40 Days - Midpoint Procession

October 17, 2009

 

View from the choir

http://backpew.blogspot.com/search/label/40%20Days%20for%20Life

 

 

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  As we head into October - pro-life month - I'd like to thank all the prayer warriors who braved the cold and the rain this week to show their determination to bring an end to the killing of unborn children.  Your dedication is truly inspiring.  There have been several first-timers this week who got their feet wet (literally and figuratively) in 40 DFL.  I'd like to welcome you to this very important effort.  For those who have been thinking about participating in the 40 Days for Life Campaign but haven't quite gotten around to it yet, the time has never been better.  We continue to struggle to fill certain time slots.  We especially need more help in the 7:00 to 8:00 AM and PM hours.  Planned Parenthood opens at 7:30 AM and closes at 7:30 PM and it's important for the employees to see people praying as they come to work and leave to go home.  Please use the on-line schedule to sign up.  Go to our web site at 40daysforlife.com/Rochester and click on the "Vigil Schedule" tab.  Some people have had trouble getting on the the schedule.  If you can't schedule yourself please send an email to this address with the times you'd like to attend and I will schedule you. 

Life Chain
Come join the Life Chain this Sunday, October 4th.  Our goal is to form a continuous chain of people praying and holding signs proclaiming pro-life messages from Our Lady of the Americas Church to Our Lady of Victory Church.  See the attached flier for details.

Midpoint Procession
There will be a Campaign Midpoint Pro-Life Procession on October 17th.  We will be gathering in the parking lot of Our Lady of Victory Church after the 12:10 Mass and the procession will begin at 1:00.  We will be taking the usual route down Main St., to Gibbs St, then to Planned Parenthood on University Avenue.  Let's have a big turnout to make Rochesterians aware of the sacredness of life!

Our Lady of Victory Church
210 Pleasant St
Rochester, NY  14604   Map

God Bless,
Rick Paoletti

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7 PEOPLE STARTED THE '40 DAYS FOR LIFE' AT 12 MIDNIGHT, ON THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE KILLING MILL PLANNED PARENTHOOD.  THIS WILL BE A GREAT TIME OF PRAYER & FASTING & WITNESSING, TO END ABORTION, & TO SAY GOOD BYE TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD HERE IN ROCHESTER, NY.  AMEN!!

 

 

Great news on October 6, 2009

We had our first Rochester "save" of the 2009 campaign today!  Martha and Mary Lou were at the vigil when three young women were dropped off by a man.  One of them announced to Martha that she was about to have a baby but that her friend who she was with was here to have an abortion.  At that point, the woman she was referring to started running for the entrance to the abortion mill.  Martha urged her friends to go after her and talk her out of it.  They all disappeared into the building and when they didn't come out, Martha began reciting the attached poem, "My life depends on you" at the top of her voice while Mary Lou prayed.  After several minutes, the women came out.  The woman who was going to have the abortion approached Mary and said: "I heard you from inside the building and I just couldn't go through with it".  Thanks be to God.  While it's gratifying to here results like this, we have to realize every prayer we say, every information packet we give out, and every time someone sees us holding those signs makes an impact.  We need more vigil volunteers.

Couple needs prayers
During the Life Chain event on Sunday, a teenage couple came up to two women who were praying in front of Planned Parenthood in tears.  She had just gotten positive results from a home pregnancy test and was afraid to tell her parents.  The women spent an hour with them, counseling them and urging them to come back to Focus on Monday to get more help.  Unfortunately, they did not return on Monday.  Please keep them in your prayers that they do the right thing for their baby.

Scheduling problems
I've heard from several people who are having problems using the on-line scheduling tool.  If you are having trouble, please send me a note with the details of what happened when you tried to sign up including any messages that came up if you can remember them.  I've been talking with the national 40 DFL team to try to resolve this.  As a stop-gap measure, I will be sending out an email every three days listing what the open times are for the next three days.  If you can't sign up using the tool, feel free to send me an email with the times you'd like to sign up for.  The open times for the next three days are:

Wednesday:  8 to 10 AM, 12 to 2 PM, and after 4 PM
Thursday:  11 AM to 2 PM, and 3 to 6 PM
Friday:  8 to 11 AM,  1 to 3 PM, and after 5 PM

Where's the bag and signs?
Due to the gaps in the schedule we have not been able to leave the bag and signs out.  What we will be doing until the schedule fills up again is to hide some signs behind the bush in front of the Focus Pregnancy Center.  Please return the signs there if no one is there when you leave.  We can not leave the bag out unattended. 

