Cheltenham Street Vigil
6 April 2011
David Burke reports from Cheltenham for cliftondiocese.com.
Sitting in her yellow oilskins outside Cheltenham General Hospital Anne Harriss, from St Gregory the Great parish, is pictured during her 40 day pro life vigil. Anne, who will be 64 in April, is a French Canadian who now lives in Cheltenham.
Anne explained that the 40 day vigil started a few years ago in the USA and has now spread to Australia, Spain, Britain and other countries with the vigil being held this year in 247 towns and cities throughout the world.
Aiming for 40 days of prayer and fasting, peaceful vigil and community outreach Anne has been joined by passers by and parishioners. Some want a chat, some ask questions about abortion and some sit quietly and pray.
“Do you get any negative reaction?” I asked, “Well, some people passing in cars do wind down their windows and say some not very nice things” smiled Anne “but it's part of being in a public place and you just accept that”.
Sandford Road in Cheltenham is a busy thoroughfare with heavy traffic and a big footfall of patients and visitors going to Cheltenham General Hospital. Across the road is the playing field of Cheltenham College and its pupils are constantly walking to their lessons from their boarding houses.
David Burke
David Burke reports from Cheltenham for cliftondiocese.com.
Sitting in her yellow oilskins outside Cheltenham General Hospital Anne Harriss, from St Gregory the Great parish, is pictured during her 40 day pro life vigil. Anne, who will be 64 in April, is a French Canadian who now lives in Cheltenham.
Anne explained that the 40 day vigil started a few years ago in the USA and has now spread to Australia, Spain, Britain and other countries with the vigil being held this year in 247 towns and cities throughout the world.
Aiming for 40 days of prayer and fasting, peaceful vigil and community outreach Anne has been joined by passers by and parishioners. Some want a chat, some ask questions about abortion and some sit quietly and pray.
“Do you get any negative reaction?” I asked, “Well, some people passing in cars do wind down their windows and say some not very nice things” smiled Anne “but it's part of being in a public place and you just accept that”.
Sandford Road in Cheltenham is a busy thoroughfare with heavy traffic and a big footfall of patients and visitors going to Cheltenham General Hospital. Across the road is the playing field of Cheltenham College and its pupils are constantly walking to their lessons from their boarding houses.
David Burke
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