In our September issue, page 11, we reported that two Canadians from Toronto participated in the Operation Rescue carried out in Stockport, England by Operation Outreach, the international group which is stirring consciences in Europe under the leadership of Joan Andrews. We have since learned that two other Canadians were present, namely Connie and Barry Norman of Burnaby, B.C. While the two Toronto participants, Paul Arteau and Brian Winarski, returned to Canada immediately after, the Normans continued with the Americans to other rescues in Rome.
Brazil
Before the rescues in England in July, Joan Andrews, who has spent two-and-a-half years in jail suffering on behalf of unborn babies, had taken the fight to Brazil and Madrid, Spain, with the original American Outreach group earlier this year. In June, the group moved to Brazil.
From their arrival in Rio de Janeiro onwards, the rescuers were interviewed by the media and spent considerable time in establishing contacts and preparing for the actual rescues. They had come on the invitation of Msgr. Ney, the Brazilian contact person for Human Life International. After training sessions and counseling, they were ready. The following excerpt is from the Rescuer, July/August1989:
“Rio de Janeiro: A rescue was planned and executed in Rio on July 7. The free-standing abortion mill visited is one of many killing centres in the city run by members of the Rica family. Although illegal and operated by an abortionist who has lost his medical license, it functions 24-hours a day with round-the-clock guards. It is 1 ½ blocks away from the police department, but remains immune to prosecution. Bribery of officials and blackmail threats on important clients are means used to keep police away. The fear and silence of the community adds to the abortionist’s ability to continue killing with impunity.
“Prior to the rescue, a training session was held for the roles of counselors, prayer supporters and those blocking the doors of the mill. (This was the first Rescue in Brazil and much fear and trepidation had to be overcome. We are very familiar with that situation.) To Msgr. Ney’s surprise, at the end of the session he had many more committed to counsel and block doors than he had expected.
“The morning of the Rescue, all met for Mass and 30 rescuers moved to the abortion mill and found the night guard leaving, and the day guard not yet on the scene, leaving the door free to block immediately. Joan Andrews and Msgr. Ney stood directly art the centre of the gate, with other rescuers on both sides of them. When the day guard came on duty, Msgr. Ney persuaded him to leave and gave him his phone number, telling him he would get him another job.”
In subsequent talks in several parishes, more interested in rescuing signed up. Lawyers and doctors offered their services; some offered to set up Project Rachel groups to help women suffering the effects of abortion. Rescue Outreach then moved to England.
Lebanon
Following the rescues in Manchester (Stockport) and London (The Interim, September 89), Joan Andrews went on to Lebanon. She sailed into Lebanon from Cyprus on September 5 in company with “International Youth for Peace,” a group returning from Compostella, Spain, where Pope John Paul II addressed 300,000 youths from all over Europe.
Joan spoke with the Catholic Patriarch of Lebanon, with members of the Clergy, and with lay pro-lifer leaders, and she broadcast three times on the Lebanese program “Voice of Christ,” run by Father Hannoun Andros. She distributed pro-life and rescue materials and has taken every opportunity to point out the connection between war on the unborn and war on each other.
She also helped introduce and distribute medical supplies to Lebanon, running the Syrian blockade by sea at least three times to help deliver supplies from Cyprus. She also joined in a peace march through no man’s land, aiming to link up with peaceful Moslems from the other side, but shell fire prevented the parties from meeting.
Holland
While Joan was in Lebanon, the rest of the group had gone to France where they aroused interest among pro-lifers who didn’t feel, however, that they were ready for this kind of action. From there they went to Holland. Reports Virginia Byfield in B.C. Report:
“The Dutch were ready, however. Fourteen participants (six Dutch) conducted Holland’s first such operation at the Bloemenhove Abortion Clinic in Haarlem at 8 a.m. on September 9.
“The activists began by entering the clinic; chaos ensued. Police were summoned. They in turn called for reinforcements. Nervous doctors shoved picketers and grabbed signs. All 14 intruders, including the Normans, were arrested. The clinic closed for the day, which is one of the aims of Operation Rescue. Dutch authorities seemed bewildered, observers say, but after considering trespass charges they simply returned the foreigners’ passports and politely deported them. The campaigners believe nonetheless that they have helped alert Holland, where a bill legalizing euthanasia is pending, to the dangers of indiscriminate killing.
“The Rescue Outreach team proceeded on to Austria, Germany, Hungary and Italy.”
Rome
Humanae Vitae House (Braemar, Scotland) reported on September 23rd that 30 protesters were arrested in Rome. It presents the following account:
“On the morning of Friday, 22nd September 1989, thirty pro-life people (including three Scots) were arrested in Rome, Italy, during a peaceful ‘sit-in’ attempt to prevent babies being killed by abortion. The protesters were drawn from America, Canada, Australia, Britain and several other European countries.
“At 8 a.m. local time, thirty of the group entered the St. Camillo Hospital in Rome – the closest location to the Vatican where abortions are being performed – and headed for the abortion wing in the basement of the hospital. Some then peacefully occupied the operating theatre where abortions were scheduled to take place, whilst others sat in the hall outside. Still more protesters were outside the hospital praying, and counseling the women arriving for abortions.
“The pro-life demonstrators intended to remain there indefinitely, but after four hours of occupying the abortion section, police officers began arrests and gently removed them from the building one at a time. The Roman Police refused to arrest one of the American protesters because he was a Catholic priest; he was carried out and released. (Father Jack Murphy)
“The pro-lifers were taken to a Roman Police Station and held throughout the day in the police compound whilst charges were being considered. Upon being photographed and fingerprinted, all were eventually released without charge after nearly eleven hours custody. This has been the largest number of arrests at an abortion clinic demonstration in Europe, and has attracted massive publicity in Italy and reawakened public debate on the abortion issue.
Australia
Sydney, Australia, held its first Operation Rescue on August 19, according to the American weekly The Wanderer (September 14, 1989). The paper reports that:
“The first Operation Rescue in Sydney on Saturday, August 19th, was more successful than anyone could have dared to imagine. The killing centre remained closed, 80 rescuers prayed and sang outside it for four hours – and not one policeman appeared on the scene.
“Support for the Rescue came from Catholic and charismatic churches, from Catholic and university pro-life groups, and from members of Right-to-Life Australia. Margaret Tighe, national chairman of Right-to-Life Australia, came from Melbourne to attend the Rescue and acted as media spokesman. Mrs. Tighe also risked arrest.”