Parents Magazine
It's been brought to our attention that Parents Magazine which distributed for free in local grocery stores is carrying an ad for Planned Parenthood.  Let's pick up a copy and let the publishers know our disgust that they would be carrying this ad.

Wow Rick, Thanks for bringing to our attention that the magazine Genesse Valley Parent is running a Planned Parenthood ad.

To make it easier for people to contact the magazine, I thought you could forward my message to our Pro-Lifers.

The magazine can be found here:  http://www.gvparent.com/ 
The Planned Parenthood ad is on page 21, among all the other ads for pediatricians!

The contact form can be found here:  http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2cypz20fkyc1usb/a021beg0i0r2us/questions

Here is a sample message that people can write:

Dear PVG Magazine, I'm appalled to see that among all the ads for pediatricians in the area, you are running an advertisement for Planned Parenthood, the Nation's largest abortion provider.  As "Rochester's #1 Family Resource", how can you have an ad for abortion, the biggest attack on human life and destroyer of families?  Please remove this and any other ads from Planned Parenthood or other abortion providers from your magazine, it is highly offensive to many families.


God bless
Rick Paoletti

 

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IT HAS BEGUN!!!!

WHAT A KICKOFF RALLY.  SO AWESOME THE PRAISE & WORSHIP & TESTIMONIES & FOOD WERE OUT OF THIS WORLD & INTO THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.  GOD BE PRAISED!!! 

 

TO SAVE LIVES & SOULS. 

 

  

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 Just around the corner!

The 40 Days for Life campaign begins at 12:00 AM (midnight) Wednesday, September 23.  Be sure to sign up for the prayer vigil at the Planned Parentlhood at 114 University Ave using the scheduling tool on our website at www.40daysforlife.com/Rochester.  Let's try to get that first week filled up as soon as possible!  If you can't physically attend the vigil, please participate by prayer and fasting for an end to abortion.

Kickoff Rally

Please try to join us Tuesday September 22, at Our Lady of the Americas Church at 5:30 for the kickoff rally.   There will be a pot-luck dinner (bring a dish to pass), live music, inspirational speakers, and great fellowship with fellow pro-lifers.  Dinner will start at 6:00 and the program will start at 6;30.  Come when you can and stay as long as you can.  Please see the attached fliers (English and Spanish) and post where you can.

Focus Pregnancy Help Center needs your help

Our valued partner, the Focus Pregnancy Help Center, is in urgent need of funds to pay their bills and continue their critically important ministry.  Please donate what you can to help save babies' lives.  Mail donations to:
 
Focus Pregnancy Help Center
PO Box 25513
Rochester, NY 14625

God bless - see you on the street!
Rick Paoletti

 

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Continue our work for 'life'!

See below regarding two fundraisers and two kickoff events for 40 Days for Life.  The 40 days starts September 23rd!  Your support is greatly appreciated.  Please forward to anyone who may be interested.  Don't forget to visit our website at www.40daysforlife.com/rochester.

T-shirt sale
Let everyone know you're a 40 DFL prayer warrior in these great looking shirts.  Click on the attached file below for details.

Plant Sale and Garden Show
Pick up some beautiful plants and help the pro-life cause at the same time!  Click on the attached file below for details.

Praise for Life
You are invited!  This Sunday we are doing the Praise for Life @ the Shiloh Café in Geneseo.  It is a kick-off of praise and prayer for the '40 Days for Life'. Beth Walsh has done most of the planning along with Donna Mulvhill. It starts at 1:00 until late night. Please attend this event!

Cafe Shilohmaps.google.com

120 Main St
Geneseo, NY 14454-1230
(585) 243-3714

40 Days for Life Kickoff Event
Join us on the eve of the 40 days for inspiring speakers, great music, and a pot luck dinner.  No charge, but feel free to bring a dish to pass if you can.

