Denver Catholic

15 DENVER CATHOLIC | APRIL 4-10, 2015 S omething happened at the fi rst stop of the Midwest tour of the Planned Parenthood Project, at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., that brought me to tears and reminded me why I do what I do. After the fi rst time they see the dis- play, which exposes Planned Parenthood's latest annual report from the 2013-2014 fi scal year, students are usually shocked to learn Planned Parenthood commits 897 abortions every day—and that taxpay- ers are funding this organization that thrives on aborting innocent babies. At the Lindenwood campus, there was a group of three young women who got upset as they walked by. They decided to go sit across from us and start yelling and making fun of us. When a banner would fall over from a gust a wind the young woman would yell, "That's what you get for being anti-abortion!" I started putting our teardrop display away. As the wind kept knocking it over and as I was zipping up its cover, one girl yelled, "Hey, I wanna talk to you, anti-abortion person!" Preparing myself to get yelled at, I took a deep breath and calmly walked over to her with a friendly smile on my face asking if she wanted more information. When I got to her, she couldn't put her words together, stringing together question after question at one time. Frustrated at that point, she spit out, "Ok, just tell me why you are here. Like why do you hate abortion? Why are you attacking Planned Parenthood?" It seemed the answer would take a while, so I took a seat on the ground next to her. I explained how I actually wasn't attacking Planned Parenthood; I was just exposing their annual report, because I don't agree with how they treat their clients. As she grew more upset and con- tinued fumbling over her words, I knew she had a personal experience with abor- tion. Usually in conversations like this, the woman will talk about her abortion at some point, so I just continued to calmly answer her questions. We had a conversation about where women should go if they don't want to have a baby. She still wasn't willing to open up so I briefl y talked about preg- nancy help centers and how they would do everything Planned Parenthood does, minus abortion, for free. Then she said, "Well I think women should be able to kill it if they don't want it." So I said, "Oh OK, so you think it's human then and you recognize abortion is killing something?" She said, "No it's just blood. Seriously, I know. I had an abortion." There it was. She was one of the 897 women who had an abortion at Planned Parenthood. I told her how sorry I was that she went through an abortion, and I asked her how she was doing. She told me she was fi ne, but I could see the hurt that she was trying to brush o• . Then she grabbed her phone and said, "See, it's just blood!" My stomach turned as she shoved her phone up to my face and I saw what was on the screen: her aborted baby. I can't even put into words what I felt at that moment. I have been around multiple women who have su• ered from abor- tion, but I have never had a woman take a picture of the aborted child and insist on showing me. Turning to another photo, she said, "Actually, you can see a leg and a foot in this one." And you could. It was the saddest thing I have ever seen. I've stood in front of graphic images of aborted babies and it is extremely sad- dening, but seeing someone hold up a picture of their aborted child was a dif- ferent kind of sad. I knew who that child was—15 weeks old—and that (s)he didn't even get a chance at life. Tears just starting running down my face as she (in her words) "proudly" showed the picture to her two friends. But as she turned to me, her eyes welled up, too. My heart just ached for this woman as she tried to hide the hurt she had experienced two years earlier with her own abortion. She had taken pictures of her baby and saved them on her phone. Clearly she knew she had ended the life of her child. As the tears continued to roll down my face I said, "I'm so sorry … you deserve better than this." She continued to hide her emotion but couldn't, as her eyes fi lled up with tears. I asked her if I could give her my card and she could call me or text me another time. I also gave her the card for a local pregnancy center, so she could get help if and when she was ready. We talked for a few more minutes, and she told me how the father of the baby didn't want her to get an abortion, but she did it anyway. Her parents couldn't know, and she needed to fi nish school. She even recognized the fact her baby was too far along to have taken the RU-486 pill. She said, "They screwed up. Fifteen weeks is too late to have taken the abor- tion pill. You could see the leg." She knew it wasn't just blood. It was her baby. I feel confi dent that she will also go seek post-abortion healing from the pregnancy help center. I also trust that God will take care of her. I will pray for her every day as I know she is grieving. This is why I do what I do. Abortion hurts women, and I will not rest until I know not another single woman will be devastated by the trauma of abortion. Reagan Nielsen is Midwest regional coordinator for Students for Life of America, www.studentsforlife.org. Guest Column REAGAN NIELSEN She mocked me for being pro-life, then showed me her aborted baby LETTERS Earning the title of parent Thank you for the article on St. Joseph ("Be like St. Joseph, the strong silent type," March 14-20 Denver Catholic). He is every- thing you wrote about and more. In one of our rosary groups we claim him as St. Joseph "head of the holy household," but for me, the most important patronage of St Joseph's is the one of stepfather. Though I dislike the term because I am of the belief that a true "father" is made and developed and earns the title rather than being just a biological partner. I am proud of all my children that I have had the privilege to help raise and develop into giving and loving parents themselves. I pray for St. Joseph's intersession for every man who is a single parent and a stepparent and ask for his guidance and thank him for his fi ne example he has set for all of us. Both men and women who follow the example of St. Joseph on how to be the best steppar- ent they can be are given a very special gift. BUZ DABKOWSKI Erie Help homeless women These days we have about 80 extra homeless women with us every day. So we do have some spe- cial needs. We need eye masks for the women who are bothered by the lights that we have to keep on in various parts of their sleeping quarters—plus 80 pairs of pajamas, all sizes; and ear plugs and cough drops. We could use many RTD bus coupons, gift certifi cates for fast food places, plus what- ever you can send. Many thanks. You are in our prayers. Please pray for us and our work. God bless. FATHER MICHAEL SUCHNICKI, O.F.M. CAP. Samaritan House, Holy Rosary Shelter for women EDITOR'S NOTE: Samaritan House is located at 2301 Lawrence St. in downtown Denver, phone 303-294-0241. Not a popularity contest I found the pope's "popularity" in your news disturbing ("Pope's popularity grows," March 14-20 Denver Catholic). I am sure that the popes don't accommodate to popular moral attitude. It sounded like the secular politicians who would go with the wind of the day. Jesus was unpopular. To become a pope is not a beauty contest. In our time, we look for char- acter with backbone and courage. AMERICUS & ASUNCION KALMAR Westminster How could born alive act fail? On March 3, the 13 members of the House Public Healthcare and Human Services Com- mittee voted 7-6 against House Bill 1112. This bill was meant to protect babies born alive follow- ing a botched abortion. It was defeated along party lines. How anyone could vote against this bill and convince themselves that they were not complicit in murder defi es reason. BOB DALTON Parker Old friend on new paper I am impressed with the new and improved pub- lication Denver Catholic! Once a 1995-2005 Denver Catholic Register free- lancer, I am ever grateful to your historic predeces- sor's editors, Peter Droege and Roxanne King, who provided me with count- less opportunities to be of service. Now in 2015, I look forward weekly to receiv- ing this fresh newspaper with a contemporary lively "feel" which is both prac- tical and enjoyable. Thank you! May you successfully continue in this endeavor for years to come. MARY E. MANLEY Littleton

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