Marchers speak out against abortion

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press
 
WORCESTER - Despite last June’s overturning of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion, it’s still important to speak out against abortion. 
That belief was communicated by people who boarded buses at St. Paul Cathedral Thursday night, Jan. 19, for the 50th annual March for Life in the nation’s capital - and by those who joined them at a send-off Mass.
When the local marchers arrived in Washington, D.C., Friday morning, one of their leaders, Deacon David F. Vaillancourt Sr., was invited to be one of the two deacons of the Mass there; he helped with the Liturgy of the Eucharist. This was the closing Mass of the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. (The opening Mass was held there Thursday night.)
“It was a thrill,” Deacon Vaillancourt, who serves at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Milford, told The Catholic Free Press by telephone as he was marching Friday. He assisted at this Mass other years, and once helped distribute Communion, and thought it would be nice to serve the Mass, he said. This year an emcee invited him to do so about 10 minutes before Mass, when the scheduled deacon did not arrive, he said.
Deacon Robert S. Connor Jr., who is stationed at St. Cecilia Parish in Leominster, was among other deacons assisting at that Mass.  
Allison LeDoux, director of the Worcester Diocese’s Respect Life Office, coordinates buses to the March for Life. One of those buses carried 48 students and adult leaders from Trivium School in Lancaster, she said. The other bus had 28 people, including Assumption University’s 14-member group, family groups and individuals, including Father Anthony J. Kazarnowicz, associate pastor of St. Joseph Basilica in Webster, a pro-life advocate for decades.
Most of those not part of student groups were new to the diocesan trip, which was cancelled the last two years because of the coronavirus pandemic, Mrs. LeDoux said. She said students from the College of the Holy Cross and Worcester Polytechnic Institute went separately by Amtrak. 
The original March for Life was held on the first anniversary of the Jan. 22, 1973 Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in all 50 states. The march was in opposition to that decision. The Court overturned Roe last June in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case saying that the U.S. Constitution does not confer a right to abortion and returned the authority to regulate abortion to the states.
Father Richard F. Reidy, diocesan vicar general, noted this in his homily at the Mass at St. Paul‘s. He said a victory was won, but the struggle continues, as some state laws and constitutions still permit abortion. Abortion remains legal in Massachusetts. 
A civil society cannot flourish if problems are addressed by taking innocent human life, he said. The right to life is endowed by the Creator, not accorded by courts or legislators. We are duty-bound to defend it if we are to create a culture of life.
Father Reidy told listeners they create a culture of life by speaking the truth and witnessing to it; the truth is a weapon that can strike the conscience, enlighten the mind and change the heart. 
Scott Adams, 26, of St. John, Guardian of Our Lady Parish in Clinton, came to the cathedral armed with his weapon – a shield-like sign which said, “Defend the unborn.” He said he was going to the march with his fiancée, Maria Filipi, 20, also from St. John’s, who had gone before.
“I’ve wanted to go since I was in high school, but I just never got the opportunity,” he said.
Katherine Dupuis, of St. Boniface Parish in Lunenburg, said she’s always wanted to go, but had family commitments. She said she knew about the march from advertisements and news stories, but never found a church group going. This year, she learned about the diocesan trip from the parish bulletin of Our Lady of the Lake in Leominster.
“I’m excited,” she said, upon arriving for Mass with her husband, Gregory, who was traveling with her. “I’m very passionate about abortion; I’m very against it.”
Gabriella Ribeiro, 21, expressed her passion as she prepared to attend her fourth March for Life, this time without family, and with a new group of people. 
She’s from East Boston and is studying business at Babson College, she said. She thought buses going from Boston were full, but somehow got on the email list for the Worcester Diocese’s trip.
“I started going (to the March for Life) to learn more about it when I was a senior in high school,” she said. She said she became passionate about abortion and about helping mothers who might consider abortion, and is considering making pro-life outreach part of her career. 
Some of her friends were surprised the march was continuing after Roe was overturned, she said. But, she added, “I think it’s more important than ever … because it’s not the end of the fight.” It’s important to march to keep making progress; there is much division over the issue of abortion. 
It is not time to claim victory; prayer is still needed, said David Soares, who attended the Mass with his wife, Alessandra, to see their son off with the Trivium School marchers. The couple, from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish at Our Lady of Loreto Church, said they went to the March for Life when they were students at Columbia University in New York. More recently, he chaperoned marchers from St. Peter-Marian High School in Worcester.
Francine Erickson and Nancy Kudzal also attended the Mass, even though they weren’t going to Washington, D.C., as they have done in the past with their parish, Sacred Heart of Jesus in Webster. They spoke of enjoying the Mass and praying for the marchers and the unborn. 
Lisa Villa, of Sacred Heart-St. Catherine of Sweden Parish, was excited that her youngest child was making her second trip to the march. Since Caroline had tried unsuccessfully to get others from her school, Marianapolis Preparatory, in Thompson, Connecticut, to go, the Assumption University group “adopted” her, Mrs. Villa said. 
Caroline’s aunt and confirmation sponsor, Kerrie Sacovitch, of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Grafton, was among those waving as the buses left the cathedral.
“It’s exciting to see a young person live their faith,” she said. “It’s a hard thing to do at that age.” 
 
Editor’s note: The send-off Mass at St. Paul Cathedral can be viewed on https://worcesterdiocese.org/respect-life.