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Families Against Planned Parenthood
Last Updated 10/7/2008

The League Mourns Planned Parenthood Aurora's 1st Anniversary

Pro-lifers pray on the anniversary of Planned Parenthood's opening [Photo by Sam Scheidler]

October 2, 2008, was the first anniversary of the day that Planned Parenthood Aurora first opened its doors. After months of protest, petitioning government, and constant prayer, that was a dark day for Fox Valley's pro-life community.

And while the anniversary was a day of mourning for the babies who have lost their lives at the Abortion Fortress and their hurting mothers, the mood of the fifty pro-lifers who gave their lunch hour to pray at the vigil site was also full of hope.

Eric Scheidler and Fr. Frederick Peterson lead the faithful in the prayer of the Sixth Hour [Photo by Sam Scheidler]

Noon, the "sixth hour" by the old Hebrew reckoning, was the hour at which Christ was crucified. Linking the sacrifice of the Son of God on the cross with the sacrifice of His little ones at the abortuary, the faithful joined in the prayer of the Sixth Hour of the Byzantine Liturgy of the Hours, comprising several psalms and prayers invoking the crucifixion.

Father Frederick Peterson of St. George Church in Aurora led the prayers, assisted by the League's Matt Yonke and Eric Scheidler, who are cantors at St. George. Candles, incense and an icon of the crucifixion linked the service with the ancient Christian faith.

The faithful pray behind Planned Parenthood Aurora [Photo by Sam Scheidler]

The faithful were were encouraged by the words of the Psalmist with his constant reminders that God is on the side of the Just, that He will not overlook evil, and that He is our refuge in difficult times. Though Planned Parenthood may have won a battle a year ago, the war belongs to our God.

After the prayer, Eric Scheidler offered some thoughts about answering God's call to prayer and activism at Planned Parenthood, and the necessity of sharing that invitation with others, especially during the 40 Days for Life campaign. In closing, the crowd sang a verse of the song that has become such a consolation over the past year, "Amazing Grace".

The commemoration encapsulated the tone of this first year of spiritual battle at Planned Parenthood: peaceful, solemn prayer, coupled with an unwavering commitment to shut down the "Abortion Fortress" once and for all.

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League Launches Two Chicago-Area Vigils by Candlelight

In prayer [Photo by Sam Scheidler]

The pro-life mission is above all a spiritual battle, and our primary weapon is prayer. For that reason, the Pro-Life Action League is participating in the national 40 Days for Life campaign by sponsoring two 40 Days vigils: one on Chicago's Northwest Side, the other in the far western suburb of Aurora.

Both of these 40 Days campaigns launched on the evening of Wednesday, September 24 with candlelight vigils. In all, over 400 pro-life faithful came together to pray for an end to abortion.

Aurora Vigil "Homecoming"

The League's 40 Days for Life candlelight vigil in Aurora was a homecoming of sorts for 250 pro-lifers from the Fox Valley—a return to the sidewalk where a year earlier their epic battle had begun against Planned Parenthood of Aurora with another 40-day vigil.

Pastor Randy Schoof (left) and Fr. Fred Peterson lead the prayers in Aurora
[Photo by Sam Scheidler]

The 7:00 p.m. start of the vigil was slightly delayed due to initial police objections on several matters that had actually been addressed in negotiations with city attorneys over the previous year. After a few phone calls, they informed vigil coordinator Eric Scheidler he could go ahead with his plans to conduct the vigil on the sidewalk behind Planned Parenthood. By that time, more than 200 pro-lifers had arrived.

Two pro-life women pray for all mothers to choose life [Photo by Sam Scheidler]

The vigil began with the singing of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic"—a fitting start for a group launching a new spiritual battle. This was followed by scriptural readings and prayers led by Pastor Randy Schoof of Warehouse Church and Fr. Fred Peterson of St. George Church.

Then the group turned and faced the Planned Parenthood building and prayed in silence for all those involved with abortion in any way, and for a successful 40 Days. The vigil concluded with the singing of "Amazing Grace" accompanied by Eric's son Nate on the accordion.

Solemn Rosary for Life in Chicago

Well before the Chicago candlelight vigil's scheduled start at 7:30 p.m. at Family Planning Associates on Chicago's northwest side, the League's Ann Scheidler and Corrina Gura had run through all their candles and programs. The group soon numbered more than 150.

Never put limitations on God. Always ask for the big grace!

—St. Padre Pio

Bishop Francis Kane began the Chicago vigil with an opening prayer, and then led the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary with the assistance of several priests. Solemn Fourth Degree Knights in full regalia flanked the bishop. After the Rosary, musicians from Couples for Christ accompanied the singing of a fitting hymn, "Throughout these Forty Days".

Candles line the sidewalk around Chicago's FPA abortuary [Photo by Ann Scheidler]

To conclude the vigil, the group spread out and sorrounded the abortion facility with their candles and prayers, and sang "Amazing Grace". The presence of three cars in the parking lot, presumably security, was a reminder to pray for the conversion of all those who work in the abortion industry.

40 Days for Life Continues through November 2

At the conclusion of both League vigils, staff and volunteers recruited more prayer warriors to pledge hours in prayer at the two 40 Days campaigns, which will run through November 2, ending only days before the general election.

Pro-life faithful in the Chicago area are encouraged to sign up for prayer time at both the Aurora and Chicago 40 Days vigils.

