ARTICLES

Actually, Physically Doing It

DIOCESE ON FRONT LINES

by Anne Knight

The diocesan social ministry office sponsored a public, pro-life procession and prayer vigil outside an abortion facility on October 30. According to Anne Fitch-Dececchi, pro-life activist who moved to San Diego in 1973, this marked the first public pro-life activity organized and sponsored by the diocese that she could recall.

The procession and prayer vigil followed Mass held at Our Lady of Grace Church in El Cajon attended by about 150 people. The main celebrant was Father Louis Fischer, retired priest from Salt Lake City living in San Diego. Concelebrants were Fathers Richard Perozich, James Boyd, and Bud Kaicher, pastors of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in San Diego, Holy Family in San Diego, and St. Peter's in Fallbrook. Present on the altar was Deacon Lou Rocha of Holy Trinity Church in El Cajon. Spotted among the congregation were Brother Clement Kennedy of Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, Father Jack Cuddigan of St. Therese Church in San Diego, and Bernadeane Carr, diocesan communications director.

Father Perozich, speaking in English at the beginning of the Mass and in Spanish afterward, addressed these remarks to the congregation: "It's one thing to say, 'Fine, I've never participated in an abortion; I've never euthanized an old person.' We must do more. In order to stand guiltless before our God as individuals, we must at least try to transform our society; that is, we must tell other people that it is always wrong to have an abortion. I saw Senator Boxer, on television the other day, say one of the stupidest things I've ever heard a human being say in my life ... she said, in opposition to the partial-birth abortion ban, that a family should have a right to abort a child. This is the kind of thing that we, as a society-- while we may not believe it-- we will share in the guilt and responsibility [for it] if we do not make our voice known. And we Catholics have been awfully quiet." He lamented that the Mass attendance was not greater.

Father Fischer preached a homily on the wounds caused by abortion and the healing available through Christ and the Church. He mentioned Rachel's Hope post-abortion program and the fact that one quarter of women age 15 and over have had abortions. "The message of Rachel's Hope focuses on Divine Mercy, that mercy that's like a giant tidal wave that totally immerses the person in hope and the joy of resurrection glory." Father Fischer praised pro-life foot soldiers: "We commend once again the consistent dedication of those who work tirelessly in the right-to-life apostolate. Their activity encourages all of us to examine our consciences and ask ourselves, 'Have we done enough to make our witness known? Have we spoken out for the value of human life?'"

Kent Peters, diocesan social ministries director, made some comments and fielded questions after Mass. "I'm convinced that prayer is most effective when it is physically located where evil occurs, where damage is done," he said, explaining his decision to hold a prayer vigil in front of an abortion clinic. "We're doing this also to confirm and support all of you who have abortion facility ministries: all those who take the time to sidewalk counsel, picket or pray. And their numbers fluctuate. Right now I think we're definitely not at a zenith; we're not at a nadir; we're somewhere in between. And this is a way of saying to them, 'Your ministry is important; we support you and stand behind you.'" Peters explained that diocesan support for pro-life activism at abortion facilities is contingent on activists behaving in a peaceful, prayerful spirit. "If they are not behaving the way we would hope, then I would not support them," partly, he said, due to the news media's negative portrayal of "anything out of the ordinary" in the pro-life movement: "It really is too bad, but the very same tactics used in the civil rights movement, in this movement, are seen as abusive, etc., etc. There they were seen as heroic. But we have to live with that; that's where we are." He requested that no signs be displayed during the procession and clinic prayer vigil because "signage seems to ratchet up, for whatever reason, the tension and increase animosity sometimes, on the part of others, and we would like to be seen as not wanting to start a fight.

