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Bishop leads Christmas Eve rosary at Phoenix Planned Parenthood
By Joyce Coronel, The Catholic Sun
January 3, 2008
More than 150 people, including four recently ordained priests, joined Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted Dec. 24 in praying the rosary in front of Planned Parenthood’s headquarters in Phoenix.
The event, coordinated by Glendale-based Children of the Rosary, a pro-life group with chapters in various states, has become an annual, well-attended occurrence. Crowding the sidewalk along Seventh and Montebello streets, participants carried rosaries, held signs and prayed for the protection of unborn babies and their mothers.
Bishop Olmsted said it was important to remember the unborn on Christmas Eve because the way God entered the world was through a baby.
“Being here reminds us of the dignity of every child from the moment of conception,” he said. “We need to be here so we can pray for all unborn children and for their mothers, pray that they will appreciate the great dignity and worth of their child and that they will find the support they need to welcome and care for their child.”
Celebrating life
Participants came from parishes throughout the diocese and from all walks of life.
Connie Fenwick, a retired postal service worker, has been praying the rosary outside abortion clinics for 15 years.
“Tomorrow is the birth of Christ and here they are slaughtering the unborn,” she said. Fenwick also stated the event called to mind the first-century deaths of the innocents killed by Herod’s soldiers, commemorated by the Church on Dec. 28. “My mom recently passed away and she got me started on this when she was 81.”
Dannika Baker, 20, sporting a T-shirt with a pro-life quote from Mother Teresa and pushing her 11-month-old son in a stroller, said, “I am very against abortion. It’s one of the things I stand up for no matter what.”
Geoff Williams, from St. Luke Parish and attending along with his mother, carried a sign that urged passers-by to “choose life.” Across the street a woman held a placard declaring “God is right. Abortion is wrong.”
A few motorists honked to show support and waved at the praying crowd as a handful of Phoenix police officers stood nearby, watching to ensure safety. A woman who roared her engine and angrily headed down Montebello failed to distract the rosary group from its prayers.
Brian and Jill O’Sullivan, parishioners at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, brought their four daughters for the second time to the Christmas Eve rosary at Planned Parenthood. “We’re anticipating our savior’s birth and I think it’s really important that we’re here to celebrate life,” he said.
Sheunesu Bowora, a native of Zimbabwe and first-year seminarian at the Pontifical College Josephinum, led one of the decades of the rosary.
“Let our presence here give mothers the strength to choose life,” he prayed.
The Most Holy Trinity parishioner stood alongside recently ordained Fr. Ernesto Reynoso.
“On Christmas day we remember the Child Jesus,” Fr. Reynoso said, “All children are precious from the moment of their conception.”
Rory Kerns, a member of Blessed Sacrament Parish, knelt on the hard sidewalk for the entire 15 decades. Struggling to his feet afterwards, he said he often prays the rosary on Sunday mornings at a Glendale Planned Parenthood.
“I’d like to do more,” he said, adding that he’d do “anything for Mary.”
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