Organizers of a special protest are hoping their prayerful silence will speak volumes.

During this month, and through Nov. 4, pro-life advocates are encouraged to spend two hours in silent prayer—and a day in silence—to protest the lives lost to abortion.

The silent prayer vigils will run every day through Nov. 4 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. in front of two clinics which provide abortions: the Atlanta Surgi-Center at 1113 Spring St. and a second facility in Marietta.

The ongoing prayer vigils are being organized through Pro-Life Unity, a national organization, and coordinated through church pro-life ministries, said Jenny Hodges, Pro-Life Unity national director. Hodges, a Kennesaw mother of six children, is the volunteer national director and is leading metro Atlanta’s prayer vigil efforts.

“We want to be a praying presence in front of abortion mills,” Hodges said.

Atlanta is among 90 cities across the nation where prayer vigils are occurring near abortion clinics as part of the Pro-Life Unity’s “40 Days for Life” campaign.

Individuals are encouraged to join as much as possible in this time of fasting and prayer, praying for an end to abortion in the United States and for the healing of those affected by abortion. The Pro-Life Office of the archdiocese and parish pro-life committees have been inviting participation in this time of intercessory prayer.

Those who come to pray outside the clinics are asked to make a two-hour commitment. Guidelines, information and directions are available at the Pro-Life Unity Web site.

In addition to involvement in the silent prayer vigils, as part of Respect Life month, St. James the Apostle Church in McDonough is bringing in Father Peter West, a priest associate of Father Frank Pavone’s New York-based Priests for Life, as a guest speaker, Oct. 27 and 28. Father West is also scheduled to participate in a silent prayer vigil against abortion with members of the McDonough church at the Atlanta Surgi-Center Oct. 26, and he will speak at a special assembly at Our Lady of Mercy High School in Fairburn, Monday, Oct. 29.

Hodges is also helping coordinate statewide efforts for the national day of silence Oct. 23 on college campuses and high schools across Georgia, to bring attention to the lives silenced by abortion. Students are being encouraged to wear red armbands and stay silent during the day to bring attention to the cause. The Web site stresses that it’s important that students alert their principals on their day of silence prior to participating.