A key part of helping 40 Days for Life grow internationally is helping national leaders and teams grow and take the campaign to the next level. The establishment of a national team or leader is instrumental in helping facilitate that growth so that new cities can be inspired and start a campaign. One person, like Wilberforce or Lincoln can change the destiny of a nation. All it takes is one person to start making huge differences.


Italy is a country with 59 million people, a Catholic identity, and one of the most populous and influential Western European countries. There is a strong conscientious objection by Doctors to abortion in Italy. In addition, the country’s leader Meloni is known to have sympathy for the pro-life cause. Now is the time for a strong and convincing 40 Days for Life campaign to develop across Italy: in Hungary, there are 10 campaigns, in Croatia 40 and in Spain nearly 30. There is no reason why Italy cannot have a similarly large campaign, despite secularism and sleepy Christians.


This Lent Italy has 4 campaigns in Modena, Perugia, Bologna, and San Remo. San Marino is interested in a campaign. Translation is crucial and key to getting a good campaign off the ground. The book What to Say When has already been translated into Italian. Praying in public is something culturally alien in Italy, but it is also a chance to take a public stance, trusting in God that the message and the mission are on track to make a difference in society.


Some Bishops have supported the campaign, while others have been more reticent. Despite this, 40 Days for Life has endorsements from the highest levels of the Catholic Church from the Pontifical Academy for Life, Pope Francis, and many Bishops worldwide. These endorsements are helpful not only for giving legitimacy and credibility but also for showing the success of the campaign, and encouraging others.  


In the United Kingdom, several international media storms recently have raised the profile of the campaigns considerably, reaching the consciences of millions of people. This has been the traction gained from the JD Vance speech in Munich and also the arrest of Rose Docherty in Scotland.


Actions that can help foster a national campaign are having a national meeting, fostering the support of Bishops and priests, with a personal invitation to take part in the campaign, and especially finding opportunities for new cities to participate.


A national meeting can help share experiences and learn from one another. It is important to contextualize the campaign to suit Italy’s culture and customs, without changing the nature of the campaign. Creativity and leadership are needed to bring the campaign to life. Similar challenges such as apathy, feminism, legal challenges, media, and lack of Church support are also seen in other countries.


As Modena was where the campaign started, they could share campaign materials with other teams to support and strengthen their efforts. It is important to avoid political or graphic messaging in campaigns. A key aspect is to build a strong national team and learn from other European countries to facilitate growth and expand to new cities. Modena has had a superb campaign with 300 volunteers and it certainly has been noticed by other cities and opponents. In addition, the movie Unplanned has been seen across Italy.


Outside some hospitals, permission from the hospital director can be needed to pray in a certain area. In San Marino, they were asked to stop praying in the hospital chapel by the priest and hospital staff who thought their actions were too political. The Italian March for Life is a wonderful opportunity to share a pro-life message and the mission of 40 Days for Life. Bringing together European lawyers is helpful for better communication and sharing of experiences.


Passion and enthusiasm are needed to overcome the challenge of fear, apathy, and indifference. Many campaigns have had initial skepticism but have eventually gained support. The need to move and act is imperative to getting a campaign started. Personal invitation is key to overcoming obstacles. It is crucial to be decisive and to take action, not procrastinating, not being concerned with perfection but trusting in God. It is important to be spiritually prepared for the campaign.


It is exciting to see what is possible with God in coming years with Italy! Watch this space!