During this season of Lent, we want to pay tribute to our dear friend, Nancy Shanafelt.
The beginning of Lent, Ash Wednesday, also marked the start of 40 Days for Life, which began in Texas 20 years ago. The name of this Pro-Life Movement derives from a pattern of important events in the Bible, such as the 40 days spent on Noah’s Ark, the 40 days Moses spent on Mt. Sinai and the 40 days Jesus spent praying and fasting in the desert.
Nancy’s service to God in standing up for alive, unborn babies exceeds the number of 40, for she has spent over 50 years marching and holding prayer vigils in front of abortion clinics in many cities!
I have spent the last three years with her during the early, Sunday morning hours in front of Planned Parenthood in Orange. She also attends the prayer vigil there on Fridays. Nancy first began standing up for the babies and being their voice with her mother, Betty Jaworski, many years ago in 1973, when Roe v. Wade first became federal law. They marched in Phoenix in the rain, with her 2-year-old daughter! In San Jose they lined the sidewalks from the Southern to the Northern border of the city, praying their rosaries and carrying their handmade signs. When she moved to Fresno, they loaded onto buses to go to the Walk for Life in San Francisco. Ten years ago, she started attending the Los Angeles Walk for Life, called OneLife LA. (When the SF and LA walks are on different days, she goes to both!)
Nancy’s dear mother, Betty, passed away in August of 2022, but they both were blessed to finally witness the overturning of Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022!
Her faithfulness, energy and enthusiasm these last 50 years are boundless. She is never deterred by heat, cold, rain or wind. She still arrives to pray outside Planned Parenthood with a big smile. She has even prayed by herself when Planned Parenthood has been closed. We enjoy counting how many horn-honks of support we receive each week. We have special supporters that drive by each Sunday.
Nancy is a faithful member of Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove where she attends Mass daily and supports many parish activities. She and her mother converted to Catholicism when she was a young girl. Her mother was very proud when Nancy became a member of the Dominican Laity 20 years ago, performing many special duties for her parish, and committing to devotional prayer for the elderly.
If you want to get educated about sacred pilgrimages around the world, just ask Nancy, because she has been on them all, many times! Only God knows how many miles she has trekked thus far in her life! Her friends are certain that one day, when she meets her mother in heaven, God will say to her… “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
We are just honored to call her our friend.
We hope you are all blessed and encouraged to hear the testimony of her faithfulness to the Lord and to saving the lives of unborn babies.
Nancy’s favorite saying is, “God is Good, Everyday!”