QUINCY - This year marks 35 years since Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in the United States. Since that time it is estimated that 47 to 48 million babies have been aborted in the U.S. alone. With those statistics in mind, Quincy organizations committed to promoting the value of all human life - including the lives of the unborn - will sponsor a variety of prayer events Jan. 19-26, in honor of Sanctity of Human Life Week.
Although local Quincy activities will begin on Saturday, Jan. 19, the national Sanctity of Human Life Week always begins with Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, which was created by a presidential proclamation of President Ronald Reagan in 1983. It is held on the Sunday in January that falls closest to Jan. 22, the day the United States Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade. President George W. Bush has routinely issued the proclamation during his presidency.
In Quincy, organizations including the Pro-Life Committee and the FOUND Youth Group of the Church of St. Peter, the Quincy area office of CareNet (a crisis pregnancy center), and Right to Life of Adams County will join other initiatives throughout the United States to call attention to issues relating to abortion.
Local activities in Quincy will kick off with the 20th annual Memorial Walk sponsored by Right to Life of Adams County. The short candle-lit walk will take place at 6 p.m. on Saturday. After the walk, a program and presentations of awards to student winners of the annual Right to Life Poster and Essay Contest will take place and refreshments will be served. Winning entries in the poster and essay contest will be displayed at the Quincy Mall throughout Sanctity of Life Week.
Kathryn Untiedt, who leads the FOUND youth group, is spearheading a new event, participation in "A Light in the Darkness" luminary lighting event on Sunday, Jan. 20. Beginning that evening at 6 p.m. the youth will light luminaries outside of the Church of St. Peter along Maine Street.
Untiedt said in addition to St. Peter youth, she expects young people from St. Brigid Parish, Liberty, and St. Francis Parish, Quincy, to take part in the lighting ceremony. Additionally, an ecumenical prayer service for life will be held at 7 p.m. in St. Peter Church, led by Deacon Leo Bistak.
"A Light in the Darkness" is a nationwide campaign to raise money for crisis pregnancy centers. Proceeds from the Quincy event will go to CareNet, which provides pregnancy and post-abortion counseling and support, parenting education, abstinence education and other services. Through "A Light in the Darkness," FOUND will be accepting donations for luminaries throughout the month of January.
"We plan on having the luminary lighting on Sunday, unless it rains," Untiedt said. "If it rains we'll move it to another night."
The group plans to light 833 luminaries, representing the number of babies who are aborted each week in Illinois alone. Nationwide, it is anticipated that 43 million luminaries will be lighted that night.
"We want to make a powerful statement, and we want to graphically call attention to the fact that this is not a small issue," said Martha Rapp, pastoral associate. "I don't think people are really aware that 119 abortions are performed each day in this state. That is infanticide. If any other mass killing like that took place it would be big news."