As the US Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion marked its 40th year this year, directors of the growing 40 Days for Life ministry compiled a book recounting 40 stories linked to this program.

David Bereit, national director, Shawn Carney, campaign director, with Cindy Lambert, co-authored the book.

"'40 Days for Life' tells the stories of hearts changed, babies and mothers spared, secrets from inside the abortion industry, and thriving abortion facilities shutting down for good," the authors explained in a statement.

The ministry works by organizing a 40-day prayer and fasting campaign outside of abortion clinics.

There have been 11 coordinated 40 Days for Life campaigns since 2007. These efforts have brought together people across all 50 of the United States, Canada, Australia, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Argentina, Armenia, Belize, Denmark, Georgia, Germany, Poland, Puerto Rico, Spain and Uganda.

"In the 40 years since the Roe v. Wade decision, abortion has become the leading cause of death, ending the lives of more than 42 million children each year worldwide and harming millions of women – and men," said a statement from the ministry. "In 2004, one hour of prayer in Texas launched the groundbreaking 40 Days for Life movement that has seen 6,749 babies spared from abortion, 74 abortion workers have a change of heart and quit their jobs, and 25 abortion centers close."

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On the Net:

The ministry: www.40DaysForLife.com

To order the book: www.amazon.com/40-Days-Life-Discover-Done-Imagine/dp/0988287021/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361482741&sr=1-1&keywords=40+days+for+life&tag=zenit0a-20

Justice, Prudence, and Immigration Reform

The Catholic commitment to the dignity of the immigrant comes from exactly the same roots as our commitment to the dignity of the unborn child.  Any Catholic who truly understands his or her faith knows that the right to life precedes and creates the foundation for every other human right.  There’s no getting around the priority of that fundamental right to life. But being “prolife” also means that we need to make laws and social policies that will care for those people already born that no one else will defend.