Efforts to end abortion starting to 'bear fruit,' says cardinal

Published: 2006-01-26

LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- One hundred fifty-seven candles were lit Jan. 21 at the Requiem Mass for the Unborn in Los Angeles -- each marking one child aborted per day on average in Los Angeles County last year. The number of candles is three less than those lit two years ago at the annual Mass, held a day before the anniversary of the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. And although the decrease is slight, it corresponds to a gradual change in attitudes toward abortion, said Los Angeles Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, who presided at the Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. He said that the efforts of the faithful over the past 33 years "have born a lot of fruit" in their effort to "change hearts and then change minds" about abortion.

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .