Montana News

Pro-life demonstration continues in Livingston

Posted: Mar 3, 2013 3:36 PM by Ben Trotter - MTN News

LIVINGSTON - Pro-life organizers have been standing outside the Mountain Country Women's Clinic in Livingston since Feb. 13, as part of the 40 Days for Life event, and they're passionate in their cause.

While they may be small in number, they're there every day of the week, people holding what they call a prayer vigil, to end abortion both locally and nationally.

"We're praying very hard that this clinic will close, we're praying very hard for the abortionist, that she will have a conversion of heart," Emily Wilkinson explained.

She's passionate about life, and peace as well. One of the rules of being outside the clinic is that attendees have to be non-confrontational.

"This is just the power of prayer and peaceful vigil, this has nothing to do with intimidation or anything...we are closing clinics. 77 clinic workers, I think, have quit their jobs," Wilkinson said.

Mountain Country Women's Clinic is owned and staffed by women, and they say it is a woman's right to decide how what she will do with her pregnancy.

Planned Parenthood reports that yearly abortion numbers in the U.S. held steady from 2005 until 2008, at 1.2 million. Protest attendees say that number, is too high.

"The loss of life includes not only the babies that are aborted but also many times the women who have an abortion don't realize the effects it will have on their life later on," Father Leo McDowell told us.

He added it's a human issue. "There's a general respect for life that we want to reinforce in our society and it's not just a Catholic issue, this really is an issue that goes all across the broad spectrum of religious denominations, and even other faith groups."

The clinic was closed on Saturday, so we weren't able to talk with them but we do know, that Planned Parenthood says abortion is a safe and legal way to end pregnancy and believes in educating women about their options.