March 23, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - On Saturday afternoon March 13, a silent prayer march set off in the German town of Münster, a city of 280,000 inhabitants in North Rhine-Westphalia close to the Dutch border and a resort of 40,000 students.
The march was organized by the Catholic Euro Pro-Life and was held to draw attention to the perilous position of the unborn and to pray for mothers, fathers, doctors and politicians who are affected by and contribute to the practice of killing the unborn.
In his speech to the participants, Euro Pro-Life Director Wolfgang Herrring emphasized the danger of accepting the idea that abortion may help the mother. Church members of every denomination should raise there voices on this issue, he said.
In Germany 1000 lives are taken each day by abortion.
The marchers, carrying white crosses and photos of the late bishop Clemens August von Galen, were protected from pro-abortion protesters by a large police force. During last years march the counter-protesters succeeded in holding up the march for three hours until the police force was mobilized. The march only started after 120 arrests were made, to clear the route.
Bishop von Galen is known in part for delivering a flaming sermon against the rulers in Nazi Germany on August 3, 1941 after discovering that the T4 program was being carried out, which involved killing incurables, old and weak and those who were diagnosed as unworthy to live in Nazi-governed Germany.
During this year's march the police was well-prepared, allowing an undisturbed procession through the old city centre, and drawing the attention of the shopping crowd.
Near the Dom Church the marchers halted for the reading of hundred names, ringing a bell for each name. One hundred roses were thrown into the river Aa in remembrance of the unborn lives taken, while the marchers knelt down in prayer.
In Europe today, five hundred lives are taken through abortion each hour.
For more information go here: www.europrolife.comPRAGUE, March 23, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The tenth annual March for Life in the Czech capital took place on Saturday, March 20th, with over 2000 participants taking to the streets carrying white wooden crosses, which the organizers prepared "as symbols of the genocide of abortion."
The march began at the Dominican church of St. Giles in Prague's Old City, where special guest Msgr. Andreas Laun, the auxiliary bishop of Salzburg, Austria, and the secretary general of the Czech Bishop's Conference, Msgre. Ladislav Hucko, concelebrated Holy Mass with 23 priests from all over the country.
Bishop Laune said in his homily that a Catholic must defend life in all its stages and that the struggle for the restoration of respect for life in our time is of the utmost importance.
The marchers then proceeded through the Old Town Square to Wenceslas Square where they gathered around the statue of St. Wenceslas, sang the Czech national anthem along with the St. Wenceslas Chorale choir and received the bishop's blessing.
The march is organized by the Czech Movement for Life and brings together pro-life advocates from across the country, as well as world-renowned speakers and church leaders.
This year's march was preceded by a conference called "The Traps of Artificial Fertilization" with guest speakers Bishop Laun, pastoral youth counselor P. Zatloukal, gynecologist Dr. Mario Smehil, and Czech Movement for Life vice-president Zdenka Rybova.
Bishop Laun spoke on the distinction between licit and ethical infertility treatments and unethical assisted reproductive technology such as in vitro fertilization.
Mr. Zatloukal spoke of his experience in the pastoral care of youth and about the dangers that await teenagers and young adults who were conceived by the so-called test-tube method.
Dr. Smehil explained how the various processes of in vitro fertilization take place, and addressed the ethical problem of respect for the integrity of human beings in the earliest moments of biological development.
Zdenka Rybova briefly talked about ethical solutions to infertility, including the adoption of children.
Photos of this year's Prague March For Life are available here.
See related LSN articles:
Czech Republic's Christian Democrats Propose Abortion Restrictions
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/apr/08041109.html
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/mar/07032601.html
