BRYAN, Texas, October 17, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) – The total number of babies saved by 40 Days for Life continued to rise in the hundreds during the second week of its current campaign.

As of October 10, the campaign reported 154 babies saved from abortion.

“Praise God!” 40 Days for Life President Shawn Carney told followers via email. “Your prayers are being answered every day!”

The news continued to be positive at the end of last week. Steve Karlen, the North American campaign director, confirmed for LifeSiteNews that the number had risen to 244 by Friday. And on Sunday, 40 Days for Life reported on its website that the total had grown to 264.

The pro-life outreach has 367 locations in each of the 50 U.S. states and in 23 other countries worldwide.

The tenacity of 40 Days for Life participants was confirmed Friday in posts from Carney, who recounted what Council Bluffs, Iowa, vigil participants heard recently from a Planned Parenthood manager leaving work at the end of the day.

It was cold and wet, vigil coordinators said, one of “driving rain and driven moms,” yet their pro-life prayers did not cease.

“Don’t you people ever stop?” the Planned Parenthood worker said to them.

Carney shared the unspoken response to that question: “Yes – but only when the killing of the innocent stops.”

The Vatican endorsed 40 Days of Life in recent weeks, with more than 12,000 lives saved across the world since the first coordinated vigil was held in 2007.

Pontifical Academy for Life President Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia told Carney and 40 Days for Life CEO David Bereit in a September 20 letter, “I am honored to endorse your efforts and to assure you of our enthusiastic cooperation and assistance, particularly during your coming September 28-November 6 Campaign, in which so many Catholic dioceses and other religious communities and traditions will participate.”

The archbishop acknowledged how the vigil’s “prayer, fasting, witness and outreach” had saved so many lives, and “brought reconciliation and healing to so many suffering mothers, fathers and families.”

“I look forward to working fruitfully with your initiative in the months to come,” Archbishop Paglia said, “and together let us pray that the day will soon come when none of us will ever again see the beauty of a child’s life cut short by abortion.”

The current vigil continues through November 6.

For vigil locations, click HERE.