices reciting the joyful mysteries of the rosary. Witnesses to life included people from a number of parishes in the area, Arlington Bishop Michael F. Burbidge and more than 20 students from Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria. 

The clinic is so close to the school that the students walk to
the clinic at least twice a year to pray and witness to life.

 “It’s ingrained in the blood
of the school,” said Father Edward J. Bresnahan, chaplain. “I think it is
important to witness to the sanctity of life. We preach love, mercy and
justice.” 

Senior Anna Johnson is president of the Catholic Witness for Life
club at Bishop Ireton and has praying in front of the clinic since her freshman
year. 

“Even if it doesn’t change minds right away, what I think is
really important about this is that it keeps the abortion issue on people’s
minds,” said Johnson. “Many people are undecided or they don’t know a lot about
it, so I think having people making a prayerful witness keeps people thinking
about the importance of life.” 

 

Related Articles