Parishioners pray for the unborn, form a Life Chain
DRAPER — "God is taking care of us because the image of the fetus on an ultra sound has discouraged some women from having abortions. They realize the fetus is a baby," said Sandy Nichols, a Respect Life Committee member and a member of Saint Thomas More Parish, Sandy. A Pro-Life group from throughout the Diocese of Salt Lake City stood on all four corners of 10600 South and State Street Oct. 5, Respect Life Sunday, to form a Life Chain, to pray for the unborn babies, who are victims of abortion, their mothers and fathers, and to pray for an end to abortion. The Life Chain was organized by Knights of Columbus State Pro-Life Couple Tim and Rachel Moore of Saint John the Baptist Parish, Draper. "We have always been involved in pro-life events in the past, and a Life Chain is a good way to get the message out to people," said Tim Moore. "We started doing the Life Chain three years ago on Respect Life Sunday." Many drivers honked their horns in favor of what the pro-life group was doing, while other drivers gave a thumbs up gesture. There were a few calls for pro-choice, but there were no obscene calls or gestures. The first Life Chain was formed in Yuba City, Calif., in 1987, with 2,500 Christians holding signs that read "Abortion Kills Children" on both sides of the street. By 1992, about 170 chains had been built nationwide in more than 800 U.S. and Canadian cities and towns, and the chains keep growing. A Life Chain is a peaceful and prayerful public witness of pro-life individuals standing for one hour praying for an end to abortion. It is a visual statement of solidarity by the Christian community that abortion kills children, and that the Catholic Church supports the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception to natural death. For some, the life chain was in conjunction with the 40 Days for Life Campaign. "We are in day 12," said James Snow, director of the 40 Days for Life Campaign, and a member of Saint Martin de Porres Parish, Taylorsville. "It began Sept. 24 and will run until Nov. 2. There are parishioners from Carbon, Sanpete, Washington, and Weber counties, and Salt Lake City, who are participating in this campaign. We are doing a Lenten fast, praying, and performing community outreach." "We are trying to hold a constant prayer vigil in front of the Utah Women’s Clinic at 515 South 400 East, Salt Lake City, where we believe abortions are performed. We also attended a press conference last week. Legislative representatives want to introduce a bill that will ban most abortions except those in the case of rape or incest, or if the mother’s life is in danger." Saint James Parish, Ogden has 10 parishioners signed up to pray in front of the Utah Women’s Clinic on Oct. 11 and Oct. 25. Snow said Father Jan Bednarz, has devoted a holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament on Sundays between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to pray for an end to abortion. Also the Kolbe Center for the Militia Immaculta at Blessed Sacrament Parish, Sandy, has joined to support community awareness for an end to abortion. Sara Pia, director of Life Line in Price, a center that helps teens and women deal with an unwanted pregnancies by giving them a free pregnancy test, counseling, and putting them in touch with the proper community services, said, "The process of having to deal with the choice of having an abortion is inevitable. When a girl is 14, an adolescent, or a woman, and has an abortion, it is usually the easy way out. But later when she tries to have children and finds she cannot as a result of the abortion, or a woman reaches menopause and is no longer able to bear children, the fact that she had an abortion can cause emotional distress. For other women, the emotional distress will hit them when they become grandmothers." Pia said immediately following an abortion girls and women go into denial and then into depression. The denial can last one week, five years, or longer. But eventually they will have to mourn the loss of their child. Life Line volunteers do not believe in abortion and try to talk clients out of having an abortion. If a girl or woman is set on having an abortion they offer post-abortion counseling. Life Line provides diapers, gently used maternity clothes, baby clothes, cribs, and car seats. Every fourth Saturday they hold a fund raiser in the basement of Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic Church for $10 to play games, and they provide nachos and popcorn.
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