Tuesday, September 22, 5:30 - 8:00 PM
Our Lady of the Americas church hall
864 Main St.
Rochester, NY

--
Rick Paoletti

 

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Hello, 

  

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Hello,

 Hello,

 Before sharing some really GOOD NEWS about this fall's
40 Days for Life campaign, let me be brutally honest
about the challenges we currently face.

Today, more than ever, we recognize the fact that
elections can have devastating consequences. The
current administration is doing everything in its
power to systematically advance the agenda of Planned
Parenthood and the abortion industry:

 * Hearings begin today for U.S. Supreme Court nominee
   SONIA SOTOMAYOR. Her record of abortion advocacy
   indicates that she would not only uphold abortion-
   on-demand through all nine months of pregnancy for
   any reason, but go further -- seeking to radically
   reinterpret the Constitution and enshrine abortion
   as a fundamental "right," eliminating more than 500
   state and federal abortion restrictions supported
   by the vast majority of American people...

 * Washington, D.C. bureaucrats are working with
   powerful abortion industry lobbyists to push for
   legislation mandating TAXPAYER-FUNDED ABORTIONS as
   part of a proposed healthcare takeover. These
   measures could also force medical providers to
   violate their consciences and perform abortions --
   or lose their jobs...

 * Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is trying to
   impose the administration's radical abortion agenda
   onto other countries through the UNITED NATIONS...

... And those are just a few of the most recent
attacks on innocent human life.

Mary, here's the bottom-line -- the solution to
the abortion crisis is NOT going to come from
Washington, D.C. any time soon.

It's clear that we must move aggressively forward and
work tirelessly to save lives where they are at the
greatest risk: right where we live.

And the GOOD NEWS is that the opportunity has never
been greater!

A recent Gallup poll documented that a majority of
Americans are pro-life -- with the highest level of
support in 15 years -- and only 4 out of 10 Americans
consider themselves "pro-choice" any longer.

Brand-new people are getting involved in pro-life
activities in record numbers all across the country
right now.

This is the moment to work together and ensure that
the fall 40 Days for Life campaign is the biggest and
most impactful pro-life mobilization in history!

To help determine if 40 Days for Life should happen in
your community from September 23 - November 1, here
are two great resources to get you started:

1.) Learn exactly what's involved in planning and
conducting a 40 Days for Life campaign in your city
this fall by downloading the 40 Days for Life  
"Campaign Overview Report" (in PDF format) at:

http://www.40daysforlife.com/docs/2009report.pdf

2.) See what a successful 40 Days for Life campaign
looks like -- and the kind of impact it can have -- by
watching the inspiring case study video of the 40 Days
for Life campaign in Fargo, North Dakota (that has
already been watched by 9,427 people):

http://www.40daysforlife.com/fargo.cfm

Mary, we begin accepting applications for this
fall's 40 Days for Life campaign on July 22.

Stay tuned for more updates over the next few days
about how YOU can help to end abortion as part of this
fall's initiative!

Yours For Life,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life

  

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Hello,

This message affects you directly --  it
could be of great benefit to your pregnancy resource
center, pro-life group, or other non-profit ministry
that raises support through a fundraising banquet.

Feel free to share this with any organization
it could help!

Ever since word got out that Shawn Carney (spring
campaign director) and I have helped to raise over
$21 million to further the missions of pregnancy
centers and pro-life groups, we've been inundated
with requests for fundraising advice.

Shawn and I have spoken at more than 100 fundraising
banquets and are constantly asked to share the system
we developed to grow the fundraising banquet income
from $24,350 to $312,964 for the local pro-life group
where 40 Days for Life began.

With the rapid growth of 40 Days for Life, we simply
haven't had time to provide one-on-one help for every
group that has asked for guidance.

But with the down economy and all that's at stake in
the pro-life movement right now, we decided to provide
organizations with a concise, downloadable report to
help increase the income at fundraising banquets ...

... And it's FREE!

Get it now at:

http://www.BanquetSuccess.com/specialreport

If you are involved in any way with a group that
raises support through a fundraising banquet, make
sure to download this report, read it, and share it
with others.

 

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Hello,

I know it is just the end of June but we are already thinking about 
our upcoming 40 Days for Life campaign here in Rochester in September 
(September 23rd - November 1st).  We want to make sure it is a great 
success and it can only happen with your help.

