Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Why I Don't Support or Attend the March for Life


I am staunchly pro life. My political and religious beliefs have changed many times throughout the decades of my life, but I have always been against abortion. I am old enough to remember when the Supreme Court legalized abortion. I cried when I saw the headline in my local paper. I could not believe we were now going to kill our babies.

For the past nine years, I have been praying almost every week in front of an abortion clinic. I stand in front of the abortion clinic because, out of all the great evils in our world, I don't believe there is a greater evil than than killing innocent, defenseless life. Abortion kills not only the babies, but is spiritually, emotionally and mentally lethal to all of those involved: the parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, potential friends and spouses of the aborted babies, and harms society and the world in general. We will never know how much we have lost in the deaths of all the hundreds of millions and maybe billions of aborted babies throughout the world.



The leaders of the March for Life believe that the solution to legalized abortion is politics.  The D.C. March for Life was first held in 1974, the first year anniversary of Roe v. Wade.  They organize the March each year and hold it in Washington, D.C. to get the attention of politicians.  These same pro life leaders also believe that if we can just stack the Supreme Court with conservatives, then abortion will be outlawed.  This is despite the fact that conservatives have been the majority of the Supreme Court for years and have never come close to criminalizing abortion.  

In 2016, the pro lifers, in their belief that politics is the key to ending legalized abortion, supported a con man who has dedicated his life to the pursuit of money and fame, been married three times, has engaged in countless sexual liaisons and is accused by multiple women of sexual assault.  Donald Trump's immoral lifestyle was irrelevant to the pro life movement because he said the magic words:  "I am pro life".  I am amazed that people believe that politics will rid the land of abortion when politics gave us legalized abortion in the first place.  

How did Albert Einstein define insanity?  


2018 will mark the 45th Annual March for Life, and still the abortions continue unabated.  I went once to the Washington D.C. March for Life.  I heard a lot of speeches, saw a lot of signs, and was somewhat surprised at the party atmosphere at the March.  Yes, there were many very serious people at the March, but there were also many, especially among the young, who seemed to be there for a good time. I was back praying at the abortion clinic the next week.  Nothing had changed.

Msgr. Philip Reilly
There is a priest in the Diocese of Brooklyn named Msgr. Philip Reilly.  Father Benedict Groeschel referred to him as the "Apostle of Life."  Msgr. Reilly has dedicated his life to fighting against abortion.  He has spent thousands and thousands of hours in front of abortion clinics, praying and counseling.  He has traveled around the world to help other pro life groups.  He has suffered from cancer of the face for many years now as a result of all the time spent in the sun in front of abortion clinics.  He lost his nose to the cancer.  The last time I saw him was a little over a year ago.  He is very frail now, but that has not stopped him.  He is still as actively involved in the pro life movement as his cancer-ravaged body will allow him to be.

I have heard Msgr. Reilly state that the answer to abortion is not in politics.  He says that the US Government basically runs Planned Parenthood as shown in the hundreds of millions of dollars given to PP each year.  Msgr. Reilly may have participated in the March of Life in the early years, but he has not been there now in many decades.  Msgr. Reilly believes that the answer to legalized abortion is in prayer, and that it is vital that we go to and pray at modern-day Calvary known as abortion clinics, as opposed to a protest, carrying signs and chanting,  Msgr. Reilly believes it is useless to go to politicians and the mainstream media who ignore us year after year.  We need to go to our local abortion clinics and make our presence known there, one-on-one with those entering the clinics.