News Coverage and Related Links

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Pro-Life Leaders Outline Strategy To Defeat Planned Parenthood

NO Planned Parenthood

"Planned Parenthood is the number one enemy of unborn babies, and of American families," declared Eric Scheidler, Communications Director of the Pro-Life Action League, at the conclusion of a closed-door summit of pro-life leaders on September 18 on how to confront Planned Parenthood.

The summit was the first of its kind, drawing pro-life leaders from across the nation to share strategies for defending American families from Planned Parenthood. Among those in attendance were David Bereit of 40 Days for Life, Jim Sedlak of STOPP Planned Parenthood, Janet Morana of Priests for Life, Ray Ruddy of Gerald Health Foundation and Kristan Hawkins of Students for Life of America.

Statement Pledges New Pro-Life Strategy

The summit group drafted a Joint Statement [PDF] entitled "Defeating Planned Parenthood: A National Pro-Life Strategy", which outlines why opposition to Planned Parenthood is especially critical for the pro-life movement, and what specific measures they pledge to take.

We hereby pledge to coordinate our efforts in a bold, new, national campaign to defend American families from Planned Parenthood.

—Pro-Life Joint Statement

"Not only is Planned Parenthood the nation's largest abortion provider with a long history of targeting the young and vulnerable, especially minorities," remarked Scheidler in presenting the Joint Statement, "but they are currently undergoing a massive expansion effort, fueled in large part by taxpayer dollars." The Statement notes that Planned Parenthood performs over a quarter-million abortions per year and receives over $300 million in government funding.

In their Joint Statement, the pro-life leaders pledge to cut Planned Parenthood funding from both government and corporate sources, increase the pro-life presence at Planned Parenthood facilities, expose Planned Parenthood's agenda in the media and empower parents and teachers to protect young people from Planned Parenthood.

The statement also pledges to implement the "Aurora treatment" of massive grassroots opposition to new Planned Parenthood construction projects, a reference to the historic pro-life campaign the League has been waging in Aurora, Illinois since August 2007.

"Planned Parenthood is the Goliath of the abortion industry," Scheidler said. "When Planned Parenthood falls, the rest of the abortion lobby will crumble—and unborn babies will finally be safe again our country."

The full text of the Joint Statement can be found below, and is also available for download [PDF].

Pro-Life Leaders at Planned Parenthood Summit

Pro-life leaders from across the nation gather Sept. 18 for a summit hosted by the Pro-Life Action League on confronting Planned Parenthood

A Joint Statement by National Pro-Life Leaders

Defeating Planned Parenthood: A National Pro-Life Strategy

Whereas, Planned Parenthood operates the nation's largest abortion chain, reporting 289,750 abortions in 2006, 24% of the national total; and

Whereas, Planned Parenthood targets adolescents with a message that divests human sexuality of any moral character, encourages unsafe, irresponsible sexual behavior, and undermines the relationship between parents and their children; and

Whereas, Planned Parenthood has a well-documented history of shielding child predators by failing to comply with mandatory reporting laws regarding child and statutory rape; and

Whereas, Planned Parenthood, founded by eugenics advocate Margaret Sanger, continues to pursue racist business practices, by targeting abortions disproportionately to minority women; and

Whereas, Planned Parenthood has embarked on a major nationwide expansion effort, building massive new abortion centers in major metropolitan areas, skirting local zoning regulations, and attempting to lure more affluent clients with a new "upscale" image; and

Whereas, Planned Parenthood is assisted in their anti-child, anti-family agenda by the infusion of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars annually—a third of their billion-dollar national budget;

Therefore, we, the undersigned pro-life leaders from across the nation, hereby pledge to coordinate our efforts in a bold, new, national campaign to defend American families from Planned Parenthood.

Together, we will put Planned Parenthood out of business by implementing proven strategies across the nation, to achieve the following goals:

Signed this 18th day of September, 2008:

Patricia Bainbridge
Life Decisions International
Bill Beckman
Illinois Right to Life
David Bereit
40 Days for Life
Thomas Brejcha, Esq.
Thomas More Society
Steven Brody
Dubuque County Right to Life, Inc.
Al Carlson
Citizens for Life, Rapid City, SD
Shawn Carney
Coalition for Life
Dr. Brian Clowes
Human Life International
Day Gardner
National Black Pro-Life Union
Lorraine Gariboldi
Life Center of Long Island
Jennifer Giroux
Women Influencing the Nation
Kristan Hawkins
Students for Life of America
John Jansen
Generations for Life
Joe Langfeld
Human Life Alliance
Keith Mason
Personhood USA
Janet Morana
Priests for Life
Steve Peroutka
National Pro-Life Action Center
Ray Ruddy
Gerard Health Foundation
Lila Rose
Live Action
Eric Scheidler
Families Against Planned Parenthood
Joe Scheidler
Pro-Life Action League
Doug Scott
Life Decisions International
Jim Sedlak
American Life League
Mary Strom
The Women's Centers
Jill Stanek
JillStanek.com
Kathleen Sullivan
Project Reality
Fr. Norman Weslin
Gabriel's Corner
Erik Whittington
Rock for Life
Kyleen Wright
Texans for Life Coalition

In addition, the following pro-life leaders and organizations have signed on to this Joint Statement subsequent to the initial September 18 signing:

Lawson Lipford-Cruz
Black Students for Life
Troy Newman
Operation Rescue
Ruben Obregon
No Room for Contraception
Dr. Peggy Elliot
Dr. Peggy Elliot Ministries
Kim Lehman
Iowa Right to Life
Steve Mosher
Population Research Institute
Mary Maschmeier
Defenders of the Unborn
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Please Note: Any editorial views expressed in the articles linked below are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Pro-Life Action League.

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