Demonstraters fill the streets of Victoria to end abortion
By Brent Mattson
The. B.C. Catholic
VICTORIA--Under a bright, shining sun, around 2,000 marched through the streets of Victoria from Centennial Square to the Provincial Legislature for the 2011 March for Life May 12.
The event kicked off with Masses at St. Patrick’s Parish celebrated by Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, and St. Andrew’s Cathedral celebrated by Victoria’s Bishop Richard Gagnon with Bishop David Monroe of Kamloops concelebrating.
In his homily, Bishop Gagnon said the goal of the day was to be like the Apostles and “preach simply the truth without frills.”
“We are here today to make a space in our society, for a few hours at least, for people to have their sight refreshed and their eyes cleansed,” Bishop Gagnon continued. “Cleansed of mistrust, cynicism, suspicion, and the constant noise of the media with its culture of accusation and ethos of consumerism, secularism, and relativism.”
The theme of the event was “Protect human life” and throngs of people held up signs affirming that message as they wound down the 1 km route to the Legislature.
Among the throngs of people were the B.C. Campaign for Life Coalition, the Knights of Columbus, the Canadian Nurses for Life, the B.C. Parents and Teachers for Life, and more than 500 students from the Archdiocese of Vancouver's schools.
Pavel Reid, director of Catholic Family Services for the archdiocese, acted as master of ceremonies for the rally on the front lawn of the Legislature. The crowd cheered as he announced Victoria and Ottawa’s marches had their largest turnouts this year.
The rally’s keynote speaker was Rebecca Kiesling. She was adopted at birth and eventually found out she was conceived when a serial rapist assaulted her mother.
After this, she said she often felt the need to justify her own existence to people who are pro-choice or pro-life, with the exception of rape.
She said that research shows that people who give birth after rape do well, whether they decide to parent or put the child up for adoption.
“If you really care about a rape victim, you would want to protect her from the abortion and not the baby,” she said. “A baby is not the worst thing that can happen to a rape victim, an abortion is.”
Other speakers at the rally included Archbishop Miller, Silent No More representative Kathereen Kessler, and Rev. Dr. Robert Fitterer - pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Victoria.
Archbishop Miller told the crowd he was excited to see the large amount of young people numbered among the demonstrators.
“It’s certainly to inspiring to see the enthusiasm of young people and to have the sense that things indeed can change,” Archbishop Miller said. “This can become a culture of life.”
He asked the crowd to help foster Pope John Paul II’s vision of a culture that “respects every human person from the moment of conception to natural death.”
“There is a serious gap in the law in Canada, which allows the practice of abortion to proceed right up almost until the time of birth,” the archbishop said. “We cannot hide the truth under a bushel basket, we must simply tell the truth and be honest.”
The rally was followed by a banquet at St. Patrick’s School Hall where Kiesling and Alex Schadenberg from the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition both spoke.
Schadenberg spoke about the importance of end-of-life issues within the pro-life movement.
“I’m hoping that many people will recognize at this time in history it’s important for people to get involved in this issue of euthanasia and assisted suicide.”
He said the Farewell Foundation and B.C. Civil Liberties Association have separate court cases trying to strike down euthanasia laws and groups like his need to be there to represent the pro-life side.
“It’s our intention as the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition to gain status and to be in the court and challenge what they are saying in an effective matter.”