So, I have three small requests to make:

1)  Pray - please, pray for an end to abortion and for a successful 
40 Days for Life campaign here in Rochester.  Success to us would be 
that there are no more abortions taking place at 114 University Ave.  
That's our ultimate goal.  And we know we can't do it alone.  Only 
with the Grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord and the help of 
the Holy Spirit .  And that Grace and help comes through Jesus body - 
which is all of us.  When we come together and work together 
following His will, I know we will be able to accomplish it.  I 
really believe that we had a great campaign last Fall because of all 
of your prayers and participation.  I can't wait to see what God has 
in store for this Fall!!!

2)  Along these lines, as you start to pray, please consider the 
possibility of becoming a 40 Days for Life representative at your 
Church.  We would love to get many more Churches involved.  You don't 
have to do it by yourself.  Chances are that there are other people 
from your Church who participated in last year's campaign.  Let me 
know if you want to connect with them if you already haven't done 
so.  We would love to visit your Church to share more about the 40 
Days for Life campaign and what it means.

3) And last but not least, to sign up to do the 40 Days for Life with 
the National Campaign we have to pay a small fee ($197.00).  This is 
all they ask from the different campaigns and they provide all the 
training, tools, and many other things that make the local campaigns 
possible.  So, I know these are difficult times but we can use any 
help we can get.  Please send any checks made to the Focus Pregnancy 
Help Center (they are not-for-profit) and write in the Memo:  40 Days 
for Life 2009.  Their address is:  PO Box 25513, Rochester, NY 
14625.  Thank You!!!

One last thing!  We are always open to suggestions or ideas.  Feel 
free to send us your suggestions of things that we can do to help the 
campaign.  Also, if you feel God is calling you to do more, don't be 
afraid to ask.  There are plenty of opportunities to get engaged at 
different levels in our Pro-Life efforts.

Thank you so much for putting up with my emails for the last 9 
months.  I hope you haven't moved me to the Junk file yet.

God Bless,
Jose, Rochester, NY
 

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Greetings,

We've been hard at work behind the scenes over the
past few weeks, preparing for the fall 40 Days for
Life campaign and the Ending Abortion initiative
which will roll out later this summer.

Things are shaping up in a VERY exciting way!

All the while, reports like these continue to come in
from cities seeing strong ongoing pro-life involvement
following the spring 40 Days for Life campaign:

  AUSTIN, TX: "We are being blessed by God as He
  allows us to see lives spared from abortion because
  of our continuous efforts on the front lines. Just
  last Saturday as volunteers were praying peacefully
  on the sidewalk, one mother and daughter were
  leaving the abortion facility. As they spoke with a
  sidewalk counselor on the way out, the mother said:
  'My daughter is keeping her baby!' Praise God!"

  SPRINGFIELD, MA: "We seem to have had a significant
  impact on the amount of young women going into the
  building that day. Fridays are usually one of their
  busiest days, but it seemed much reduced. This is
  the largest turnout we've ever had here since
  Planned Parenthood has been at this location. This
  was in no small part due to the 40 Days for Life
  campaigns we've been having. What a joyful day!"

We've received many questions about the fall 40 Days
for Life campaign and have not been able to respond to
each message personally.

Let me try to address the most frequently asked
questions all at one time in this message by giving
you several updates about the fall campaign...

1. CAMPAIGN DATES

The fall 40 Days for Life campaign will be held from
September 23 - November 1.

2. APPLICATION PERIOD

We've locked down the time frame when you (or somebody
in your community) can apply to participate in the
fall campaign: July 22 through July 31. Mark your
calendar with those dates to ensure that 40 Days for
Life happens in your town this fall -- and stay tuned
for more specific details over the coming weeks.

3. MORE INFO ABOUT 40 DAYS FOR LIFE

To get a complete overview of everything that's
involved in conducting a 40 Days for Life in your
city, you can download the free 34-page 2009 Campaign
Overview Report in PDF format at:

http://www.40daysforlife.com/docs/2009report.pdf

4. PLEASE PRAY

Mary, we've NEVER seen as much early interest and
enthusiasm about a 40 Days for Life as we are seeing
related to the upcoming fall campaign.

Please pray that God's will is done as we all prepare
for this effort. Who knows? He may have bigger things
in store for this fall than any of us expect!

