Kingston respect for life week


Iona Campagnolo must have felt we weren’t busy enough because she breezed into town on Sept. 20th for the Kingston and Island Liberal Association and then again on Sept. 27th for the neighboring riding.

Sunday, Sept. 18th: We asked all Catholic Parishes, Protestant churches and the Synagogue to join together in a prayer of Respect for Life.

Monday, Sept. 19th: Roses were presented to the Mayor and members of council in honor of Respect for Life Week

Tuesday, Sept. 20th: We picketed Iona Campanology at the Catafalque Golf Club; we had nine pro-lifers all women. We handed out the leaflet to anyone who would stop, this included Mayor Gerresten MLA Earl McEwen, Reeve of Kingston Township John Smale. The media were interested in our picket and certainly peppered her with questions. She got out of her car to speak with us. Her first words were, “Who is your leader and how many members do you have.” Her main concern was ensuring that women did not have to go to back alley abortionists and after reading one of our signs regarding her potential leadership she stated quite emphatically that she had no intention for running for the leadership. She later was quoted in the press at the meeting as saying that she was keeping her options open. She was not abusive to us, but I felt she was keeping herself under very tight control. She had to walk half a mile after leaving us to get to the Golf and Country Club because we picketing at the only entrance road, at the private property sign and her car had continued without her. We picketed from 5 to 7pm.

At 8 pm I was the guest of Garth Scott on the Cable T.V program “Checkpoint”. He kindly gave me the full 90 minutes. We had several callers and the issue was quite thoroughly discussed. During the programme, he showed three Nathanson commercials, which were being aired on CKWS TV 11 all during the week. There were 10 in all on the commercial channel.

Wednesday, Sept. 21st: We went into the Kingston General Hospital (the hospital in the city which has a maternity dept.) and presented all the new mothers with a rose corsage in honor of Respect for Life week.

Thursday, Sept. 22nd: I was invited into a grade eight class in a catholic school to make a presentation to the students (a slide presentation and discussion) on God the Creator of life, the destruction of the unborn and the importance of attending the pro-life rally and vigil.

Friday, Sept. 23rd: At 9 a.m. we began our display at the Kingston Centre which continued until 9 pm on Friday, and from 9 am until 6 pm on Saturday.

Seven groups participated: Vita, Campaign for Life, Right to Life, Birth-Right, 303 Sydenham St. – a home for unwed mothers which recently opened in the city, Ovulation Method billings, Extendicare – senior citizens nursing home. We were kept very busy for both days and evenings answering questions and distributing information. The models of fetal development which Right to Life displayed and slides of fetal development which we showed certainly attracted a lot of attention.

One alderman who voted against the Respect for Life week motion at the City Council visited the display and later commented very favorably at Council.

We were pleased that Father Collecton who came in on Saturday for the Sunday rally visited thee display as well.

We felt that every minute spent at the Centre was very valuable.

Saturday, Sept. 24th: Display continued. At twelve noon the early edition of the Whig Standard came out. We overheard some people going by the display reading the paper and commenting, “Is this the Whig?” The pictures of the unborn are marvelous to see and the quote from the scripture and the headline have got to be a first.

Sunday, Sept. 25th: The pro-life rally and Virgil (our fifth year for this) was the finale to the Respect for Life week.

Father Ted Colleton, as I have already mentioned was our guest speaker. We were so pleased to have father, who also preached the homily at the weekend Masses at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Paul and Timothy (Paul Coates and Timothy Crowley) honored us by their singing at the rally and Our Lady of Lourdes also enjoyed their talent during the Sunday Masses. These two young men certainly added enthusiasm and spirit to our rally and vigil and their song “Cry of the Unborn Child”, was very moving. This song was requested many times during the week on the local radio station. In spite of newspaper reports, the number attending the rally and vigil was more than 450. I counted 450 outside the hospital, where a one hour silent vigil or mourning took place, and there were some who were unable to join us at the walk after the really.

Sunday, Oct. 1st: Two buses left Kingston to attend the Toronto Rally organized by right to life Kingston.

Everyone who worked to organize the rally in Toronto is to be highly commended. It was a tremendous experience to be there. At least they came a little closer to the actual numbers.

I don’t think any other event has affected the media as much as this massive demonstration.  Congratulations.