By James Feichtner
It is said that there is strength in numbers, but even more so in collective good will. This is exactly the idea that fuels the second annual Fishers Life Chain event. Joining approximately 1,500 cities across the United States and Canada, Life Chain is an international prayer vigil inviting residents to spread awareness on the topic of abortion.
“It is a peaceful, prayerful hour of prayer for a greater respect for all life and it is going on at that same time all across the United States, and I believe in Canada as well,” Life Chain supporter Rosie Zutkulak said. “It falls on the first Sunday of October which is considered Respect Life Sunday at the Catholic church.”
The goal for Life Chain is to help spread awareness regarding abortion, which supporter Mike Sheek believes is important as it is a difficult subject to discuss.
“Really it’s advocating for the support of life and I think bringing awareness to it, because it’s a topic that a lot of people are uncomfortable talking about it,” Sheek said. “A lot of people don’t want to talk about it with friends or family and if someone disagrees with somebody it can be kind of contentious. I think no more than ever it is just really good to bring awareness because it just starts conversation between people.”
Life Chain has been occurring on the same day internationally for almost three decades. While it first appeared in downtown Indianapolis in 1991, other areas across the state began organizing their own to participate. This year will mark the second Life Chain in Fishers. So far it has had good feedback according to Zutkulak.
“It started off originally in downtown Indianapolis and it is still done there on Meridian Street,” Zutkulak said. “Then it began to become more common up here in the suburbs because there a lot of people who couldn’t make the drive (to Indy). We just started this one in Fishers and we have had a great response.”
Both Zutkulak and Sheek are members of St. Louis De Montfort Catholic Church, but said that the event is for any and everyone who wants to participate.
“Everyone is welcome; all denominations, all faiths, people of no faiths,” Zutkulak said. “Whoever feels they want to stand up for the unborn and we’re grateful for whoever may come and for those who come by to show support.”
Life Chain isn’t the only pro-life event going on in Fishers. Another international event that will be taking place consistently throughout the month of October is 40 Days for Life. For 40 days, individuals take turns praying every hour between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. outside of 579 abortion and Planned Parenthood clinics in 30 countries. 40 Days for Life in Fishers began on Sept. 26 and will take place at the Fishers Planned Parenthood center at 8937 Technology Dr. until Nov. 1.
Those interested can sign up online for a time to pray. Sheek said that he and his wife hope to participate in 40 Days for Life at least once a week, but the object is to always have someone there praying.
“What they have is an online sign up. My wife and I will sign up. We’re going to try to do it one hour once a week for the 40 days. People can sign up, they can show up, but they want to try to make sure they have at least one person there the whole time.”
To ensure that the campaign stays non-violent, everyone participating must agree to a statement of peace, requiring all participants to act in a non-violent or non-disruptive manner.
This year’s 40 Days for Life focuses on prayer for those who have been through an abortion and may be struggling mentally as a result.
“The other thing we want to make sure we are praying for when we are there is those people who have already been through the abortion, whether they are women or men,” Zutkulak said. “This particular 40 Days for Life in Fishers we are focusing on hope and healing after abortion. We don’t want our presence there to be something that’s causing them more pain and hurt.”
Indiana Abortion Facts
- 110,800 of the 1,287,120 women of reproductive age became pregnant in 2011. 76 percent of these pregnancies resulted in live births and 9 percent in induced abortions.
- Abortions in Indiana represent 0.9 percent of all abortions in the United States.
- In 2011, 93 percent of Indiana counties had no abortion clinic. 61 percent of Indiana women lived in these counties.
- Indiana law requires parental consent for girls under 18-years of age to get an abortion.
- Abortion counselors must inform a woman considering abortion about the ability to see an ultrasound image of her baby and the ability to hear her baby’s heartbeat.
Sources: Indianarighttolife.com, Guttmacher.org
