On Saturday, June 24, in 30-degree heat, 1900 pro-lifers joined together in a prayer march to protest Henry Morgentaler’s abortion empire and its attack on the civil rights of Canadians.
The march was sponsored by the newly-formed Ontario Pro-life Clergy Council, a coalition of Catholic and Evangelical clergy. It was called to protest Mongentaler’s court injunction against freedom of speech. Most Rev. Pearce Lacey, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Toronto, Marched up front with some 30 other clergy and religious. Evangelical clergy included Prayer March Chairman Steve Hill, pastor of the Christian Fellowship Pentecostal Community in Newmarket, Ontario, Baptist Minister Ken Campbell of Choose Life Canada, and Val Dodd of television’s Evangelical program, 100 Huntley Street, Toronto.
The injunction prohibits not only picketing or trespassing but also “supporting or encouraging, condoning or engaging in activities intended to have the effect of disturbing, interrupting, restricting of limiting” the services of the clinic. Above all, it protects the spurious “right” of every woman to kill her pre-born baby.
In a recent begging letter for the Canadian Abortion Rights Action League (CARAL), Morgentaler writes that the Supreme Court decision of January 1988 must be seen as a victory for women’s “reproductive rights”. Judge Craig, who issued the injunction, apparently agrees with Morgentaler, despite the fact that a woman’s right to kill her unborn baby is a non-right. It has never existed in all of history nor does it exist today.
Toronto police had set up barricades on Harbord Street, site of the Morgentaler abortuary. The pro-life marchers, wearing gags, knelt down briefly on the pavement in front of the barricades in groups of several hundred to silently pray for the murdered unborn. The clergy in front stayed there until the last marchers had passed.
Behind police barricades, 40 pro-death supporters shouted over and over again their rallying yells in defiance of civil and divine authority: “Not the Church and not the state, women will control their fate.”
But the long line of baby carriages, children, teenagers and parents moved forward undisturbed, with people responding to the sad group with silence and prayer.
At the beginning of the rally, Rev. Campbell gave a “volcano” speech – as he called it – not mincing his words as he described the brutality of Henry Morgentaler and all abortionists. He decried Ottawa’s “outrage” at the killing of students in China’s
Tiananmen Square, but its slaughter of the unborn.
Above the rally a small plane trailed in giant letters: “Morgentaler kills babies for $$$.”
Rally organizer was Bob Gwen. He was aided by Campaign Life Coalition.