Southern Nebraska Register
Abortions still happen frequently in Nebraska, specifically in the cities of Lincoln, Omaha and Bellevue.
A total of 2,547 abortions were reported to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services for 2022.
“This, of course, has a tremendous spiritual impact on our diocese and state,” said Lisa McInerney, program director for Sidewalk Advocates for Life – Lincoln. “The destruction of life in a mother’s womb is the first cause of death in the United States and in the world. But we know it is also the largest cause of spiritual death, with a multiplier effect.”
The “multiplier effect,” she explained, refers to how personal sins affect not just the sinner, but everyone around that person. When an abortionist takes an innocent unborn life, it affects his or her own soul, but it also affects the family and friends with whom the abortionist interacts. Other abortion industry workers who are also complicit in the abortions, to varying degrees, are also affected in their relationships.
“The mother of the child, if she wasn’t forced into the abortion,” McInerney continued, “also has the stain of sin on her soul which affects those around her. She might also suffer from post-abortion syndrome, which is a form of post-traumatic stress syndrome. Many women who experience abortion, whether of their own free will or if they are forced into it, experience depression, anxiety, PTSD, addictions, and sometimes are even suicidal.”
Men whose children’s lives are taken in abortion are affected, as well, whether they pressured the woman into the abortion, or supported her decision, or if she made the decision against his will.
“When they are dealing with these effects,” McInerney said, “it in turn effects their families and friends. Other people are affected when it is their grandchildren, siblings, nieces or nephews who have lost their lives.”
Because the whole community is affected by the loss of unborn lives, pro-life advocates invite all Catholics to be aware of two initiatives: 40 Days for Life and Sidewalk Advocates for Life. McInerney called them both “extremely effective in saving lives and souls,” but with increased participation, she said, they will be even more effective.
Both ministries are peaceful, prayerful and law-abiding, and coherent with Catholic teaching but non-denominational. Both promote chastity and scientific truth.
40 Days for Life
Catherine Turner is the local leader of 40 Days for Life, which is underway through March 24. The national outreach campaign, launched in 2007, takes place in both the spring and the fall. It aims to use prayer, fasting and peaceful vigils to end abortion and to ask God to “turn hearts and minds from a culture of death to a culture of life, thus bringing an end to abortion,” the campaign website says.
According to its own figures, 40 Days for Life outreach has helped save more than 24,000 lives from abortion. In addition, 148 abortion facilities have closed and 256 abortion workers left the industry.
In Lincoln, participants will pray outside the Planned Parenthood abortion location near 48th Street and Old Cheney Road, daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“We prefer that there are at least two individuals praying on the sidewalk at a time,” Turner said, quoting Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
She pointed out that parishes outside the city of Lincoln sign up to come once or twice as a group, and are often led by their spiritual leader: their parish priest.
“For those who live closer to Lincoln,” she said, “we ask they consider a weekly commitment to come to the sidewalk to pray.”
More details are available at 40daysforlife.com/Lincoln.
Sidewalk Advocates for Life
Sidewalk Advocates for Life plans a training session for Saturday, March 16, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Lincoln.
“The training teaches us how women have fallen into thinking they are in a difficult situation – ‘crisis mode’ – so their brains are not considering all other help available,” McInerney explained. “We learn to approach them with kindness instead of condemnation, also letting them know that the mercy of God is greater than any of our sins.”
The organization needs more volunteers to assist in its efforts.
“Sidewalk Advocates for Life needs more volunteers who are willing to sacrifice their time to ensure every Planned Parenthood client knows there are better healthcare options for them, and a community that wants to support them,” McInerney said.
She said the members maintain a peaceful, prayerful and law-abiding presence outside Planned Parenthood year-round, but there are not enough volunteers to cover all the hours that Planned Parenthood is open for business.
The goal is to have one trained advocate – and a prayer partner for that advocate – at both of the driveways that lead into Planned Parenthood in Lincoln, to offer all clients help and information. The organization now can cover only about half of Planned Parenhood’s business hours, and an increase in need is expected, as the Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Omaha is under construction. The Omaha clients will be sent to the Lincoln abortion location.
Those interested in learning about sidewalk advocacy can see sidewalkadvocates.org to register in advance.
McInerney suggested that people who are interested try the training, even if they are unsure that their schedules would permit them to be a pro-life advocate during Planned Parenthood’s business hours.
“You will still benefit from the training,” she said. “You will learn the best research-based methods for reaching out to an abortion-minded woman or abortion worker.
“You never know when a member of your family, or a friend or acquaintance, will face an unexpected pregnancy,” she continued. “You might even encounter these women on social media.”
Sidewalk Advocates for Life can even direct advocates to certain social media groups, where women regularly need such help.
“The ‘sidewalk’ is really everywhere,” McInerney said, “especially in these days of mail-order abortion pills, which are illegal in Nebraska but still being ordered and delivered secretly.”
To anyone unable to come to the training, she added, “please remember us when you encounter a woman facing an unexpected pregnancy.”
The advocates are trained to know how to direct her to the best resources for her specific situation.
She said she has received several referred calls from expectant mothers who are abortion-minded, or just in need of assistance, and the Sidewalk Advocates are happy to be the “gateway” to life-affirming services.
“We invite all Christians who are capable of getting to the sidewalk – the public right-of-way outside of Planned Parenthood of Lincoln – to commit to a minimum of one hour of participation in the 40 Days for Life campaign this Lent,” McInerney said. “If you are able to make a weekly commitment to the campaign, please do that.”
People can sign up for email updates about 40 Days for Life in Lincoln, so participants may cover last-minute cancellations.
“We need more people to be willing to sacrifice an hour of their time – plus travel time – and be uncomfortable for a while in order to save lives and souls with their prayers, fasting and public witness,” McInerney stressed. “As Pope Benedict XVI said, ‘The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.’”
