Members of the group, who gathered on the corner of 95th Street and Kostner Avenue Sunday afternoon, said they wanted to send a message to the hospital to discontinue its policy permitting induced-labor abortions.

"A hospital that calls itself Christ Hospital, and is a Christian hospital should know better than to kill babies," said Warren Dorman, a Tinley Park resident and a member of the Pro Life movement since 1978.

The group is particularly opposed to the induced-labor abortions offered at Christ, in which the fetus is delivered prematurely, sometimes resulting in live birth.

Hospital spokesmen in previous interviews have said that on those occasions, the baby is held and comforted until it dies.

Advocate Health Care Network, which includes Christ Hospital, does not offer elective abortion or abortion on demand. In 1999, it limited its "therapeutic abortions," excluding women whose unborn children have abnormalities that are not deadly.

In its official policy, Advocate Health Care Network limits abortions to cases of rape or incest and to situations in which there is "serious threat to the life and health of the mother or when there are lethal fetal anomalies incompatible with sustained life."

Nancy Czerwiec, an Oak Lawn resident who helped organize the prayer vigil, said the hospital has joined the anti-life forces with its live-birth abortions.

"This is an affront to the people of Oak Lawn," Czerwiec said.

Saturday's vigil was attended by residents from Oak Lawn, Chicago's south side and other surrounding communities. Aside from one man who wore a button with a picture of an aborted baby, the group was not joined by the more radical protesters who have appeared in the area on other occasions with posters showing graphic pictures of abortions.

Sponsored by Our Lady of Quadalupe's Helpers for Life and Advocates Against Abortion, the vigil lasted for about an hour. Members of the group stood along the two sides of the sidewalks along Kostner Avenue and 95th Street, holding rosary beads and praying.

The vigil was timed to coincide with today's 28th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision, which declared a Texas law outlawing abortions unconstitutional. The Supreme Court decision nullified all U.S. laws which had declared abortion illegal.

One man at Sunday's vigil held a sign that read, "Pro Life Here Until No More Children Die, No More Women Cry," while a sign held by another man read simply, "Defend Life."

Joe Ryan, of Palos Hills, said that just as the hospital did not start performing abortions overnight, the group will not be able to stop it overnight.

"We just have to undo it a step at a time," Ryan said.

Also participating in the vigil was Jill Stanek of Mokena, a labor and delivery nurse at the hospital. Stanek publicized the nature of some of the abortions at Christ Hospital, and testified last July before the U.S. Congress about some of the abortions she has seen performed at the hospital.

Just before Christmas, Stanek said, the hospital created a "comfort room" where babies who are still alive are taken to die.

"We're here to remind hospital administrators, the community will not let this go until they stop," Stanek said.

Hospital officials released a brief statement after the vigil.

"We respect the right of people to voice their opinions," said Carol Hetzel, a hospital spokeswoman. "Pregnancy termination is only performed under very limited circumstances according to the policy of Advocate Health Care."