Subtitled: 11 Years Ago Today…
…We were living in Boston and had just discovered (that morning) that we were expecting our son Jem. This on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi and on Respect Life Sunday, to boot!
I was so pleased.
Because it was Respect Life Sunday, John & Joe (& Jem) and I decided to take part in a Pro-Life march that afternoon in downtown Boston. As always at an event like this, the forces of good and evil clashed brutally. (I think what saddened me the most was the number of teenagers who were there in support of abortion rights.)
At one point we passed by a macabre, anti-Catholic display—a person dressed up like a tyrannical pope with a sign that read, “Stop your unholy war on women. Our Bodies: Our Lives: Our Right to Decide.”
With my rosary in hand, I paused by the side of them to pray a silent decade.
They were furious.
One of the women, the one holding a sign that read “Women are not incubators!”, began to scream at me. “How dare you? How dare you?!” I wondered what it was about my actions she found so threatening. I hadn’t said a word or done anything to her.
So much for Freedom of Speech. Apparently even my thoughts were offensive.
A photographer from the Boston Globe was there to document the moment, and the above photo ran in the paper the following day. We clipped the article and keep it in Jem’s baby book, where it serves as a reminder that this is the world that he’s come into.
This is the world he must confront.
Ad Jesum per Mariam,
That. Is. Awesome! Thanks for sharing such a cool moment.
Thanks for sharing! I have passed it on to a few of my friends who were at our parish's LIfe Chain event today. My daughter went too. We live in an area that doesn't see such hostility. In fact at the LIfe Chain, kids love to count all the thumbs up and honks. No one mentions seeing negativity. But it is good to know that where we live is definitely not necessarily the norm! And for us to not take for granted that compared to some parts of the nation, we are not so divisive. (We are in No. VA) Thanks again!
-KackyK
I pray that I stay calm if/when yelled at like that. To say nothing is the best action. Thank you for sharing this awesome moment and keeping it real for your kids. This is such an important issue.
Margaret – I was probably marching with you that day! We haven't been to the march in 3 years – I find the vitriol too much to expose my children too now. I do remember the 3rd year we marched, my eldest was 2 and I was newly pregnant. I hadn't even told my parents yet and they were with us and my mother kept wondering (aloud) if I was OK because I was so slow! It was a surreal experience and I remember being very frightened at times for my new baby and so strong at other times. The hostility has increased tremendously.
Powerful! (That one protestor or mannequin looks like a KKK member -shocking.) I too am not certain how I would have reacted to being yelled at. God Bless! Also – for showing your children the truth of this world. As a mom, I know my gut wants to shield them from all this, but it is a war against good and evil and being a good mom does not include burying our heads, or our kids – in the sand.
That is absolutely amazing!
Wow…what a powerful, visual commentary.
It affirms that age old adage that we teach more by our actions than by our words. Your prayerful witness spoke volumes, dear Margaret…and still does!
Thanks for sharing such an awesome memory…
Wow! I'm not sure if you posted this before, but this was a first read for me.
Now (in my time), I really feel tremendous hope with the pro-life movement. I think "the truth" is more obvious than ever!
Wonderful story … thanks for sharing.
Momto5Minnies, I'm not sure either if I have posted this before. It seems familiar, but then again, it should! (At least to me. 🙂
Amazing story. Like others I really do not know if I could stay quiet. I probably would open my mouth and there would be a rukus.
I am not too comfortable around confrontational people.
I am shocked that the Boston Globe ran it! DO you remember what the article was like? This photo certainly does not put the pro-choice folks in a good light!
Kudos to you for stopping and praying like that. I would have hurried by and grabbed DH's arm.
I am in a social concerns ministry group and recently I mentioned that it takes significant self control to be a peaceful person of action.
This is a perfect example of how to do it.
Terrific.