'Culture of Life' warriors to assemble

'Culture of Life' warriors to assemble
'The more we have terror cells, the more we need prayer groups'

A team of prayer warriors is setting up a series of events to call up the heavy-duty artillery in the world's battle with terrorism, scheduling events of prayer and fasting for Oct. 5-13.

"The more we have these terrorist cells all around the country, all around the world," said Marueen Flynn, of International Week of Prayer and Fasting Coalition, "the more we need to counteract with prayer groups.

"We call it the Prayer Network of Counter-terrorism," she said.

Flynn says the Coalition organizes prayers for world peace, works to promote pro-life issues – just another form of terrorism, according to the organization – and sets up "prayer cells" to counter "terror cells" around the world.

Citing the Mark 9:29 reference that: "Certain evil spirits can only be driven out by prayer and fasting," the group has announced plans for its 15th annual International Week of Prayer and Fasting starting Oct. 5.

In order to continue toward its goals of a conversion of nations, an end to abortion and the assembly of a culture of life, the group is planning a Youth and Young Adult Festival at Catholic University of America's Pryzbyla Center in Washington Oct. 6.

Bishop Sam Jacobs, Ryan O'Hara of Youth Arise and others will be leading the event.

Then on Oct. 7, the group's Culture of Life Awards Banquet will be held at Georgetown University's conference center, where Dr. Alan Keyes will be the keynote speaker. Also on hand will be star of the new movie "BELLA," Eduardo Verastegui, as well as Congressman Chris Smith.

Then on Oct. 8 will be the Eucharistic Prayer Day at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, with Rev. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, as well as Bobby Schindler, the brother of Terri Schiavo, and Rev. Clement Machado of the Vatican.

Christians are asked to participate as individuals, families and parishes by setting up fasting, daily Masses or worship and prayer.

The coalition, which originally was begun to promote a "culture of life" around the world, has expanded its mission greatly since that start.

"This is actually a coalition, a grassroots effort of groups from all over the world that we have been working with for over 15 years, and as we have approached more problems in the world, especially with terrorism and the decline of the culture of life, this grassroots movement has grown," she said.

It focuses now on prayers for world peace, promoting pro-life issues and those "prayer cells" to counter "terror cells."

But she noted the important of that other kind of terror in the United States, that of abortion.

"We have allowed child sacrifice," said an announcement from the organization. "In the Old Testament the ultimate sin that brought about judgment on nations was the sin of child sacrifice."