Beginning today … Sept. 26th — the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil in Rockland is taking place on Perlman Drive in Spring Valley, outside the mall where the Planned Parenthood office is located. Supporters are invited to come & to pray each day beginning Sept. 26th through Nov. 4th, 2018.

The 40 Days for Life is an international, interfaith movement whose goal is to end abortion through prayer, fasting, and community outreach. Volunteers come to a designated prayer site to pray for the victims of abortion, those harmed by it, for those involved in the abortion industry, and for all who strive to defend life. The prayer goes on 24/7 for 40 days. 40 Days for Life has been done in 741 cities and 47 countries.

In Rockland, the prayer site is on Perlman Drive in Spring Valley from 9 am to 5 pm every day, and then prayer continues through the night at the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel at St. Gregory Barbarigo Church in Garnerville. The vigil will go on for 40 Days and end on Nov. 4th.

Volunteers are always needed. If you can commit to one hour a week, please call 845-492-6709 or email rachelminister1@aol.com. And, as they say, “walk-ins” are always welcome. If you have an hour to spare, come on down. You may pray in any manner you choose. Be assured this is a peaceful event, held on public property.

…  not everyone is able to stand vigil … but hopefully, you can be a prayer warrior engaged in what is truly spiritual “prayerful … hand-to-hand combat” in this fight to defend life.

Pastor of St. Gregory Barbarigo Church Fr. Joseph LaMorte speaks to the eighth graders of Rockland’s Catholic elementary schools at the Rose Mass for Life.

Jan 19 — The Rockland Region of Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of New York hosted the annual eighth-grade Rose Mass for Life on Friday, Jan. 19, at St. Gregory Barbarigo Church in Garnerville. It was attended by students from Sacred Heart School in Suffern, St. Anthony’s School in Nanuet, St. Margaret of Antioch School in Pearl River, St. Paul School in Valley Cottage, and St. Gregory’s School.

The mass is held each year to coincide with the March for Life in Washington, D.C. The sacredness God’s gift of life is symbolized by the long-stemmed red roses, which the students bring to decorate the sanctuary.

The homily was delivered by Rev. Joseph P. Lamorte, pastor of St. Gregory’s. He told the eighth graders that they were the “prolife generation,” and he was full of hope that when they were adults, their efforts to overturn the legalization of abortion would be their great gift to society.

Fr. Lamorte concelebrated the mass with pastors Rev. Matthew Furey (Sacred Heart Church), Rev. Joseph  Deponai (St. Anthony’s Church), Rev. Eric Raaser (St. Margaret’s Church)  asst. pastor Roman Palecko (St. Paul and St. Ann Parish), and pastor Rev. William Cosgrove (St. Augustine’s Church in New City).

Music was provided by the Barbarigo Student Chorus, led by director David Christian Azarow.

Attending the mass were several adult prolife supporters from around the county who were unable to attend the March for Life in Washington.

Concelebrating the Rose Mass for Life were (left to right): Fr. Bill Cosgrove, Fr. Roman Palecko, Fr. Matthew Furey, Fr. Joseph LaMorte, Fr. Jerry Deponai, and Fr. Eric Raaser

Rockland Right to Life Co-Founders Jeanmarie Grahn and Margaret Fitton at the 2017 Vigil for Life.

July 4 —  Independence Day 2017 was marked by the annual Vigil for Life at the Marian Shrine in West Haverstraw.

The morning included the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, the recitation of the Rosary and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Mass was celebrated by Fr. Nicholas Callahan, assisted by Deacon Bob Pang of St. John’s in Piermont.

The vigil was co-sponsored by the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants and the Rockland County Catholic Coalition.

Fr. Nicholas Callahan and Eileen Peterson.