Pro-life Activists to Announce National Campaign Calling for the Closing of Abortion Clinics in Philadelphia the Week Pope Francis Visits
Contact: Rev. Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741, revmahoney@aol.com
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 13, 2015 /Christian Newswire/ -- "Philly Alive" is a coalition of evangelicals and Catholics from the pro-life community across the nation.
The group will hold a news conference to discuss their plans on Wednesday, January 14, at 10:00 A.M. in front of Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood is located in downtown Philadelphia on the corner of 12th and Locust St.
"Philly Alive" plans to deliver letters to every abortion clinic in Philadelphia asking them to cease abortions altogether, but if not, then asking them to specifically close the week of September 20-27. (The letter is included below.)
"Philly Alive" will include: rallies, prayer vigils and public witness at abortion clinics as well as inviting Pope Francis to personally pray with pro-life activists at an abortion clinic.
Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition in Washington, D.C. and one of the the principal organizers, states,
"As a Presbyterian minister, I am excited to be part of this dynamic faith coalition working together to end the violence and tragedy of abortion and welcoming Pope Francis to America on his historic first visit.
"We are giving a national call for the pro-life community and people of good will to come to Philadelphia during the week of the 'World Meeting of Families' and stand in solidarity with the most vulnerable members of our human family; which are innocent children facing abortion.
"Our hope and prayer is that every clinic in Philadelphia would stop doing abortions altogether. However, if abortion clinics in Philadelphia chose not embrace mothers and their children by ending abortions today, we would specifically ask that they stop doing abortions the week Pope Francis visits.
"There could hardly be a greater insult and disrespect shown to Pope Francis than the brutal taking of innocent life while he is visiting Philadelphia, reaching out to the poor, disenfranchised and sharing the message of God's love and mercy to all."
Kim Sayer, a spokesperson for "Philly Alive" adds;
"As a catholic woman and mother who hails from the Philadelphia area, the bold initiative of this faith coalition will bring much needed help and healing to the city of brotherly love.
"We need the Holy Father to visit Philadelphia as the earthly representative of Jesus Christ and call the darkness of abortion out into the light.
"His papacy consistently shows us to love and protect the least of our brothers and sisters.
"Philadelphia has suffered for decades from the ravages of abortion. Pope Francis will bring his healing and mercy in September 2015 to restore this city.
"Femininity and Family are important to all faiths and all people especially children. Planned Parenthood does not honor and respect this basic pillar of society.
"Pope Francis has called everyone, not just Catholics, to love one another. Will Planned Parenthood be able to heed this call and put the greater good of women and children above their own profiteering for his visit?
"I represent a community of believers faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church who embrace life from conception until natural death. We find abortion inconceivable for women and for children. We would open our hearts and our homes to anyone who needed an alternative to destroying the Life of their child."
For more information or interviews call:
Rev. Patrick Mahoney at 540.538.4741
Letter to Philadelphia Abortion clinics:
January 14, 2015
Greetings;
"Philly Alive" is a coalition of Evangelicals and Catholics writing on behalf of the millions of people in the Philadelphia area and across the nation who are concerned about the tragic loss of life and diminishing of human rights through abortion. We embrace the teachings of Pope Francis when he says;
"All life has inestimable value even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God's creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect."
It is in the spirit of these words that we come to you today. We are prayerfully asking that you extend the "utmost reverence and respect" to the most vulnerable in our society, which are the innocent children who have yet to be born, by ceasing to perform abortions. It is critical that we all work for a society in which everyone is treated with dignity and equality and together we passionately strive to end injustice and violence.
However, if you chose not to embrace women and their children by ceasing to perform abortions altogether, we would specifically ask that you not do any abortions the week of September 20-27. That is the week Pope Francis will be visiting Philadelphia and also the week of the "World Meeting of Families." This will be the Holy Father's first trip to America and it would violate his teachings as a world and faith leader to take the lives of innocent children while he is visiting the "City of Brotherly Love."
There could hardly be a greater insult or disrespect shown to Pope Francis than the brutal and violent taking of innocent human life while he is visiting Philadelphia, reaching out to the poor, disenfranchised and sharing the message of God's love and mercy to all. The eyes of the world will be on America during this historic trip and it would be deeply disturbing to see the abortion industry treat Pope Francis and his message of life and love in such a harsh and hateful way.
It is our hope if the abortion clinics of Philadelphia take this "first step" in not extinguishing innocent life while the Pope is here, it could then provide inspiration for all of us to work together for a society and culture where abortion is unthinkable and we collectively seek justice and dignity for all.
Feel free to get in touch with us at the contact information listed below and we look forward to hearing from. We will close with another powerful and moving quote from Pope Francis;
"Unfortunately, what is thrown away is not only food and dispensable objects, but often human beings themselves, who are discarded as 'unnecessary.' For example, it is frightful even to think there are children, victims of abortion, who will never see the light of day; children being used as soldiers, abused and killed in armed conflicts; and children being bought and sold in that terrible form of modern slavery which is human trafficking, which is a crime against humanity."
Sincerely,
"Philly Alive"
Contact information:
Rev. Patrick Mahoney
Cell: 540.538.4741 Email: revmahoney@aol.com
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