Pro-life Catholics plan to open a special chapel near North Dakota’s only abortion clinic to pray for women with an unexpected pregnancy, to pray in reparation for the sin of abortion and for the conversion of those who participate in abortion.
Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo gave permission to establish the Visitation Chapel in the Gibb Building at 502 First Ave. N., next door to the Red River Women’s Clinic.
“We believe prayer is so powerful and what we’re engaged in is a spiritual battle,” Rachelle Sauvageau, director of the diocese’s Respect Life Office, told The Forum newspaper.
The chapel fills the third floor of the building and its windows overlook the clinic. It has an altar as well as chairs and sacred art.
It will be named after the Visitation to represent the joy and the gratitude of the Virgin Mary and St. Elizabeth for the gift of new human life, according to the Fargo diocesan newspaper New Earth.
Both Mary and Elizabeth found themselves pregnant unexpectedly, and both women turned to God with confidence in his will.
“They recognized that the life within them is willed by their heavenly Father and that every life has a particular meaning and purpose within God’s plan for salvation,” the diocese said.
The diocese’s newspaper described abortion as “the crucial social justice of our day.” Offering Mass and exposing the Blessed Sacrament in close proximity to the abortion clinic will help “make Christ present to all those who are caught in the lie of abortion.”
The diocese encouraged people to be present to those who are entering the abortion facility on Wednesdays, the day the clinic performs abortions. “Your public presence and prayer outside the abortion facility is extremely important and a powerful witness to those entering the facility.”
Lay Catholics Kyle and Tara Newman had written Bishop Aquila to request the chapel. They will work with the diocese’s Respect Life Office in the chapel apostolate, though diocesan funds do not support the chapel’s maintenance.
The diocese encouraged clergy and the faithful to join in prayer at the chapel when they are in the Fargo area and to sign up to spend time in Eucharistic adoration from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Mass will be offered weekly on Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m., followed by Eucharistic adoration. Benediction is scheduled at 3:45 p.m. and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be prayed at 3 p.m.
