BY KATHI STEARNS

Staff Writer

ATLANTA--Father John Hopkins, LC, led area Catholics in Life Chain Atlanta, a prayerful witness to the sanctity of life on Sunday, Oct. 5.

Catholics gathered at the Cathedral of Christ the King and stood on both sides of Peachtree Road quietly reciting the rosary and holding placards expressing opposition to abortion. The event attracted over 1,000 people, according to Peggy Sinanian, archdiocesan pro-life director whose office sponsored the event.

The action is completely silent and those taking part are asked to be peaceful, prayerful and polite in both word and deed. They block no streets, intersections, driveways or sidewalks.

Participants held signs saying "Abortion Kills Children," "Adoption: The Loving Option," "Life: The First Inalienable Right," "El Aborto Mata Niños," "Abortion Hurts Women" and "Jesus Forgives and Heals."

Following the Life Chain hour of witness Father Hopkins gave a homily and Father Martin Kalu, a parochial vicar at the Cathedral of Christ the King, led participants in Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Deacon Loris Sinanian assisted.

During his homily Father Hopkins told the congregation that Pope John Paul II has asked Catholics "to throw aside all indifference and fight against the culture of death and to work tirelessly to form a new culture of life."

"Evil can exist only if good men and women do nothing," Father Hopkins said.

He explained that some of the consequences of indifference include violence, poverty and the abortion of nearly 1.5 million children every year.

Father Hopkins said Mother Teresa was someone who refused to be indifferent. He used remarks from her talk at the Feb. 3, 1994 National Prayer Breakfast to illustrate his point.

Father Hopkins then gave participants a list of things they can do to fight against the culture of death and indifference. He first asked the members of the congregation to be holy.

"See your spiritual life as the backbone of everything you do," he said. "This starts with elimination of all sin from your life starting with your pride and self-righteousness. Holiness demands a personal, passionate, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and that demands time with him every day in prayer."

Father Hopkins then asked the Life Chain participants to be apostles.

"Be an integral part of the new evangelization by bringing those around you one step closer to Christ," he said. "Do not be ashamed of your faith, do not be ashamed in spreading it. Christ can only be known if his disciples make him known in their words and deeds."

Father Hopkins continued by asking the members of the congregation to love their neighbor with the same purity as Mother Teresa.

"We will win more people over with our love than with our arguments," he said. "Kindness has converted more people than zeal, science or eloquence. Holiness grows so fast where there is kindness. The world is lost for want of sweetness and kindness."

Next Father Hopkins told participants to pray that abortion be stopped every day. He encouraged them to be prayer warriors because it is only through prayer that God can change the hearts of all people.

Finally Father Hopkins told those in attendance to take a stand for life and get involved in the pro-life movement.

"Have the courage to speak about abortion with the same humility and meekness and courage that Mother Teresa did," he said. "Do not be silenced because of human respect or because of political correctness. Evil can exist only if we do not speak out and if we choose to do nothing. There is something for everyone to do."

At the conclusion of Benediction, Mary Welch Rogers sang "In Jesus' Name," a meditation she composed upon hearing of the death of Mother Teresa. The words of the song describe how Mother Teresa had been the hands, feet and heart of Jesus.

Life Chain began in 1987 in Yuba, Calif., and has been held in cities all over the country. It was organized to provide a visual statement that Christians of all denominations are united against abortion.

National Life Chain Sunday is intentionally held on the first Sunday of October, the day set by the U.S. bishops as Respect Life Sunday. This year Life Chains were also organized in more than 10 North Georgia communities in addition to Atlanta.