Janet Thomas, 40 Days for Life leader in Cardiff has sadly passed away. We pray for the repose of her soul and may Angels lead her to paradise. She has been a long-time volunteer for the pro-life movement, helping SPUC for many decades, and is survived by 8 children. 

Janet was a kind, caring, and considerate mother of a large family. She was a stalwart of the pro-life movement in Wales, an example of persistence and trust in God. Her vigil was one of the most protested pro-life vigils in the entire world. During one campaign they had abortion advocates organize a presence for the entire duration of the vigil. Despite persistent abuse, they still witnessed many lives saved from abortion, meeting a child saved at the vigil at one point. 

The Cardiff 40 Days for Life vigil started in 2012, originally started by Clare Jackson. Pro-abortion campaigners were persistent, noisy aggressive, and at times physically aggressive. At one point the banners were snatched and thrown in the Taff River, running nearby. 

Prayer volunteers in Wales were shouted at, screamed at, threatened, insulted, and intimidated daily. 

One day, when prayer volunteers were feeling downhearted and hopefully, they received a boost from two members of the pro-abortion group who told them that they should be ashamed of themselves because their presence on the street was making women ring up and cancel their appointments: girls were crying in the lifts and running away instead of attending their appointments! One of the prayer volunteers turned to her companions and said in tones of joyful praise, “Prayer works!”

The following year, a young man who had been part of the violent rabble came up to apologise for his behavior, and that he had changed his mind and now acknowledged that the unborn child was a human person worthy of respect! He decided to become a missionary in Africa. 

In Lent 2017, as a result of the prayerful and non-violent behavior over the years, the vigil received almost continuous protection from the police who ensured that the abortion advocates stayed on the other side and did not harass the volunteers. 

Whenever the police were called away, the abortion advocates were quick to take advantage and on one occasion, turned up with a witch’s broom to sweep the volunteers off the street; pentagrams drawn in chalk on the pavement. At the end of one campaign, they drew a circle of chalk around themselves and sat the whole day screaming at the volunteers while wearing hats of tin foil.

In 2018, a couple in Cardiff sought an abortion after doctors said the baby likely would not survive due to a severe complication. Mary was standing vigil and encouraged the couple to choose life because if the baby did die, at least they’d know it would not be in their hands. They took the advice to heart. In 2020, the father returned to the vigil site and introduced prayer warriors to his daughter!  The hairs were standing on the back of his neck just talking about it and he was almost crying when he left. 

Janet was sure that prayer works and she kept on praying, singing hymns, and confident that God was with her the whole time. At the end of one campaign a Cameroonian lay preacher had a homily on the humanity of the baby and led the group in the hymn, “How great thou art!” A fitting end to the prayer vigil. Janet and the group felt wonderful and empowered, out of aggressive opposition much good did come and peaceful methods truly did work.