Dan Brown, a member of St. Patrick Parish in Washington, carries a sign as he prays the rosary with Bishop Jenky and other pro-lifers outside Peoria's abortion facility on Oct. 5, 2016. The bishop will again lead the rosary at the Peoria site at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27, the first night of the region's fall 40 Days for Life campaign. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)

Through prayer, fasting, community outreach, and peaceful public vigils at abortion facilities, the public is invited to join 40 Days for Life campaigns that are scheduled from Sept. 27 to Nov. 5 at three locations in the Diocese of Peoria.

There is also a limited campaign planned in Bettendorf, Iowa, where the Planned Parenthood clinic is expected to close and now performs medical abortions only on Fridays.

Kickoff events to educate and energize in anticipation of the campaigns to end abortion took place Sunday in Champaign and are planned on Tuesday, Sept. 26, in Bettendorf and Peoria.

In Champaign, a 40 Days kickoff meal and movie were hosted on Sunday, Sept. 24, at Holy Cross Parish Center, 405 W. Clark St. The Champaign 40 Days for Life prayer vigil opens on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at Women’s Health Practice, 2125 S. Neil Street. Contact Sandi Ostrowski, (217) 841-1943, sostrow@mchsi.com for more information.

In Ottawa, the vigil will take place on the public right-of-way outside Planned Parenthood, 612 Court St. For more information, contact Bill Ecker, (630) 774-2348 or bill@illinoisvalleycitizensforlife.org.

In Peoria, a kickoff rally will take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 26, outside of Whole Woman’s Health, 7405 N. University St. Parking is available in the Women’s Care Center lot, 7319 N. University St. If there is bad weather, the kickoff will take place at St. Vincent de Paul Parish Hall, 6001 N. University St.

Individuals are encouraged to sign up for hourlong vigils outside the abortion facility, while churches and other ministries are invited to cover entire days. Vigil times are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. throughout the campaign. Catholic parishes and groups should call Karen Guth at (309) 453-7493 or send email to godshelperkaren@gmail.com.

In the Quad Cities, a kickoff rally will be hosted at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 26, in the upstairs chapel of the Women’s Choice Center, 2711 Happy Joe Drive in Bettendorf, Iowa. Prayers will be offered outside the Bettendorf Planned Parenthood while they are open on Fridays. Local organizers are also encouraging pro-life proponents of the region to take part in the 40 Days for Life campaign outside the Emma Goldman Clinic in Iowa City, or to pray outside Planned Parenthood in Bettendorf any day of the week on their own. For more information, call (563) 370-3808 or email 40daysqc@gmail.com.

“The mission of the campaign is to bring together the body of Christ in a spirit of unity during a focused 40-day campaign of prayer, fasting, and peaceful activism, with the purpose of repentance, to seek God’s favor to turn hearts and minds from a culture of death to a culture of life, thus bringing an end to abortion,” according to the campaign website, 40daysforlife.com.

Through 20 previous coordinated campaigns around the U.S. and beyond, the campaign claims to have saved more than 13,300 babies from abortion, helped to convert 154 abortion workers, and close 86 abortion facilities.

Sign-up may also be done online by finding the campaign near you at 40daysforlife.com.