By TARA CONNOLLY Staff writer
More than 250 supporters of life set out on the streets of Reading April 29 to march for the unborn and to denounce euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide and capital punishment by voicing the event’s theme, “Love Saves Lives.”
The Eighth Annual Reading/Berks March for Life kicked off at Berks Catholic High School, Reading with an expo, festival, prayer and stirring speakers who motivated supporters to spread their love for life.
Father Keith Mathur, assistant pastor of Sacred Heart, West Reading and Holy Rosary, Reading, and director of the Diocesan Office for Divine Worship, began the day with opening prayer and blessing of the marchers.
Father Stephan Isaac, assistant pastor of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Sinking Spring, welcomed supporters of life and stressed that despite false stereotypes, the pro-life movement is a movement of great love, compassion, peace, reason and mercy.
“We love human life in all of its forms and at all of its stages, and we seek its legal protection from conception until natural death,” he said.
“We’re here today because true love dictates that all human beings, whether born or pre-born, male or female, rich or poor, young or old, black or white, disabled or healthy, gay or straight, Christian or non-Christian, possess equal, intrinsic, and immeasurable dignity, value, and worth,” said Father Isaac.
Maggie Sweet, regional coordinator of the Lehigh Valley Silent No More Awareness Campaign, shared her personal experience with abortion and affirmed that pro-life supporters save millions of lives through prayer.
“Your love for humanity is amazing and courageous. It unites us in prayer and the results have been amazing,” she emphasized.
Twenty-six years ago, the mother of two boys who was in an abusive relationship, said she made the fatal choice.
“I made the biggest mistake in my life, I had an abortion,” she said.
“The aftermath was devastating and something only God can heal. Eating, sleeping, inhaling air became a chore,” said Sweet.
Grieving every missed milestone of her child, Sweet said the consequences of abortion are immeasurable. Her pain became manageable when she attended Rachel’s Vineyard, a post-abortion healing retreat, where she was freed from 20 years of secrecy and shame.
“I learned there that I was not alone. Let’s begin helping others heal today by restoring families and saving the unborn. We need prayers and we need your witness,” she said.
Sweet then invited “Lori,” another mother of two, who she met outside an abortion clinic, to the stage.
Lori told the supporters that she was on her way in to the abortion clinic dressed in a wig and asking God to forgive her when she encountered Sweet.
“I was in an abusive relationship, I just suffered a house fire and I was trying to start a career in cosmetology.
That’s when I was walking into Planned Parenthood,” she said.
“I ran into Maggie and she prayed with me. I want everyone to know that ‘you are not alone,’” said Lori, who will welcome a son this spring.
David Bereit, former CEO of 40 Days for Life, said “Lori” was one of many women touched by prayers of supporters and affirmed that her child was not one of the 30,881 children in Pennsylvania who lost their lives to abortion last year.
Bereit told the supporters that 999 residents of Berks County opted for abortion last year and maintained that “we can do better.”
“We can speak for those who can’t speak for themselves. And we need to do it with love,” he said.
As people of faith, Bereit said, they are called to invest their time and stop pretending that abortion is not happening.
“The Good Samaritan was willing to go and help and do something about the problem. Today is the next step in your pro-life movement to reach out and help those in need and to respond to what God wants us to do,” he said.
“Women are being wounded in our community and on our watch. Why are we not acting like the crisis it really is?”
After the speakers shared their messages, throngs of people holding signs and crosses made the 2-mile trek through the city of Reading, pausing for prayer in front of Planned Parenthood, before reaching Holy Rosary Parish, the final destination of the march.