Yours for Life,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life


If you've ever been to the March for Life -- or just
want to thank a pro-life stalwart for her decades of
selfless dedication -- please take a minute to send a
note of thanks to Nellie at: 

  Miss Nellie Gray
  515 6th ST SE
  Washington, DC 20003

 

Before giving you the latest update of where we stand
on the matching challenge, I want you to look at an
INCREDIBLE picture at:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=237

That's me on the left with baby Jakai in the middle.

His mother, who is holding him in the picture, was
walking in to have an abortion at the abortion center
in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania when Karen -- pictured on
the right -- was standing outside for her first time
after getting involved with 40 Days for Life.

Karen, a post-abortive woman herself, was holding a
sign that said, "My Abortion Hurt Me." She reached
out, offering compassionate help...

...And the mom stopped in her tracks, deciding not to
go through with the abortion.

They say that a picture's worth a thousand words.

Well, this photograph documents just one of the 1,561
babies who have been saved by 40 Days for Life -- and
the faithfulness of one of the 215,000 volunteers who
have participated in this effort across 240 cities.

And Jakai has a very special significance to me,
because he is the first (and only) baby I have
personally met who is alive due to 40 Days for Life.

After visiting more than 150 of the 40 Days for Life
sites over the last 21 months, I had not been blessed
to meet a baby who was saved as a result of 40 Days
for Life efforts...

...Until April 2 -- three days before the end of this
spring's 40 Days for Life.

God is so good!

If you haven't already, I pray that one day soon you
can also have the experience of meeting a child who is
alive because of YOUR faithful participation in these
efforts. It makes every challenge worth it!!

OK, I promised to let you know how we're doing with
the matching challenge. As I am writing this, 339
generous people have helped to raise ** $41,605 **
toward the $50,000 matching challenge!

Some gifts are still coming in the mail, so I'm sure
the total is a bit higher than that, but I knew you'd
want to know just HOW CLOSE we are.

We're trying to catch up with the big wave of new
donations, so if you've already made your gift to
40 Days for Life, THANK YOU!!

If you haven't yet, the deadline for your donation to
be instantly DOUBLED is tonight (Friday) at midnight
if you're giving online by credit card, or it must be
postmarked by today if you're mailing it in.

To make a one-time gift (that will be doubled):

http://40daysforlife.com/donate.cfm?selected=onetime

To make a monthly pledge (the annualized amount will
be doubled):

http://40daysforlife.com/donate.cfm?selected=monthly

If you prefer to mail your gift -- postmarked by today
so it can be doubled -- send it to:

  40 Days for Life   
  3515-B Longmire #316  
  College Station, TX 77845  
 
This is simply AMAZING -- you are on the verge of
helping 40 Days for Life raise close to $100,000 in
just 72 hours...

...Just think how this will accelerate our unified
efforts to end abortion!

Thank you SO MUCH, and keep praying!!

In Christ,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life

P.S.- Want to hear what influential leaders across
every part of the pro-life movement are saying about
the importance of expanding the work of 40 Days for
Life? Watch the brand-new 11-minute video at the
bottom of this web page:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=237

 

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FYI - 

 

 

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 Greetings,

 

 

Action Items

Rick stressed the need to get the word out about the kickoff rally and for the team to sign up on the scheduling tool to fill as many slots as possible in the first week.

 Items we need to purchase:

• 1000 bulletin inserts arrived and are being distributed.

 

Fundraising Ideas:

• Fundraising e-mail has been sent out and Evan has added T-shirt and plant sale ads to the website – thanks Evan.

 

• Elaine reported that the button making machine has arrived. The only thing she lacks is the artwork for the logo. Evan will re-create the logo and send to Elaine.

 

Bake sale at St. Pio’s Chapel.during September 26/27 festival – This will not be persued.

Music items:

• Rick will double check with Jose about the need for a permit to have music in the Kaizen Direct parking lot.

• Kickoff rally music - Beth reported that Crystal Jackel will be singing at the kickoff rally. Mike Kristan offered to look into getting help with the sound system. The backup plan will be to use the same mic and speaker we used last yeat. Rick will check with Jose about getting this from St. Leo's.

 

Victory Celebration permit – no change

 

Additional e-mail contacts – Elaine has contacted Muriel Trunfio about sending out an ad for 40 DFL to her distribution list.

