Pro-life events across the Diocese will stand up for Life

BRANCHVILLE  On Jan. 22, citizens of United States will mark a grim anniversary — 49 years ago, abortion was made legal when the U.S. Su­preme Court made its landmark decision on the Roe v. Wade case. For almost five decades, Catholics and pro-life advocates have continuously fought this decision in the hope that one day that the right to life is protected for all babies in the womb, and the evil that is abortion will end.

This year on Jan. 21 and 22, parishes around the Diocese will host pro-life events to pray for life and stand up against abortion. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney will be attending two events in the Diocese. On Jan. 21, the Bishop will preside at a 10 a.m. Mass at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church here with an outdoor march to follow around the town. On Jan. 22, the Bishop will celebrate Mass for Life followed by a holy hour beginning at 9 a.m. at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Clifton.

On Jan. 29, the Rockaway Right to Life will host a pro-life event beginning with Mass at 8 a.m., followed by a march at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Rockaway.

In previous years, the Diocese has been represented strongly at the annual March of Life in Washington D.C., which will be held this year on Friday, Jan. 21. Due to the omicron variant of COVID-19 in many communities, fewer buses will be traveling to the nation’s capital from the Diocese. (For more information, see story on page 4.)

Bishop Sweeney said, “We are offering local opportunities to commemorate the sad anniversary of Roe v. Wade where we will have an opportunity to come together in prayer and witness on behalf of life.”

On Jan. 22 at noon, parishes in the Diocese are encouraged to ring their church bells in Passaic, Sussex, and Morris counties in solidarity for the right to life for all children in the womb.

Recently, Pope Francis blessed two bells that were sent to the Ukraine and Ecuador to serve as a reminder of how precious the lives of the unborn are. The one-ton bells feature an engraved image of an ultrasound of a baby in the womb.

Dr. Mary Mazzarella, diocesan director of the Respect Life Office, presented the idea to the parishes in the Diocese of ringing of their bells on Jan. 22. “The idea of the bells ringing is that of the Polish Founda­tion ‘Yes to Life’ of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, which works for the defense of the unborn.”

Father Michael Rodak, pastor of St. Jude Parish in Hardyston and diocesan pilgrimage director, who, coordinated the buses in the past for the March for Life, said, “Many of the observances this year will focus on the spiritual and prayerful aspect in respecting life. We encourage parishes to host holy hours, mark the day with Masses for Life and offer Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament throughout the day. We encourage parishes to do something on this day to bring to mind the significance of life. God willing, through these activities we can change hearts and change the law.”

Dr. Mazzarella, added, “It’s important to honor those babies that have been sacrificed. People need to realize that 97 percent of abor­tions performed in our nation are by choice. It’s cruel to think we allow this in this country.”

In light of the recent news, that the lame duck session of the N.J. Legislature advanced S49/A6260, which would vote to dramatically expand abortion services in New Jersey on Jan. 10, Bishop Sweeney urged all the faithful to contact state senators and assembly members to vote, “no” on the bill. The Bishop wrote in a letter read at weekend Masses Jan. 8–9, “On this Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, let us recall that both John and Jesus were unborn children in the womb of their mothers when Mary visited Elizabeth and heard the worlds, ‘Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of the womb.’”

With abortion restrictions continually being lifted by executive order by the Biden Administration, Dr. Mazzarella said, “We are so protective of many things including animals and trees but for the life of a baby, many still believe it’s a group of cells or a blob of tissue. It’s really a person (from the day of conception) and science tells us so. God has made us and we all have a purpose in life.”

In addition to the events in Branch­ville, Clifton, and Rockaway, several parishes are inviting the faithful to join pro-life activities happening in their communities. St. Mary Parish in Denville will host a holy hour for life from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 21. At St. Mar­garet Parish in Morristown, the parish is offering a “Festival of Films” of pro-life movies. The next movie will be “October Baby,” which will play on Jan. 15 at 2:45 p.m. The parish also plans to show “Unplanned” at a future date.

Father Rodak said, “Hopefully we will mark that day both spiritually in prayer and by action for the lives of babies in the womb. Don’t just let the day go by without remembering them.”