Good Friday: 3,200 pro-lifers pray at Planned Parenthood mega-abortion mill in Minnesota
An annual clash of ideologies takes place every Good Friday in front of the Planned Parenthood abortion mill in St. Paul, Minnesota.
On that day pro-lifers praying for abortion to end, which often includes our own Carla, dwarf counter-protesting pro-aborts.
The only difference this year was the location. Planned Parenthood has moved to a 46,000 sq ft mega-mill, now the 3rd largest PP clinic in the U.S.
Reported Brian Gibson, Executive Director of Pro-Life Action Ministries, from the scene:
Just two weeks after having one of the largest crowds for the Rallies for Religious Freedom, pro-life Christians came out in record numbers to attend Pro-Life Action Ministries annual Good Friday Prayer Vigil. Throughout the 7-1/2 hours of this vigil about 3,200 people filled the street next to the new mega-Planned Parenthood in St. Paul, Minn. This all-day vigil has been held in front of Planned Parenthood’s abortion facility for 27 years. This is the first year at the newly built 46,000 sq. ft. abortion facility.
A baby was saved by sidewalk counselors with Pro-Life Action Ministries during the prayer vigil.
Fifteen area pastors of various Christian denominations led prayer, each taking a different half-hour time. Included among the clergy were Catholic Archbishop John Niensted and Auxiliary Bishop Lee Pichè, Baptist Minister Leo Reck, African American Pentecostal Minister Larry Trawick, and Lutheran Minister Fred Thoni. Between prayer times, hymns and songs of worship are sung. The only sign brought to this event is a life-size cross.
“The logistical challenges of bringing in this many people were a bit daunting,” said Gibson. “We had to use a remote parking lot and bus in the participants.” Gibson continued, “We were able to move more than a thousand people an hour from several miles away and it worked better than our expectations. But the most exciting thing for me is a baby was saved.”
A view from the other side, according to KARE:
A smaller counter-protest of Planned Parenthood supporters marched in a separate area, and patient care was not interrupted. Police barricades separated the protestors.
Planned Parenthood is the largest provider of abortion services in the state. The number of abortions performed in Minnesota has been steadily falling for decades. In 2010, the most recent data available, that number was 11,500, the lowest since 1975.
“This is an annual event and this is the first annual event that’s taken place at this facility, but we’re very excited,” said Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Jennifer Aulwes. “We have 800 people signed up to come and support Planned Parenthood today, so we’re happy to be out here with all the people in the community that support us.”
The smaller band of abortion supporters holding their Pepto-pink signs can be seen off in the distance in this KARE photo…
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
This prayer vigil has been going on for over 25 years. Not until the women and men from Silent No More Minnesota holding”I regret my abortion” and “I regret lost fatherhood” signs did PP start having their own protest. We became a real threat to them. Then needed to do something to counter act our message.
Carla, were you there? Can you tell us about it?
I was there! I am a college student and have been going to this prayer vigil for the past five years now. It always astounds and humbles me at how many pro-lifers come out and pray in peace, not be boisterous and frankly obnoxious like the PP supporters. In regards to the buses – it seemed to be that whenever a full bus of people left the vigil, another full bus of people came to replace them – praise God! This is always a beautiful and humbling experience and truly a great way to enter into Good Friday.
Thanks to the caring people who keep this issue alive. Abortion is child homicide and people need to be held accountable.
Yes I was there!
Courtnay,
Click on my name. :)
Thanks for bearing witness, ladies. I so appreciate your willingness to hold that sign, Carla.
Warrior women!!
For years this prayer vigil was held at Planned Parenthood on Ford Parkway in St. Paul,, MN.
When I first went there in 2003 with my “I regret my abortion” sign there were throughout the day maybe 1,000 people. Planned Parenthood had not for the first 20 some years of this prayer vigil counteracted. The escorts laughed at us and took pictures. If memory serves me correctly it was a couple of years later when a BIG surprize happened and PP filed for a parade permit and tried to stop the vigil. ProLife Action Ministries won the right to be there. PP had brought in their own people to protest against us/ or show support for PP. The women and men of Silent No More MN would be there all day long, with our signs and people were very supportive and kind to us. We would take up the cross and carry it while carrying our signs. It was very powerful. Throughout the day women and men would come up to anyone of us carrying a sign and whisper in our ears, “Me too.”
I had never had any ProLifer say anything that I thought was hurtful.
I love this prayer vigil. However this year was very emotional for me as I looked at the building that innocent blood built.
Carla, you’re awesome! Keep up the fight.
Wow…11,500 babies aborted. In ONE year..in ONE state. That’s 11,500 too many people missing from this earth. :(
And that number is DOWN from what it was! That’s a lot bloodshed….
God forgive us.
Wow,, that’s awesome, such a large turnout for the peaceful prayer vigil :)
I was curious to hear more about it from both sides, Googled it, and found a ton of pics of both our vigil & the counter protest:
http://flickr.com/#/photos/fibonacciblue/6905444300/
And I wonder how their “Pledge a Protestor” went & if their supporters were willing to pledge amounts any where near the number of pro-lifers there.
http://www.plannedparenthoodadvocate.org/2012/04/pledge-a-protester-on-good-friday.html
Also, I wonder how many pro-choice counter protestors there were & how it compares in number to the pro-life presence.
Rachel C.
When I first got there (9:30am) the PP side had about 250-300 and grew to about 500, ( I might be a little generous here) By the time I left 1:00pm, there were maybe at the most 150 people for PP. This was the largest group they have had since they started their counterprotest. Had the Obama Health Mandate birthcontrol issue not have happened I believe their numbers would have been as they had been around 150-250 people. A lot of the signs were about not taking away a woman’s birhcontrol.
OUr prayers vigil has contined to grow by the hundreds each year, since I have been going, which in a previous post said 2003.
Rachel C.
At one time I saw a sign one woman was holding that said, Thanks, you helped us raise 17,000.00 or 1,700.00 I can’t remember.
Rachel C.
I looked at the link you posted with the pictures. The person who posted these was there in the middle of the day around 1-2pm. Because one of the pictures is of a friend of mine *speaker for Silent No More MN* and she got there around 1pm. You can tell the crowd from PP really thinned out and our crowd was heavy the whole time.
I thought the PP Pledge a Protester sign read $19,000?
If that is indeed true then they certainly don’t need our tax $$ do they??
Carla could have…they change it every throughout the day. So it must have been $17,000.00 when I saw it. And you are right…they don’t need our tax money.
And who is to say that they reallllyyyyy raised that much if anything??
Good grief. They lie about everything else.
So good to see you yesterday btw!! :)
I remember attending a life rally when I was in 8th grade. I could not believe the number of people who flicked me off.
Carla,
I know I had the same thought. I think it’s interesting to think they copied our prayer vigil. This was the first year they had a speaker system and music. We have had these things for years. When I first heard PP sound system with a woman speaking and thanking all those who came. It was a little like…hey wait a minute. Then I heard her say, “No, no keep walking, keep walking” When Brian Gibsons gets on the mircrohone you know it’s been a 1/2 hours since the last time and he is calling everyone to gather near the cross to kneel and pray.
Abortion is a subject which, aside from faith, hits close for me because i am adopted.
If I could ever talk to young women and tell them it will be okay for their child!
3200 people getting together to speak out against the slaughter of children in the womb. How awesome.
truthseeker,
It is amazing!! I LOVE all of the families that come out, the little ones in strollers and snuglies, toddlers and pregnant moms!!
Also SO MANY YOUNG MEN!! I pointed them out to my daughter and told her that real men fight to rescue women and their babies from abortion!