Msgr. Reilly does not believe in confrontation or condemnation. He believes we should act in imitation of the Blessed Mother and those with her as they stood at the foot of the Cross at Calvary. We need to be praying and when we can, we need to gently reach out to those entering the clinics. This is what he writes on the facebook page for his group. Helpers of God's Precious Infants:
The way to fight the #cultureofdeath is by #PRAYER #fasting and peaceful #sidewalkcounseling. Protesting and picketing will not save souls. It's very important that we be at the clinics but more important is how we are present. When we pray we remind them of God and bring God's presence in that place which will change everything
Below is the video he has posted on YouTube:


As Msgr. Reilly says in this video, we go to the abortion clinics for conversion of heart, and to pray, not to protest.  Our purpose, as Msgr. Reilly says, is to create a prayerful presence at the site.  That is where the victory lies.  
I make the distinction between a prayerful presence, compassionate that informs, that inspires and encourages people to do what is right as opposed to an angry presence that is protesting, 'You shouldn't do this evil, you shouldn't do this," rather than realizing when they come there, they don't want to kill the baby. That's absurd. They come there because people are pressuring them.  They don't know what else to do.  No one has really given them the encouragement to keep the child.  You may be the first one that is saying the things or doing the things that Mother really wants to hear.  Mother wants to hear, "Yes, keep the child.  It's the right answer.  We will help you.  God will help you."  The presence of God's people at these sites now is very, very important.
I believe it is very important that people actually go to an abortion clinic and observe the people going in. You will see the truth of Msgr. Reilly's words - people don't want to kill their babies. That is so apparent from the pain in their eyes. They do not need condemnation, they need compassion. They need to hear the words of Jesus Christ: "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Jesus Christ never tried to change the hearts of the political leaders of his time. He went directly to the people. As Christians, we need to follow Our Lord's example. The women entering the abortion clinics are the people who need to be reached. Marching in the streets, making passionate speeches and carrying signs will never change anyone's heart. Looking to politics as our savior is nothing more than a fool's errand, Politicians dance to the tune of their big-time donors, and their donors want abortion. As Americans, we need to accept the fact that our government is in the business of killing babies. We cannot change their hearts.

Those involved in the March for Life no doubt have very good intentions. They want to end abortion. But they are trying to do it using the world's methods, and as our Lord told us, our ways are not His ways.

If you really want to show you are pro life, then go peacefully and prayerfully to your local abortion clinic. Look with compassion on those entering the clinics. Realize that they are victims as much as their babies are victims. Leave the practice of politics to the politicians. Take up the Cross and go to Calvary.


15 comments:

  1. Even Michael Voris would say that the pro-life movement is secondary to evangelization.

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  2. Catholic in Brooklyn, you might want to check this out:

    http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Fewer-teens-having-sex-as-decline-in-risky-12473796.php

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  3. JANUARY 10, 2018
    This is the Conciliar Church for me
    http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.it/2018/01/this-is-conciliar-church-for-me.html

    JANUARY 11, 2018
    Pope Benedict must choose between God and Mammon : will not recant
    http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.it/2018/01/pope-benedict-must-choose-between-god.html
    JANUARY 11, 2018
    Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos must ask Pope Benedict to recant and end the doctrinal crisis in the Church
    http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.it/2018/01/cardinal-castrillon-hoyos-must-pope.html

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  4. >>Those involved in the March for Life no doubt have very good intentions. They want to end abortion. But they are trying to do it using the world's methods, and as our Lord told us, our ways are not His ways<<

    Hello CIB!

    It seems like you are falling into an 'either-or' trap here. i.e. you are saying 'Either we can support legal protections for the unborn or we can rely upon persuasion and prayer. BUT NOT BOTH!'

    Why can't we do both?

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    Replies
    1. Did you read my post? We have been tryng to use politics for decades now, and nothing has changed. Look at the example I gave for Msgr Reilly. As he said, the government is in the abortion business. Trying to stop abortion through the government is like trying to stop the selling of illegal drugs through those who sell them.

      I thought I made this clear in my post. Guess not.

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    2. Our culture has to change in order for a total nationwide ban on direct abortion to be truly effective, right?

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    3. We are all the victims of a completely corrupt system that promotes death. The biggest business of our government and system is war. The USA is by far the biggest weapons dealer in the world. We have over 700 military bases around the world. We promote war and upheaval everywhere, killing hundreds of millions of people over the years. As Mother Teresa said when we can kill our babies, we can kill everyone. Our system is completely corrupt and dedicated to death. And yet we want to work through that corrupt system to end abortion? Anyone who thinks that can happen is living in a fool’s paradise.

