The 48th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision was on Friday, January 22, 2021. On that day, I took my kids to the Planned Parenthood (PP) located at 15707 Farmington Rd in Livonia to pray a rosary for the mommies contemplating an abortion and their babies. It was not the first time we prayed together at an abortion clinic, as my then 9-year-old daughter had previously asked for us to pray at a different abortion clinic when she learned there would be a priest there praying with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance. That had been a truly beautiful and prayerful experience, and I felt it opened me up to listening to the Lord when He asked me to initiate a prayerful presence at another abortion clinic, one very close to my home. 

   And so, after praying on what God wanted my kids and I to do as part of our “Friday morning works of mercy,” I felt called to start praying at the Livonia PP on that cold, wintry January 22nd. Ever since, my three kids and I have been praying a rosary every Friday morning at 10:15 AM at that location, sometimes with others, and sometimes with just the four of us. I don’t know what all God is doing with this spiritual work of mercy that we do every Friday, but I have no doubts that He wants us to do it. I have no idea how many hearts have been touched and/or changed by our prayerful presence, but I can’t help but believe that there is a powerful message of love sent by a mother praying with her children for other mothers and their children, even if they don’t see themselves as mothers. I have no idea if we have or ever will actually save any babies, but I do know that we have seen cars turn away and others leave the parking lot shortly after arriving. Those who have previously worked for Planned Parenthood and who are now leaders in the pro-life cause attest that there is a 75% no-show rate when there are people praying outside the clinic. I can’t help but hear that statistic and feel that it is actually possible to save a life each time we pray at a Planned Parenthood clinic for 30 min. 

   I share these reflections to invite anyone who might feel called to join us to pray a rosary on Friday mornings at 10:15. Pray on it, and see if it is something the Lord might be calling you to do, even if you had never thought of doing it before. If you can’t pray on Friday mornings and are thinking of trying but would like a “prayer partner” at a different day or time, let me know, and I’d be happy to see if there is a time that would work for both you and/or your family and my family to meet. We often pray a second rosary at this PP any week we find another friend or family to join us. Feel free to contact me either by phone or text at (734)674-5896 or by email at ajturbiak@gmail.com for more details, questions, concerns, etc.

Anjanette Turbiak