Saving babies from abortion

FIGHTING FOR LIFE  Michael Renda, 97, a staunch supporter of the pro-life movement, is with Tania Silverio-Reyes, whom he met while on a bus ride to the March for Life in Washington, D.C. Because of their passion for saving babies in the womb, they became close friends and Renda would spend the holidays with Silverio-Reyes, her husband and four children.

CLIFTON  Valuing the dignity of all human life above all else is what Michael Renda, 97, a parishioner of St. Philip the Apostle Church here fully believes. He has fiercely been a strong voice and fighter for the unborn. When he was still physically able, well into his mid-90s, he was outside of abortion clinics praying to save the innocent children in the womb.

“When I fully understood what an abortion entailed, I thought that it was terrible,” said Renda. “It’s one of the Ten Commandments — ‘Thou shall not kill.’ It’s horrifying to think about babies being killed. I got upset about it and I became active in the cause to save them.”

Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Renda has been a parishioner of St. Philip’s since 1960 and he has been a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 11671. Renda is also a U.S. Army veteran, having served in World War II. He will celebrate his 98th birthday in November.

Recalling the days he stood praying outside abortion clinics, he said, “We saved some babies. We talked to many moms, who were on the edge of having an abortion. They were confused and they were scared and some, thanks be to God, didn’t go through with it.”

His commitment to being pro-life has connected him with many people from around the Diocese. For more than 15 years, Renda has sponsored a bus to the March for Life in Washington, D.C. allowing the faithful from St. Anthony Parish in Passaic and parishioners from around the Diocese to attend the biggest pro-life event of every year. Renda believed it was important that all Catholics participate in this annual March to reverse Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal in 1973.

Father Michael Rodak, who served his transitional diaconate year at St. Philip’s, met Renda for this first time about 14 years ago. “Mike truly has a heart of gold and puts in true effort to the pro-life movement,” the pastor of St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Hardyston, said. “He has the mindset of what we as Catholics believe and puts those beliefs into action for change.”

Tania Silverio-Reyes, who was a parishioner of St. Anthony in Passaic before moving to Texas with her husband and four children, became a close friend of Renda after meeting him on the bus ride to the March for Life many years ago. A widower, Renda would spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with the Reyes family. His wife, Nancy passed away 19 years ago and his son, Richard, passed away two years before her at 42. Renda has two sisters living out of state.

Silverio-Reyes said, “He is a very caring person and when his wife was sick, he was by her side the whole time. God is truly taking care of him. He is still so smart and he is so giving. If you ever go to his house, he gets mail from many charities and he gives to every single one of them. He keeps his mind busy and he has a lot of great stories.”

Lori DiGaetano, a parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua in Passaic who serves as youth minister there, also met Renda at the March for Life. “He has kind of adopted St. Anthony’s and would attend Mass at the church,” she said. “He met some of our youth and was inspired by their example and knew they were an important witness to the pro-life movement and making it a reality.”

While Renda can no longer participate in walking in the March for Life, he has still sponsored the bus to Washington, D.C. and said he will continue to do so as along as he is able to. He told The Beacon he prays daily for an end to abortion.

Ray Lill, a member of St. Philip’s Knights of Columbus, said, “He is an amazing person. I have never seen someone so dedicated to being pro-life. That’s all he talks about. It’s his passion.”

“I’ve met so many people along the way doing this work,” Renda said. “When I tell people why it is important that they be pro-life, I ask them to simply picture a baby. Then I ask them, ‘How could anyone want to hurt that baby, a precious new life, in any way in the womb? We need to let people know the responsibility we have in saving lives and ending the horror of abortion.”