“Life is Beautiful” Vol 13 No 2 is devoted to the 1/25 witness in Washington, DC

Almost unnoticed was the date of the witness 1/25 -the Feast of St. Paul’s conversion.  The annual witness is ultimately to convert the minds and hearts of those who view people in the safety of the womb as dispensable.  The reasons are manifold.

One context is the pressure on women exerted by family, husband, boyfriend and employer.  In such cases a woman must feel pressured to follow the dictates of family, husband, boyfriend, or employer.  

Good Counsel Homes in New Jersey provides housing, education and job training for women who know that Life is Beautiful.  Organizations, including schools - from grade to high school - governments - local, state, and federal will provide mere plastic and pills for cents instead of the love which requires more than distributing trinkets and carcinogens.  A love beyond any understanding for Mothers and their unborn children.

This year’s witness, as projected, showed a marked increase in young women, particularly carrying children in their arms, pushing children in carriages, with older children in tow - and some Mothers carrying their unborn children.  

From the West - Benedictine College from Kansas (30 hour bus ride each way with 28 buses)

From the South - a high school from Florida, the Archdiocese of New Orleans.  

From the North high schools and Dioceses of Michigan

From the East - no shortage of kids, moms, children  and dioceses including the Diocese of Trenton.

High schoolers with the sound of drums ricocheting from the building walls, others chanting, still others with instruments ranging from solo trumpets to semi-organized bands.

My sense was that all were present for a reason, universal recognition of the dignity of the unborn.

I have seen estimates ranging from 50,000 to 500,000.  I think I can tell the difference. Between 40,000 and 500,000.  What I can say for sure was there were a whole lot of people.  Standing on the steps of the Rayburn office building, I could not see the end.

Videos of the gathering on youtube are at eye level - pretty much what we saw all day.   Many wintessses in the path of getting a good picture.  

When 20 paces apart, we could not see each other, despite our noticeable yellow scarves.

Other than finger tips, I did not feel the 20o temperature.  The size and closeness of others might have attenuated the effect of the 20 degree temperatures and snow.

The prayers, sacrifice and witness must have turned minds, at least prompting questions.

Many thanks to our Grand Knight, Aaron Verguson, using his velvet glove to encourage. and prod.



We left St James at 8am and returned at 930pm - a little the worse for wear, a lot better for having been among the stouthearted and blessed witnesses

There is already talk of 2 busses next year.  

We are way closer than the College which shares the name of our Holy Father.  I am sure there are more busses here than in Kansas.  A 4 hour ride is somewhat less than 30 hours.  

There are 344 days to January 22, 2014.  

One bus every 114 days, one more witness every 4 days –
and then to 4 busses.  

What started as a wish, if not a dream from the parishioners of St James, St. George and St. Alphonsus is a reality.  

Respectfully submitted,

John D. Grant, Chairman
Knights of Columbus
Hopewell Council 7103

PS Can we return to “with liberty and justice for all - born and unborn” in our Pledge of Allegiance?
                 

Faced with the sacredness of life and of the human person, and before the marvels of the universe, wonder is the only appropriate attitude. - Pope John Paul II, Letter of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to Artists, Easter, April 4, 1999, Par 16 (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_23041999_artists_en.html)


Life begins with the fusion of sperm and oocyte (human egg).

The oocyte is the largest cell in the body.  Released by the ovary to the fallopian tube, it is in stasis, referred to as meiotic rest.  It travels the fallopian tube until its energy is  depleted (approximately 24 hours), or until it encounters a sperm.

The sperm enters the oocyte resulting in a flurry of explosive activity for 1-3 minutes.  The sperm introduces its unique molecules to the oocyte radically altering its unique molecules.  By virtue of its new structure the oocyte is a new system, never to be duplicated.    .

During the 1-3 minutes, a powerful release of calcium from the sperm destroys the molecular inhibitor of cellular activity in the oocyte.  A chain of reactions drives cell division and differentiation.  Left alone, the self-driven, self perpetuating process will continue for nine months and beyond - for life.  The oocyte which has a lifespan of 24 hours, has given way to a living system having a span of “seventy years or eighty for those who are strong.”  It is capable of independent and self-sustaining existence until  natural death.