Bishop leads flock in praying for end to abortion

By Bethany Noble, The Catholic Sun
April 19, 2007

A few hundred Valley Catholics joined Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted outside a local Planned Parenthood clinic on Good Friday to pray the rosary and call for an end to abortion.

“This is the Calvary of 2007,” said Bishop Olmsted, who led the April 6 rosary prayer. “The innocent die here without any protection.”

Children of the Rosary, a group that regularly prays in front of abortion clinics, organized the noon to 3 p.m. vigil — the time of day in which Christ was crucified, according to the Gospels.

“Abortion, this horrible holocaust, goes on every day, even Good Friday,” said Tom Takash of Children of the Rosary.

“Most people are not aware that there have been 47 million abortions in this country since it has been legal,” he said. “We need to be out here not only for the people going into the clinic or working there, but for those just passing by.”

Notably present were groups of teens and young adults, including members of Bring It, a young men’s apostolic group from Our Lady of Joy in Carefree, and members of The Underground Project, a group of youth dedicated to “bringing the freedom of life to the unborn.”

The faithful lined the sidewalks outside Planned Parenthood, holding signs with phrases such as, “Stop Abortion Now,” and “Termination=Murder.”

Some held large signs with photographs of unborn babies at various stages of development. Others held images and statues of the Virgin Mary. All held their rosaries and solemnly prayed as passing motorists honked their car horns.

Steve Boyle of St. Anne Parish in Gilbert held an eight-foot banner depicting graphic images of aborted babies. Boyle, a 2001 convert, says he regrets being involved in aborting his own child 10 years ago.

“I am trying to make reparations,” he said, “and bear witness in the name of Jesus.”

For Boyle and his wife, Molly, bearing witness does not end after Good Friday. They pray every Saturday morning in front of Planned Parenthood’s Tempe clinic.

“We want to make people aware,” he said. “The word ‘abortion’ has lost all meaning. We try to get out there and show people images of what babies look like in the womb and what they look like after an abortion.”

Bishop Olmsted gave the crowd his apostolic blessing before departing. He urged the crowd to continue to pray and fight for an end to abortion even though it can be a difficult battle.

“Just as Pilot washed his hands of Christ’s blood,” he said, “it is easy for us to wash our hands of the blood of these innocent persons in today’s world.”

Arizona Right to Life spokesman John Jakubczyk was pleased with the turnout.

“People want to pray with their bishop,” he said, “and unite with him in their prayer before the Lord asking for an end to this holocaust.”

Jakubczyk encourages Catholics to recommit their lives to the pro-life cause and become involved in groups such as Right to Life, Children of the Rosary and local parish groups.

For more information on pro-life activities, contact your local parish or Tom Takash of Children of the Rosary at tom@computersavingscorp.com or (602) 548-3131.