GRANITE CITY — Just like last year, brisk autumn winds greeted hundreds of participants Oct. 3 who joined Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, pastors and the Knights of Columbus in Granite City to pray the rosary and "peacefully and prayerfully" sing and walk to The Hope Clinic for Women, the only facility within the diocese's borders that performs surgical abortions.
The one-mile march was along neighborhood streets and ended on 21st Street in front of the clinic, where Karen Boulanger of St. Paul Parish in Highland led the Litany of Remembrance and Joan Kane of St. Mary Parish in Alton led the Intercessions for Life.
In his homily at the annual Respect Life Mass at Holy Family Church, Bishop Paprocki expounded upon the importance of this month's Respect Life theme, "Every Life is Worth Living."
"The so-called wise and the learned of our society would like to think that they can justify their devaluing of human life based on logical principles," said Bishop Paprocki. " ... but Jesus has revealed to us, the childlike, the truth that sees beyond the surface level into the depths of God's beautiful creation, the beauty of each and every human life created by God. That vision of faith believes without a doubt that every life, without exception, has a purpose in the unfolding of God's wonderful plan for bringing each and every soul to the goal of Heaven." The bishop continued: "How many women, when faced with an unplanned pregnancy, have been tempted to see their situation from the perspective of the 'wise and learned of the world' ... and see abortion as an easy way out in order to secure their future? How many women have been told to end their pregnancy because the child in their womb may have a developmental disability and that it would be the compassionate thing to do ... ?"
Parishioners Jackie Konegni of Holy Angels, Wood River; Susan Piazza, St. Boniface, Edwardsville and Denise Wellen of Immaculate Conception, Pierron served as greeters. The Mass was concelebrated by Father Chris Comerford, pastor, St. Elizabeth Church in Granite City; Father Jeff Holtman of Holy Family Church; and Father David Hoefler, vicar general. Deacons were James Hill, Ss. Peter and Paul, Collinsville and David Erdmann of Blessed Sacrament in Springfield, and Father Brian Alford was master of ceremonies. Music was provided by Holy Family Parish. Denise Wellen of Immaculate Conception, Pierron was the reader and the Keith and Jan Sweet family of St. Boniface Parish in Edwardsville presented the gifts.
A lunch prepared by the Holy Family Men's Club and Ladies Club at the parish center preceded a presentation from Tim Moore, president of Springfield Right to Life, who spoke about the significance of various historical dates in the "life" movement. For Moore, the first, and most important, was 1973.
"In 1973, Sister Mary Lou educated us fifth-graders what Roe v. Wade was about. That Supreme Court case is what changed the United States from being a culture of life to a culture of death," said Moore. "I remember that ... and I understood even in the fifth grade, what was happening inside what should be the safest place in the world became the most dangerous place in the world."