By Paula Day and Rita McInerney

A much larger turnout than in 1988 and a greater hope of victory were evident at Georgia Right to Life’s annual memorial service and silent march Jan. 23.

The service marked the 16th anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court ruling legalizing abortion on demand. Those who gathered to sing, pray and listen to pro-life speakers on the steps of the Georgia Capitol considerably outnumbered the turnout at last year’s march. Two policemen on the scene estimated the crowd this year to be over 5,000. March organizers placed the number at over 7,000.

More visible Catholic involvement, particularly a significant number of priests and two high school groups, was apparent.

One of four speakers at the memorial service, Father William Hoffman, pastor of St. Jude’s Church, told the gathering: “I call us together today to mourn some 22 million who had to one call them by name - no one to bury them. I call us to mourn a Supreme Court that considers the right to privacy as taking precedence over the right to life. Today is a day of mourning. It is also a day of resolve that we shall work to end the killing.” Father Hoffman invited the crowd to attend “a celebration of life” that night at which Archbishop Eugene A. Marino, S.S.J. would lead prayer for pro-life issues.

Students from St. Pius X High School and Marist and a group from St. Jude’s Church with a banner were among the Catholics visibly participating in the service. Other priests from the archdiocese present for the rally included Father Hugh Byron, Father Jorge Christancho, Father Tony Curran, Father Terence Kane, Father Richard Kieran, Father Peter Ludden, Father Patrick Mulhern, Father Patrick McCormick, Father Louis Naughton and Father Michael Woods.

Becky Fern, coordinator of the day’s activities, introduced the speakers: Dr. Jerry Nims, president of Moral Majority; Dr. Charles Stanley, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta; and Charles Wysong, president of American Rights Coalition.

Dr. Nims was energetically applauded when he called for the reversal of Roe vs. Wade in 1989. He noted that those who belong to the pro-life movement receive no money for their efforts while those who perform abortions are making huge profits.

Dr. Stanley prayed for the leaders of the pro-life movement and government officials who will need to shepherd the legislation required to turn around the present trend toward increasing number of abortions. Charles Wysong called for legislation requiring separate malpractice insurance policies for those who perform abortions to make them responsible for any higher insurance costs.

After Gov. Joe Frank Harris came out and proclaimed January 23, 1989, “Respect For Life Day In Georgia,” the Reverend Kenneth Bryan, pastor of Bethesda Baptist Church closed the service with prayer.

Fewer than a dozen pro-choice advocates stood at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Washington Street with balloons, noise-makers and confetti, “celebrating 16 years of women’s choice.” Their chant, “We won’t go back; defend the right to abortion; 16 years of choice,” occasionally turned a head of those standing on the edge of the pro-life gathering.

The march down Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive began shortly after noon. It proceeded to Peachtree Street, turned right on Decatur Street and then returned to the Capitol on Washington Street. Bystanders showed varying degrees of interest as the marchers silently passed through the heart of downtown Atlanta. Some called out words of support to them.

Earlier in the day, the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception was the scene of an ecumenical “Sanctity of Human Life Prayer Service.” Approximately 300 people listened to Scripture, prayed in small groups and as a congregation for pro-life needs. The Reverend Ted Lester of Cherokee Presbyterian Church, Father Stephen Cramer of Christ the Savior Orthodox Church, the Reverend Larry Burgess, pastor of Clairmont Hills Baptist Church and associate pastor, Marty Barrett, of Sword and Shield Ministries led the service.

It is not enough to end toleration of abortion. Archbishop Marino told an attentive congregation Monday night, Jan. 23 during a Mass at St. Jude’s Church.

Sharing the mission of Jesus that all might have life and have it to the full, he told several hundred people attending the Mass marking the 16th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, “requires that we bring about, through prayer and fasting, a genuine conversion of mind and heart that will reverence all life as God’s sacred gift.”

“It will demand not only that we preach and proclaim the sanctity of all human life, but also that we teach, clearly and unequivocally, the true nature and sacred character of human sexuality in the divine scheme. This will not be easy in a sensuous and selfish society.”

We must approach the Mother of God, our Mother, he continued, “We who for too long have been content to be silent…for courage to speak out clearly and forcefully, we who for too long have been satisfied to stand idly by… We must clearly present the Church’s teaching on chastity, constantly urge our young people to respect their own sexual integrity and that of every other person, and warn them of the spiritual as well as medical risks of casual sexual encounters.”

“And not the least important, we must be prepared to accept the responsibility of offering substantial and compassionate assistance to those unmarried young women faced with an unplanned pregnancy. Ending abortion is just the beginning of our responsibility to secure the fullness of life,” the archbishop concluded.

At St. Jude a hoarse-voiced Father Hoffman greeted the archbishop and was a concelebrant. His predecessor as pastor, Father Richard Morrow, now pastor of Prince of Peace, also was on the altar. Father Don Kenny was master of ceremonies for the archbishop. Father Peter Rookey, a Servite priest from Chicago, in Atlanta to have a healing service the following night at St. Jude’s, joined the archdiocesan priests concelebrating.

A parish banner bearing the rose symbol of the pro-life movement was near the pulpit. A touching moment came as a young mother, Debra Geci, brought the Offertory gifts to the archbishop. She carried her four-month-old daughter Grace in a Snugglies pouch on her chest and Sharon, her four-year-old, by the hand. Both received a smile and blessing from the archbishop.

A poignant lullaby for an aborted child, “Rest in Peace,” was the post-Communion solo by Mary Rogers which brought tears to many eyes in the congregation of young married, older couples, teens and single young adults. St. Jude’s choir under the direction of Alan Brown, provided music for the Liturgy.

Peggy Sinanian, pro-life coordinator for the archdiocese, said many at the Mass had also attended the pro-life march earlier in the day.

Kathy Collins, who with husband, Doug, leads the Respect Life committee for St. Jude’s, expressed satisfaction at the turnout for the Mass and approval of the archbishop’s forceful homily upholding the important of life.