Life Chain There are so many subjects on which one might write for the pro-life cause that it is not always easy to decide. But, I thought a brief description of the Life Chain in at least one area would be suitable for this month’s column. I took part in the Danforth Avenue, Toronto area and found it very encouraging. Those present combined the parishioners of two Catholic parishes, Our Lady of Fatima and St. Dunstan’s, and were led by their two pastors, Fr. John Weelink and Fr. Michael Hughes.

Jim Barnes, the chief organizer for the area, told me that there were more than 200 people taking part, each holding up a pro-life placard. This made for quite a long “chain” on each side of the street, which was very evident to the literally thousands of cars which passed by. The response from the passers-by was really very good. We received hundreds of horn “bip bips” and many thumbs-up signs and very few of the offensive horn blasts and fingers.

There was just one “incident” which could have been amusing but really was not. A middle-aged lady was passing by and probably noticed my clerical collar. She attacked me verbally, not physically. She said in a loud voice, “The baby in the mother’s womb belongs to the mother and not to you. You have no business interfering.” I said, “What about God? He created the baby.” Her reply in an even louder voice was, “There is no God. I am my own god.” She then moved on, continuing to shout at the other pro-lifers. As far as I know, that was the only offensive incident that we experienced. I put her in my daily prayers and would ask readers to do the same. So, perhaps this incident would have good results. At the end of the hour, we gathered at the street corner and prayed together.

I have received some Life Chain numbers but by no means all. Thus far, the total for Toronto was 1,809, down a bit down from last year. From a few other areas I received figures, it seems as there were about 10,000 participants nation-wide. By next month we should have the total. It is great that at least 10,000 were prepared to “take a stand for life.” It must have had an incredible effect on the incalculable number of people who drove by in their cars. If we saved the life of even one baby, it was well worthwhile. Pro-lifers assaulted

As the above article is somewhat brief, I thought the following might be of interest to Interim readers. I got it from an Irish pro-life magazine.

“In San Diego’s wealthy La Jolla area on Aug. 4, fans of pro-abortion Hillary Clinton attacked 15 pro-lifers from the California Life Coalition, who were picketing opposite a bookstore where she was hawking signed copies of her memoirs. The pro-lifers carried placards that featured coloured pictures of aborted babies and read, in large bold letters, ‘HILLARY’S CHOICE.’ The CLC says Hillary supporters surrounded the pro-lifers, began shoving, then kicked in a placard, slightly injuring two pro-life women. A female Hillary fan attacked a pro-lifer and spat on him, and another woman poured soft drink over a pro-lifer. The pro-lifers say that only after they met with nearby police and then a police supervisor were extra police brought in to calm the infuriated pro-abort crowd. The CLC calls its pro-life witness ‘well worth a few bumps and bruises.’ The CLC reports that at the signing of her book … a thousand people, who were snaked around the corner and down four city blocks, waited to meet Hillary. Mrs. Clinton is running for president, either in 2004 or 2008.”