Scottish Catholic Observer

Sean Cairney flew in from Texas in the US ahead of the first Scottish iteration of the 40 Days for Life, a campaign he co-founded nearly 15 years ago. Mr Cairney (above centre) said that he has seen the organisation grow from a single event to hundreds all over the world.

“It’s based on a simple and beautiful message,” the father-of-five said. “Children are good!”

He added that over the years he had seen many people who used to work in abortion clinics come over to support the 40 Days for Life campaign.

He warned the activists present that their vigil in Scotland, which began on Ash Wednesday, would not be easy. “You will be misquoted, misrepresented and misunderstand,” he said. “It won’t be easy but know there will be people around the world praying for you.”

The international director for 40 Days for Life also addressed those present. Englishman Robert Colquhon (above right) said he had see huge progress since stating the first vigil of this kind in the UK five years ago. He stressed that the Glasgow vigil was a campaign organised by Scottish activists and inspired by the climate here.

Rose Docherty (above left), campaign director for Scotland, said it had been a ‘massive task’ to get everything ready but that the response had been ‘phenomenal.’

On Tuesday pro-abortion activist held a rally outside the Scottish Parliament condemning the 40 Days for Life vigil in Scotland. In another development, it emerged that the Labour Party was planning to use the House of Lords to delay the devolution of abortion law to Scotland.

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— Pic: Paul McSherry

—This story ran in full in the February 12 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.