Yesterday afternoon I went to work. Yes, that’s too bad. But if I had not gone to work, I would not have been in downtown Ottawa. And when the reminder (bing!) of the conclusion of 40 Days of Life came up, I might have said–it’s too far away, I’m not going.

I might not have met, then, with about one thousand others, standing silently in the cold night with candles outside the Bank Street abortion clinic at six pm last night.

The long procession wound it’s way in complete silence to St. Pat’s church on Kent. There will be no room for wondering about how many came, because the church was full. So however many people fit into St. Pat’s–that’s how many came out to stand up for an end to abortion at the Bank Street clinic, in Ottawa, in Canada.

There’s a strength and a peace in silent protest, in the unity of people, young, old, families–shuffling forward. And the Mass inside the church was beautiful–guitar music and singing, a call for humility, for continued prayers to end abortion, and a welcome for all who are not Catholic. (Speaking as one of those, I did feel welcome.)

This was an encouraging event. (Interesting, as a small aside, was the man wearing a large Barack Obama t-shirt, with a cross around his neck, too. I think he was making some sort of point.)

And the point of my story, is, of course, that we should all work on Sundays. Ok, not really. My point is that we should, at least in small moments, feel hopeful because an end to abortion is possible.

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Andrea updates: Fair report of the event, here.