I was standing outside Northeast Ohio Women’s Center, an abortion facility in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, praying the rosary when three police cars pulled up. The officers started dragging a priest and three women out of the abortion facility. A Red Rose Rescue was taking place. For several years, priests and laity have been entering abortion facilities and counseling mothers in the waiting room minutes before their abortion. They have had dozens of appointments canceled and babies saved doing this! The participants remain inside until they are arrested as an act of peaceful civil disobedience out of love for the children who are going to be killed that day. When I heard that this was taking place in Ohio, I wanted to be present to pray. Although this event took place in June, something even more shocking happened afterwards and played out this month.
Several days after the rescue, the body of an aborted baby was found in trash container of that abortion facility! The preborn baby was 16 weeks old and was killed by a D&E dismemberment abortion sometime between June 4-7th. She was retrieved from the garbage on June 7th. She was named Gianna-John. Pro-life activists organized a burial for her on September 25th at Holy Cross Cemetery in Akron, Ohio. Hundreds attended to lay her this abandoned child to rest. Many may be shocked to learn that this happened in the state in which we are based. It is a fact though that on average 56 children are killed every day in Ohio. Their bodies are just picked up and incinerated instead of being left in the trash. We thank God for the opportunity to show this child love and respect while also exposing the evil of the abortion industry. You can see photos of Gianna-John on our Facebook page. Please pray for her parents and the doctor that killed her. Catholics for Life’s efforts continue to change hearts and save children from Gianna-John’s fate. Fourteen people joined our monthly Torchbearers event where we passed out pro-life literature, holy cards, rosaries, miraculous medals, and two copies of the four gospels. Two people changed their minds and now completely oppose abortion! We were able to minister to four post-abortive parents. After one conversation, a father told us, “This conversation just shook my whole world!” Another man explained, “I was pro-choice, but you gave me a lot of things I haven’t thought about and want to think over.” We had in-depth conversations about the faith with Jennifer who we prayed with and Don who was amazed by the evidence for the Resurrection! We were also able to evangelize and give apologetics literature to street-preachers who were former Catholics.
As for our efforts at Planned Parenthood, we recently met with the Columbus Women’s Clinic about partnering with them. Planned Parenthood has continued to be closed on certain days and closes early on others. Our Outreach Assistant, Rachael, has been able to give literature to people who show up on days the facility locks their doors early. They cannot get in to talk to the abortion providers, so instead they speak to us! Another day, a woman turned-away from Planned Parenthood with her friend exclaiming, “We saved a life today!” As we mourn over Gianna-John, we pray babies like this one are able to be rescued! Thank you for partnering with our life-saving missionary efforts!