Jan. 22 marks the 47th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.

Since that legalization of abortion on demand more than 61 million innocent babies have lost their lives.

The good news is that in the last few years the number of abortions have been slowly but steadily declining.

When Pro-Life Natchez/Adams County first began holding our annual prayer vigil more than 10 years ago the rate was 143 abortions per hour performed in the United States.

As of the most recent statistics (from the Centers for Disease Control and the Guttmacher Institute), that rate has dropped to approximately 98 abortions per hour, so we are at least moving in the right direction.
Once again Pro-life Natchez/Adams County will hold our annual Vigil at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

If the weather is good, we will meet at the Gazebo. If it is cold and windy we will meet in the Grand Hotel. Local pastors taking part in leading prayer will include Father Scott Thomas from St. Mary Basilica, Rev. Bo Swilley from Community Chapel Church of God, Pastor Paul Southerland from Highland Baptist Church, and Pastor Rajesh Behara, Associate Pastor at Parkway Baptist Church.

We will pray for mothers and babies; for lawmakers; for workers in the abortion industry; and for our nation. We will also pray for safe travels for the group from Natchez who will be participating in the March for Life in Washington D.C. that day. Our prayer service will also include a memorial tribute to Mrs. Virginia O’Beirne, the founder of Pro-Life Natchez/Adams County, who passed away last summer.
We hope you will join us on Wednesday to unite in prayer concerning this important issue.

Ruth Powers, Pro-Life Natchez/Adams County

Vidalia resident