 

Kickoff Rally – Chris Doyle reported that arrangements for the kickoff rally are progressing well and at least three speakers have been lined up.

 

God bless,
Rick Paoletti
 

 

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Rochester Task Force

Meeting Minutes – September 8, 2009

 

Items we need to purchase:

• 1000 bulletin inserts are due to arrive Wed., Sept. 9. Rick will get some of them (500) who will get them to Beth for her to distribute. Rick will also get inserts to those who have requested them to go door to door.

Fundraising Ideas:

• Beth received prices for T-shirts from DePaul. (7.65 ea. for 50 blue shirts) Drew has forwarded the 40DFL logo to DePaul and asked if it will be sufficient resolution. Mack from “My Craft and Gift Concept” visited our meeting and informed us that a white T-shirt with any logo would cost us $7.50 ea. A blue shirt would cost $9.50. In discussing this issue with Jose after the meeting, we thought the best path forward would be to offer both white and blue shirts both with the same “40 Days for Life” logo. We would order the blue shirts from DePaul and the white shirts from Mack. We would charge 10.00 for both. Rick will put together an e-mail advertising the T-shirts.

• Elaine announced that she has put up her own money to purchase a button making machine. She has also purchased more bracelets and bumper stickers. Elaine will put together bags with one button, one bracelet and a prayer card for sale at the kickoff event. Bumper stickers will also be offered individually at the event. Initial proceeds from these items will go to Elaine until she has recovered her cost. All subsequent sales will go to the 40 DFL account. Thank you Elaine!

Confirm Evan as webmaster; - Evan Wormsbecher attended the meeting and has agreed to help upgrade the local website. Items we would like to add include an announcement for the kickoff event, a T-shirt sale ad, and the ability to download bulletin announcements and pulpit announcements. Rick will contact Evan to get this started.

Bake sale at St. Pio’s Chapel.during September 26/27 festival - No change. Elaine will follow up and report at our next meeting.

Music items:

• Jose received word from the owner of Kaizen Direct that he is willing to let us use his parking lot during non-business hours. Rick will send out an inquiry about loaning us a generator and possibly a truck to put Beth’s keyboard on. Alternative is to possibly use a tent.

• Kickoff rally music - Beth to contact David Bullard about playing at kickoff.

Victory Celebration permit – Jose is following up on obtaining the permit for the celebration at Susan B. Anthony square.

Additional e-mail contacts – Elaine will contact Muriel Trunfio to see if she will send out an ad for 40 DFL to her distribution list.

Kickoff Rally – Chris Doyle stopped by after the Social Justice Committee meeting at Our Lady of the Americas to inform us that the committee is very supportive of 40 DFL and is willing to sponsor our kickoff rally. Rick will contact David Shoemaker about giving his testimony at the kickoff rally.

Contact list:

• Mary Jost:

         Holy Spirit Parish

         Our Lady of Victory Parish

         St. John Fisher College Student Ministry

         St. Louis

         St. John of Rochester

• Martha Malone:

          St. Theodore’s Parish

•  Elaine Mullaly:

           St. Christopher’s Parish

•  Rick Paoletti:

           St. John the Evangelist (Greece) 

           St. Charles

           St. Lawrence

           Holy Name

           St. Mark's

•  Jose Rivera:

          St. Leo’s Parish

•  Lee Strong

          St. Helen’s Parish committed to posting.

          Announcement to WHIC Catholic Radio in Rochester

          Article for Catholic Courier.

          Posting at Alpha & Omega Bookstore

     St. Felix

• Beth Welsh

         Mt. Zion

         Shema

         New Testament Christian

         Abundant Life

         WLI

• Bill Fleming

Blessed Sacrament

• Pat Galante

 

      Guardian Angels

 

The next meeting will be Tuesday September 15th at Focus

Pregnancy Center at 6:30 PM.

 

God Bless.
--
Rick Paoletti

  

   

THANK YOU RICK for agreeing to be this Fall's campaign leader/coordinator!!!!

