Denver Catholic

6 I RESPECT LIFE JANUARY 22, 2014 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER Praying for Joshua and the millions lost to abortion PHOTO BY ANYA SEMENOFF/DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER A WOMAN places flowers outside Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains headquarters in Denver during a Jan. 18 prayer event to mark the 41st anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila led a group of 300 people in a procession to the facility. Archbishop celebrates Mass, leads prayer and procession on Roe anniversary BY JULIE FILBY 9 DAYS FOR LIFE S arah Flores regrets her abortion. She's sorry that she and her boyfriend chose to kill their child. "I had an abortion when I was 17," she told the Denver Catholic Register at a prayer vigil in front of Denver's Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains Jan. 18. The vigil followed a solemn procession led by Archbishop Samuel Aquila from the nearby Lighthouse Women's Center run by Catholic Charities. A message painted on Flores' T-shirt openly expressed her remorse: "My son Joshua killed by abortion July 11, 1997." Her husband Derek and teenage daughter and son, Sierra and Ethan; shared the sentiment through T-shirts customized with their relationship to Joshua: stepson, sister, brother. "And for a long time, I didn't really think it affected me," Flores said. "I'd say that my biggest guilt was having no guilt." About a year ago, after volunteering at a Longmont pregnancy center and studying Scripture, the Catholic convert and parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Northglenn, had a profound experience of meeting her baby boy through prayer. "It really changed my relationship with God," she said, and through continued prayer and public witness, she hopes to relay that message of God's love and mercy to more women. Joshua is one of the 56.9 million babies lost to abortion since Archbishop Aquila asks Catholics to join U.S. bishops in 9 Days For Life What: 9 days of intercessions, reflections and acts of penance, reparation and charity When: Jan. 18 to Jan. 26 Available: online, app, texts or emails Sign up: www.9daysforlife.com or text "9Days" to 99000 PHOTO BY TODD WOLLAM/DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER "(God) gives us the courage to keep coming out year after year," he said. "We can never, ever tire of giving witness to life." Francisco Rodriguez, 16, was among 31 students from Denver's Bishop Machebeuf High School attending the march. "I want to get to experience the love of everyone throughout the country," he said of the event that draws hundreds of thousands to the nation's Capitol. "To really get closer so I can do my part for the cause." The event concluded with the archbishop leading the blocklong procession in silence to Planned Parenthood, the second largest facility in the country. Participants quietly placed flowers at the fence in front of the facility while some sang, some knelt in prayer and some cried. ARCHBISHOP Samuel J. Aquila delivers his homily at a Jan. 18 standing-room-only Mass for Remembrance at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Denver. it was legalized by the U.S. SuHe ate with tax collectors St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Litpreme Court 41 years ago on Jan. and sinners because he want- tleton, attended the Mass with 22. Recognizing the anniversary, ed them to "come to know and his wife Cindy. hundreds of Catholics gathered to receive his love," the arch"I think so often we pray for for the Lighthouse event, as well bishop explained to the stand- people but we don't pray for as a Mass and march Jan. 18 to ing-room-only congregation. them by name," he said after the pray for the children lost, for "When we receive the Eucha- Mass. "It made me think, I need families in need of healing, work- rist, we can pray for every grace to find out who some of these ers in the industry, and all who that we need," he continued."It's people are." sin against the dignity of human in that encounter with the Lord Following Mass many walked life. and his mercy that we recognize to the nearby State Capital for the Events began with a mid-day our sin more clearly... in that en- annual March for Life, organized Mass at Denver's Cathedral Ba- counter, we too must intercede by Colorado Right To Life, before silica of the Immaculate Concep- for others." making their way to Lighthouse tion celebrated by Archbishop Not through prayers of con- at 3 p.m. Aquila. He began his homily ask- demnation, he said, but prayers There, with Archbishop Aquila ing why Jesus ate with tax collec- of intercession asking the Lord to presiding, a group of about 300 tors and sinners, as described in convert their hearts and minds. memorialized Denver's children the day's Gospel (Mark 2:13-17). "It is essential that we pray for lost to abortion through prayer "Those who are well do not people by name," the archbish- and hymns, and area pilgrims need a physician, but the sick op said, specifically mentioning traveling to the Jan. 22 March for do," Jesus responded to the Phar- that the country has its most Life in Washington, D.C., were Julie Filby: 303-715-3123; julie. isees in the reading. "I did not pro-abortion president ever. blessed. Archbishop Aquila is come to call the righteous, but "And (pray) for their conversion." attending the national march as filby@archden.org; www.twitter. com/DCRegisterJulie the sinners." Jon Simmons, a parishioner of well. S

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