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    4. You have not answered my original question of why we shouldn't support legal protection for the unborn.

      you are just saying 'we tried it and it hasn't worked so far therefore it will never work'. Hillary complained last year that many states had set up legal impediments that were already effectively reducing abortions. (quote below) Doesn't that disprove you and Albert Einstein?

      BTW you shouldn't use Mother Teresa for this argument. She wanted governments to ban abortion.

      Hillary ......"It’s about very stringent regulations on women that block them from exercising that choice.......to the extent that they are defunding Planned Parenthood. Donald has said he’s in favor of supporting shutting down Planned Parenthood."

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    5. I am very sorry for how offensive this sounds, but I always feel like I am arguing with a brick wall with you. You are entitled to your opinions, and if you think that trying to outlaw abortion in a system that supports and promotes it will work, if you enjoy beating your head against a wall, then go for it. Hillary Clinton, like all good politicians, tries to fire up her base by promoting fear that they will lose something they want. No one in their right mind believes for one second that there is a chance that the US government is going to outlaw abortions.

      Of course Mother Teresa wanted abortions outlawed! So do I and everyone else who believes in life. But picketing and protesting will never get it done. Mother Teresa said that if everyone spent one hour in Eucharistic Adoration every week, THAT would end abortion, not protesting. We need to change the hearts of the people, convince them that abortion is wrong, There is no salvation in politics or politicians.

      I am done arguing with you, Kneeling Catholic. You are not interested in truth, You are only interested in making your point and disregarding everything else.

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    6. >>>Mother Teresa said that if everyone spent one hour in Eucharistic Adoration every week, THAT would end abortion, not protesting<<<<

      but Mother Teresa did, along with praying, publicly protest Roe v Wqde both to President Clinton and our Supreme Court:

      ....This amicus brief was filed before the U.S. Supreme Court in the cases of Loce v. New Jersey and Krail et al. v. New Jersey in February 1994, by Mother Teresa.....http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/rauch/nvp/roe/mothertheresa_roe.html

      She did not say 'either pray or protest, NOT BOTH'. She prayed to our Lord and protested to CORRUPT politicians. Maybe you should reconsider your 'either-or'



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    7. Writing letters and protesting in the streets are two very different thitngs. You will never find any incident where Mother Teresa protested with huge crowds in the street. That is counter productive. It does not change hearts, It only produces more enemies, I still contend, as does Msgr. Reilly, that to get rid of abortion, we must appeal not to politicians, but to the minds and hearts of the people. That is not done by picketing and calling them evil, but by going to modern day Calvary, the abortion clinics, and being a witness to God’s love, mercy and forgiveness. Protesting - pointing the finger and accusing others of being evil - will not change the status quo.

      KC, that is all I am going to say to you on this subject. You are entitled to your beliefs, and if you want to protest in the streets, go for it. But just as they have done for 45 years, the politicians and MSM will only continue to ignore you. Reach out directly to the people, just as Our Lord did. That is the path to true evangelization.

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  5. Catholic in Brooklyn, Michael Hichborn of the Lepanto Institute MAY be a radical Catholic reactionary. He has contributed to Steve Skojec's website One Peter Five. Mr. Skojec is DEFINITELY a radical Catholic reactionary.

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    Replies
    1. Skojec is definitely radical and, as far as I am concerned, he and everyone associated with him and his blog should be completely ignored. The Lepanto Institute is not quite as radical, but they constantly criticize the Pope and heirarchy of the Church, so I feel they have very little if any credibility. They also seem to be good friends with Voris.

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    2. No offense, Catholic in Brooklyn, but you should probably go easy on Michael Voris for the time being. His father Russ passed away last Thursday. May Russ Voris rest in peace.

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    3. It is interesting that few of those who use to constantly cheer on Voris have even mentioned the death of Russ Voris on their blogs and websites. Certainly I sympathize with Voris on the death of his father. It is always difficult to lose a parent.

      I rarely even think of Voris anymore, as would seem to be the case for most of those who use to follow him so closely. Michael Voris is basically irrelevant.

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