Stand up for Life
Procession on 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade
The Valley Catholic
SAN JUAN — On Jan. 22, 1973, the Supreme Court handed down Roe v. Wade, legalizing abortion in the United States. Since then, more than 52 million babies have been killed by abortion in this country.
Bishop Daniel E. Flores and the Respect Life Apostolate of the Diocese of Brownsville invite the faithful to gather at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22, in prayerful protest at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine.
The event marks the 39th anniversary of the dark day that abortion was legalized in the U.S.
Attendees are asked to wear red to honor the babies’ blood shed when they were killed by abortion.
Families, youth groups and other church groups are encouraged to attend this event, which will be led by Bishop Flores.
The day’s events will begin with music, followed by a Rosary and procession around the basilica,
prayer and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on the front steps of basilica and concluding with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Flores at 3:30 p.m. Exhibitors will also set up booths to provide information, literature and resources on pro-life activities in the diocese and beyond.
“Our goal is to have a great representation from all the parishes to come and give thanks to God for life,” said Sister Nancy Boushey of the Benedictine Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Rio Grande City and director of the Respect Life Apostolate for the diocese. “And to receive graces to counteract the culture of death and make reparation against the many sins against life and to hear the message of our shepherd, the bishop.”
Those who attend the event will be standing in solidarity with pro-lifers across the nation as there will be hundreds of pro-life events held across the country on that day. National Right to Life, the nation’s oldest and largest pro-life organization, selected, “Unborn Babies Feel Pain” as their theme for January 2012 pro-life activities.
Organizers hope that the event will also raise awareness about abortion and stop it, reminding Catholics and non-Catholics alike that abortion is wrong.
Though the Catholic Church has always condemned abortion and the vast majority of the Rio
Grande Valley residents identify themselves as Catholic, many abortions are still taking place here.
The most recent statistics available from the Texas Department of State Health Services show that 2,904 babies were aborted in the Valley in 2008.
The McAllen Pregnancy Center primarily serves women facing unplanned pregnancies, including many women who are counseled and invited to the pregnancy center as they are walking in or out of a nearby abortion clinic.
“All situations are different, but (for) the majority of the girls and women that we see and hear, it’s just ignorance and lack of knowledge,” said Yolanda Chapa, executive director of the McAllen
Pregnancy Center. “The mindset is, ‘it’s all about me,’ never giving any thought to the child within them.”