The Perth Archdiocese and the University of Notre Dame support students trip to New York to learn about the pro-life movement in the US
By Bridget Spinks
ARCHBISHOP Barry Hickey has donated $1000 towards Pregnancy Assistance’s initiative to sponsor three students’ trip to New York to attend a retreat to be led by the founder of the Helper’s of God’s Precious Infants, Monsignor Philip Reilly.
Archbishop Hickey celebrated Mass in the East Perth Pregnancy Assistance chapel on 20 June to farewell the students.
He told The Record that sending the three young people from Western Australia would “send a message to other young men and women of their age of the importance of standing up for life”.
“I think it’s a blessing for the Archdiocese and for Australia that we are sending many young people to learn from the experience of Mgr Reilly and his close collaborators about the pro-life mission,” the Archbishop said.
“Mgr Reilly has inspired those around the world to pray and act on behalf of unborn children and their mothers.”
Chris Paynter, 23, an fourth year Italian and economics student at University of Western Australia; Daniel Matthys, 19, a third year history student also at UWA and Kelly Clark, 19, a second year Theology student at Notre Dame flew out of Sydney bound for New York on 23 June.
The students said they were looking forward to meeting the renowned Mgr Reilly.
The University of Notre Dame Australia has also thrown its support behind sending Kelly Clark, one of its own students, to New York and has contributed $1000 towards her expenses.
Kelly hoped that upon her return, she would be able to better express her pro-life views in conversations and be able to explain the political situation in other parts of the world.
Because of globalisation, she said, other countries’ policies – particularly US policy – influence our own.
Daniel too hoped to be able to learn from the pro-life movement in the States.
“They’re 20 years ahead,” he said. “We’re still liberalising our laws whereas they are going back the other way … and they have the youth onside,” he said.
Sydney based pro-life organisation Family Life International organised an Australian contingent of 30 to go to New York for the retreat with Mgr Reilly.
Paul Hanrahan of FLI asked Perth’s 40 Days for Life campaign coordinator Helene Sawyer whether any West Australian students would be interested in attending.
Pregnancy Assistance director, Brian Peachey asked Kelly, Daniel and Chris to attend because they had prayed outside the abortion clinic in Rivervale during Perth’s first 40 Days for Life Lenten prayer campaign.
“It’s a big thing for them to do; a lot of people are afraid to pray publicly like that, it takes a lot of courage,” Brian said.
The Archbishop also blessed a 10-bead chaplet for each of the students that Brian Peachey had made out of homegrown Job’s tears; the same kind of beads Bl Mother Teresa of Kolkata would use to pray.
Archbishop Hickey said Australia would receive back a large number of young people from the experience with great energy for this “difficult and daunting work”.