My updates re the 9/22 Kick-Off are as follows:

  

Elaine M. is asking St Christopher's Deacon John Cunningham, a staunch pro-life husband and father of 6, to speak at the rally.  Sue W. invited Fr. Jim Hewes who encouraged us to invite another person since he gave the Jan. '09 retreat talks and thought we'd benefit from another person's presentation...but will  attend if we need him.  Jose, Bruno and I are attending teh Our Lady of the America's Social Justice Committee Meeting on 9/8/08 (Our Lady's Birthday) at 7 pm to thank them for sponsoring us in the past and mostly to try to encourage participation from their recentlyclustered parish community.  They are technically "sponsoring" 40 DFL which prevents us from having to pay $100 to use their church hall. I  will come to the 9/8 planning meeting at Focus PHC right from Our Lady of the Americas and provide a status report.

Beth is working with several groups for music for the kick off rally.  The tentative schedule for kick off is:

5:30 start time,

Introductions to 40 DFL and Blessing of Food

Shared Meal - Dish to pass

Speaker

Music -Praise and worship   ( the order will depend on each person's or group's availability)

Personal Testimony(ies)

Q/A  

Sign up  for Vigil Hours and possible online schedule sign up demo

Reports/Announcements

Closing Prayer

Clean Up

?Begn Vigil at midnight or 7AM on 9/23

 

PLEASE  offer your input, suggestions, etc.

God bless you all and many thanks for committing to this critical campaign.

  

  

God Bless,

Christine Doyle, Rochester, NY

 

  

Rochester Task Force

Meeting Minutes - August 25, 2009

Action Items

Items we need to purchase:

• Due to our limited funds, it was decided that we will purchase $100 worth of door hangers. We have received emails from people who are willing to go door to door and need handouts. Post meeting note: after examining the ad for the door hangers, and seeing how little information is on them, Rick decided instead to purchase 1000 bulletin inserts which were on sale this week for about half the price of the door hangers.

Fundraising Ideas:

Beth received prices for T-shirts from DePaul. (7.65 ea. for 50 shirts) We are still waiting for quotes from Mack. Janet will follow up. When we know the price, we will be sending out an email to offer them for sale. Drew Kingsley will follow up getting high resolution graphic for the t-shirts.

Campaign buttons – Anne LeBlanc reported that the used machine is not available. Jose will follow up with the source in Buffalo where he obtained them last year. Elaine will also pursue another source

Verify availability of button to accept donations on website – Jose confirmed that the button is working.

Confirm Evan as webmaster; - Evan Wormsbecher has agreed to help us as webmaster.

Bake sale at St. Pio’s Chapel.during September 26/27 festival - Elaine will follow up and report at our next meeting.

Music items:

We will not be allowed to have amplified music on the sidewalk per the city. Other possibilities are:

• Music on Kaizen Direct parking lot. - Jose to follow up with owner. Post meeting note – Jose received word from the owner that he IS willing to let us use his parking lot during non-business hours.

• Music on Focus parking lot – Mary, do we need permission from plaza owner?

• Kickoff rally music - Beth to contact Chris Doyle to see what is needed.

Midpoint rally – Beth to follow up with Chris Doyle on providing music at kickoff rally.

Victory Celebration permit – Jose is following up on obtaining the permit for the celebration at Susan B. Anthony square.

Submit article to The Good News Rochester – Has this been submitted?

Kickoff Rally – The Social Justice Committee at Our Lady of the Americas will be meeting on September 8 and will decide whether to pick up our insurance cost for the Kickoff Rally.

 

Rochester, '40 Days for Life'

    

Greetings,

As Jose mentioned in his last note, he will be stepping down as leader of the Rochester 40 DFL campaign to return to school and I , Rick Paoletti will be taking his place.  We will be using the same email address as before so please be aware that I also will be reading any mail sent to this address. 

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the tremendous job Jose Rivera has done in bringing 40 Days for Life to Rochester.  On behalf of the entire 40 DFL community, I would like to thank him for the leadership he has shown in taking a significant step to reduce abortions and raise awareness of this issue in the Rochester area.  Fortunately, Jose will still be participating in this very important effort as his schedule allows.

The 40 days start on September 23rd - a little over 3 weeks away!  Stay tuned for details on the kickoff event on September 22nd.  The attached meeting notes (thanks Elane) from the August 23rd meeting illustrates that there is much to do in that time. 

