Can you pray today? Saturday is the busiest abortion day of the week. Sign up to pray now: 40daysforlife.com/locations

John,

The defunding of Planned Parenthood has made a seismic impact on America's abortion landscape, closing dozens of the abortion empire's facilities--with more to come.

But why did the government get into the business of giving Planned Parenthood hundreds of millions of dollars a year in the first place?

The answer to that question is even more sinister than you might expect. 

On this episode of The 40 Days for Life Podcast, we trace the strange sequence of events that led the United States to start shelling out big bucks to America's leading abortion chain:

Tune in by clicking the image or visiting:

40daysforlife.com/origins-pp-tax-funding

We cover:

• The now-discredited moral panic that instigated the feverish push to distribute contraceptives as widely as possible;

• How public funding of "family planning" services led to mass forced sterilization of minorities and the poor;

• A largely forgotten government report that ushered in federal funding for Planned Parenthood...as well as some of the worst abuses of the sexual revolution.

Danville, Illinois

Jill is hosting her first 40 Days for Life vigil in front of an about-to-open abortion facility in the Prairie State.

Abortion businesses have flocked to Illinois since the fall of Roe v. Wade to take advantage of the abortion "sanctuary" state's extraordinarily liberal abortion laws.

The good news--largely unreported in the media--is that the number of abortions in Illinois actually DROPPED last year.

"There was a ton of traffic," Jill said of the number of passersby during her first vigil hour. "So I had my ladies waving like prom queens."

Vigil participation is growing.

"It is so incredibly gratifying to see my vision coming to fruition--people praying outside of the proposed abortion facility in Danville, armed with business cards to direct anyone to our local pregnancy resource center," Jill noted. 

Wexford, Ireland

Pro-lifers in Wexford are also holding their first 40 Days for Life vigil at a busy intersection near a hospital.

The local campaign team reports a positive response from the community.

Ireland continues to reel from a 2018 referendum in which nearly two-thirds of the electorate voted to deny unborn children their right to life...but pro-lifers are not backing down.

"There is a spiritual battle for the hearts and minds of people," said John, the Wexford campaign leader. "We will win this battle by praying, fasting, and public witness. Hail, rain, or shine, we must make a stand for the unborn and their mothers."

And a voice came from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

--Matthew 3:17

Dear God, you are a good and gracious father. Help us to stand firm in our identity as your sons and daughters so that we might share your love with everyone we encounter. Heal the wounds caused by our shortcomings and the shortcomings of others. We pray that every parent and child might know that you love them more than anyone else in the world ever can. Amen.

For life,

Shawn Carney

President & CEO, 40 Days for Life