Over 100 people braved the heat to walk in the mile-long procession from the church to the Family Planning Associates at 8881 Fletcher Parkway, praying the rosary aloud. On the sidewalk and street outside the medical building parking lot they assembled for "prayer for healing." The names of over 200 women killed since 1975, as a result of legal abortions, were read aloud, followed by prayers on their behalf in English and Spanish. Peters earlier pointed out that the actual number of women known to have died after undergoing legal abortions far exceeds 200. Also present at the clinic were Kent Peters, Brother Clement and Fathers Boyd, Kaicher, Cuddigan, and Louis Solcia, associate at Our Lady of the Rosary parish in San Diego' Little Italy. One source at the vigil mentioned that Bishop Brom was unable to attend due to a prior commitment.

At its conclusion several attendees asked Peters when the diocese would hold another such event. He demonstrated an interest in doing so; Peters encouraged attendees to become more involved in pro-life ministry, including abortion clinic ministry and reminded them of the first Saturday pro-life Masses at Our Lady of Grace and the rosary pickets held every Saturday at the same clinic. A KUSI TV newsman interviewed Peters after the vigil; however, no coverage of the event was shown in that evening's KUSI news broadcast.

One parish pro-life coordinator's reaction: "It was really their [the diocese's] first official endorsement of this activity, by actually, physically doing it. My point all along is, if we can get two percent of Catholics praying at the killing centers, we could end abortion without any trouble: no arrests, no civil stuff [lawsuits filed against pro-lifers], no nothing, just rosaries and praying there.... With their official endorsement, I was hoping that would be kind of a force multiplier effect.... The diocese ought to be commended.... We were sent posters in the mail [a few months in advance] for us to put in our parishes. They did everything deliberately, comprehensively, with attention to detail; they were serious about it.... This time, I think they hit the jackpot; I think they hit it right on the nerve. This is what they should be doing: the Mass, the rosary, going to the clinic, and reaching out to the victims of abortion and ... trying to get them to go to confession afterwards." Peggy Pinciotti, pro-life coordinator for Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish in Lakeside: "It was wonderful, wasn't it? It wasn't a really great turnout, but it's a start, and the people followed through with the whole day, which I thought was wonderful; it showed the depth of their commitment. I was very impressed.... I think it boosted all of us, really. It gave us all a new ... inspiration to plod on." Fitch-Dececchi regarding the turnout: "That really is disappointing, for all the publicity it was given by the diocese.... I think now is the time that all the other parishes should surely send out a few to strengthen our numbers ... because you're trying to make sure that there's some people out there every Saturday [at the Shield of Roses rosary pickets in La Mesa], because you don't want anybody to be there alone. It's important that we're there in numbers." She encourages Catholics to participate along with their children, adding that "the children are quite safe."

The Shield of Roses Catholic pro-life group sponsors an 8 a.m. Mass every first Saturday at Our Lady of Grace Church, at 2766 Navajo Rd. in El Cajon (near Fletcher Parkway), a Tuesday evening holy hour at Our Lady of Grace at 7:30 pm, and a rosary picket every Saturday, from 9 to 10 a.m., at the FPA abortion clinic at 8881 Fletcher Parkway in La Mesa. For more information (619) 466-1507.

Sidewalk counseling is offered at the same abortion facility on Saturdays from 8 to 12 a.m., by the California Life Coalition. For more information, call Cheryl at (619) 562-3519.

A rosary picket is held at Womancare, at 120 Craven Way in San Marcos, (across from Cal State San Marcos) every Tuesday from 10 to 11:30 a.m.; call Deacon Ken or Marie Finn at (760) 751-8541 for more information.

"The Helpers of God's Precious Infants sponsor a Catholic prayer vigil and sidewalk counseling at least one Saturday morning per month at the Clinica Medica para la Mujer de Hoy at 335 H St. in Chula Vista, located a half block away from St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. For more information on the Helpers, call Duke Weilbacher at 619) 274-9316.

The California Life Coalition sometimes sponsors a picket and sidewalk counseling at Clinica Medica on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. For more information, contact the CLC at (619) 562-3519. Both ministries at this abortion facility are in need of Spanish-speakers to assist with sidewalk counseling."