• First of all, we need many prayers that peoples' hearts will be changed to recognize the dignity of every unborn child.
• Second we need financial support.  Please donate whatever God is leading you to do by sending your check to:

• Third, If you don't see your church mentioned in the meeting notes as one which someone has signed up to submit a bulletin article and/or insert, please volunteer to be that contact person for your church.  Just reply to this note to let us know you will be doing that so we don't "double contact" any churches.
  

• Fourth , get familiar with our website at www.40daysforlife.com/Rochester.  Please become familiar with the "Vigil Schedule" feature which will allow you to list the time you plan on attending the vigil.  This will greatly help the planning team insure that all possible slots are filled without making unnecessary phone calls.

God bless you,

Rick Paoletti, Rochester, NY

  

Greetings,

We'll be having a 40 Days for Life planning meeting tomorrow, Monday August 25th, at 6:30pm at Focus Pregnancy Help Center - 86 University Ave.  I hope everyone has had a chance to do their homework of approaching their Churches and asking them to put the 40 Days for Life information in bulletins or newsletters for the weekends of Sept. 13th and 20th.

 

Also, Rick Paoletti has graciously accepted to take the lead role for this Fall's campaign here in Rochester while I go back to school (assuming I'm still able to learn something!).  Rick has been a very active member of the 40 Days for Life planning team since last year and spent many hours at the vigil site during last Fall campaign.  No, I'm not disappearing; I just want to make sure the Campaign is given the attention it deserves.  

 

Please, even if you can't make the meetings, consider volunteering to help with some of the aspects of the campaign to help make light work for everyone.  As always, keep praying for an end to abortion and for a successful campaign.

 

Come and join us tomorrow if you can!

 

God Bless,

Jose, Rochester, NY

 

Hello,

We had a great meeting yesterday.  Thanks to all who came!

 

Christine is moving things along for the Kick-off event.  Details are:

September 22nd

From 5:30pm to 9:00pm

Our Lady of the Americas - 864 E. Main St (Activity hall in the basement)

 

Beth is trying to arrange with Al Paris to provide Live Worship music.  Christine is going to check with Fr. Jim Hewes as a speaker.  Thanks to Christine for taking the lead on this event!

By the next meeting (8/25), the following people will contact the Churches/organizations listed next to their names and invite them to participate in 40 Days for Life and at least request to include the flyer or information in their bulletin for the weekends of 9/13 & 9/20:

Christine Doyle - St Joseph's - Penfield
Anne LeBlanc - Holy Name of Jesus
Beth Welsh - Abundant Grace
Mary Jost - Our Lady of Victory
Pat Galante - Guardian Angels - Henrietta
Martha Malone - St. Theodore's, St. Jude
Bill Fleming - Blessed Sacrament
Elaine Mullaly - St. Christopher's
Jose E. Rivera - St. Leo, St. Leo KofC Council

THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM FOR EVERYONE!  Please, if you are not on the list above, consider contacting your church or another church or organization by next Tuesday.  If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me.  Attached is the sample bulletin and pulpit announcements.  Use them as you see fit.

 

We decided to order the 40 Days for Life brochure to help spread the word.  It really is a nice complement to the flyer.  I'm hoping to have them available by next Tuesday for people to take with them.

 

Please, visit our website (www.40daysforlife.com/rochester) and our Vigil Calendar tool (www.vigilcalendar.com/rochester) and see if they need any changes.  If you know the dates you want to participate for the vigil, try signing up to make sure things are working well.  Any suggestions or changes, let me know.  If you have any problems with the calendar tool, we need to know now so they can be fixed before we start asking people to sign up.

 

As always, please let me know if I forgot something.  Thanks to all for your prayers and support!

  

God Bless,

Jose, in Rochester, NY

   

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Hello,

It is amazing to see how this campaign continues to grow every time.  

 We met last Tuesday and started the planning.  September 23rd is coming very quickly!  We want to start by asking everyone to identify the family and friends, Churches and organizations that you may want to approach to invite them to participate.  Use the attached Overview (corrected from before) as a reference.  You can visit the main website for other information (www.40daysforlife.com).  Make sure you have practiced what you are going to say.  If you can get people just to sign the petition card to pray (they don't have to sign up for vigil hours), that would be a great start.  

  

208, that's the number of cities participating in the 40 Days for Life campaign this Fall!  Wow!  (Remember, there were about 175 cities in the fall of 2008).

   

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