By Bronia Karniewicz
Respect Life Office executive officer
PERTH’S pro-life community gathered on 26 March at St Mary’s Cathedral to celebrate the Mass of the Unborn Child, an annual day of prayer and remembrance for all unborn children and an opportunity to extend God’s love, hope and mercy to women and men who have lost a child through abortion.
The Mass is also held close to the feast of the Annunciation to remember the difficulties and judgements Mary faced with her very unexpected pregnancy. In this case, the actual feast was the day before. Perth Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton concelebrated the Mass with five Perth priests, including Frs Anthony Van Dyke OP, Paul Carey and Andre Mary Feain FI, for over 250 people to pray for all unborn babies and for women and men affected by abortion.
The Bishop’s thoughtful and sincere homily, reiterating the declaration of Bishop Launcelot Goody and offering the Church’s help and support to any pregnant woman with difficulty in deciding to keep her baby, was particularly profound. He also offered the Church’s hope and support to those experiencing deep grief and mental anguish because of their abortion experience. Often, the Church is portrayed as promoting the evil of abortion without understanding the difficult and complex situations faced by many, yet Bishop Sproxton spoke compassionately to those about their experience.
This year, the Mass also marked the midway point of the 40 Days for Life campaign that was being held in Perth for the first time, joining this international campaign to pray for an end to abortion.
Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane have already joined some 300 cities globally for the Vigil.
Many people, parishes and communities have taken up the challenge to peacefully pray outside the Rivervale abortion clinic and others have been praying before the Blessed Sacrament with adoration taking place 8am to 5pm daily at nearby St Augustine’s Church. The campaign hasn’t been without controversy, as a group of university students recently arranged a counterprotest. This took place on a Sunday when the clinic is shut so 40 Days’ participants chose to avoid any argument and peacefully relocated to pray at St Augustine’s.
With many lives lost each year and countless women and men grieving and traumatised by their abortion experience, this has been an opportunity to peacefully defend and promote the dignity of every human person.