Prayer a pillar of pro-life campaign

by PETER GRACE
A New Zealand abortionist saved a baby’s life when the abortion minded pregnant woman was unable to pay, pro-life people at an Auckland Mass heard on February 9.

At the end of Mass to start the 40 Days For Life campaign in Auckland, Family Life International communications manager Michelle Kaufman told the congregation the story of how, a couple of years ago, an abortionist phoned a pregnancy life centre on behalf of his cash-strapped client.
The staff at the centre at first thought it was a hoax call, Mrs Kaufman said, but it became clear that the mother’s situation was difficult and she was abortion-minded.
The pregnancy centre gave the young mother all the support they could, and she gave birth to Baby Angel some time later.
Dame Colleen Bayer of FLI said at the time that the existence of life-affirming pregnancy centres, like FLI’s
own Family Life Pregnancy Centre, was vital in showing women that no obstacle is too big to overcome in order to bring their child to birth.
Mrs Kaufman encouraged the 300 members of the the congregation at Good Shepherd Church in Balmoral to commit to some time, even one hour, during the ongoing presence outside the Auckland Medical Aid Centre in Dominion Rd, if they could. If they were unable to do that, their prayers were invaluable.
God uses our prayers in the way he sees fit, for his glory, she said.
“It is scary to go, but if the children were already born [and about to be killed] what would we do?
“Abortion kills children, it hurts women, destroys families. Will we be indifferent, or will we make the sacrifice to carry the cross with Jesus to Calvary? Will we be a witness to life, to love and to Jesus Christ?”
Ten priests were on the altar for the Mass to start the campaign, including the Bishop of Auckland, Bishop Patrick Dunn — the celebrant.
In his homily, Bishop Dunn said the campaign was part of a great international movement involving more than 600 cities in 32 countries.
The campaign has saved the lives of more than 11,100 babies since 2007, as well as encouraging many abortion workers to leave their jobs and become actively pro-life.
Where do we stand, Bishop Dunn asked? “Is my heart with the Lord, or am I a spiritual schizophrenic?”
When the great move began to liberalise abortion, the bishop said, its proponents said they wanted abortion to be very rare but safe.
“Within a generation that had all changed. Now abortion is seen as a basic human freedom, like one of the pillars of human society.”
The Archbishop of Philadelphia, Charles Chaput, made a provocative and perceptive comment. He said: “Abortion is not something we tolerate. Abortion has become something we venerate.”
Today we begin the 40 Days For Life campaign, and are about to start our lenten journey, Bishop Dunn said. Through those 40 days we will journey with Jesus, but Our Lord has told us that the power of Satan is challenged by prayer and fasting.
In Wellington on February 9, Cardinal John Dew celebrated a Mass for Life, with about 120 people present, as the archdiocese’s opening event.