Brian Jenkins

Dear friends of life,

As you read this newsletter, Premier Jean Charest has most likely called an election, an election to be held in early September, 2012 : so, we find ourselves in election mode!

Under such circumstances, the question arises: what is our role - either at the Quebec Life Coalition or individually, at this time ?

Your role is to inform us as to the positions taken by your local candidates on the issues that matter to us, and then pass this information on to us - (514) 344-2686, so that we may then disseminate these views as widely as possible, thereby informing the largest number of persons of what the candidates are saying.

What should we be asking our candidates? Here are the four main questions.

1. Are you in favour of or apposed to the public funding of abortion in Québec ? We support every candidate who opposes such financing . (Currently in Quebec, abortion may be procurred at any moment during the pregnancy and for any reason or no reason at all, fully payable by our tax dollars – a travesty to say the least !)
2. Are you in favour of or or opposed to the legalization of euthanasia in Québec ? (The Quebec attorney general is currently searching for ways to circumvent the Canadian Criminel Code in order to permit euthanasia in Québec. We support every candidate who defends those citizens vulnerable to this euthanasia legislation, who are opposed to the legalization of murder "with compassion".
3. Do you believe that it is the right and duty of the parents - and not the state - to provide moral and spiritual education to their children and that the parents have the right to delegate this responsibility to a school whose orientation matches their own ? (Once this right is recognized, gone is the obligation to follow the ECR course and dubious sex education courses.)
4. Do you believe that parents should be able to care for their children at home, that is to say, to directly receive the funds currently allocated by the government for placing children in public daycare?

Thank you for asking these questions to the candidates within your riding and then relaying their answers to us so that we may inform all of our members and our thousand of Internet readers - i.e., Facebook and on our website.

Finally, your last duty is to vote for the candidate who follows closely your pro-life and pro-family convictions. If and only if your evaluation of the candidates is inconclusive, then you should choose the best party (contact us for more info on this). Let's all set aside partisan affiliation, and focus on the most pressing issues, those noted above, that transcend the usual divisions. Wishing one and all the best election!

Georges Buscemi, President

(Translated by Brian Jenkins)

Reading Mario Roy in last Friday's Lapresse one would think so.

His commentary focusses upon the diminishing trend in crime not only in Canada but also across North America. In so doing, he quotes from the American study by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner entitled Freakonomics (2005).

He writes:

According to the authors (i.e., Levitt and Dubner) it is the decision in Roe v Wade (The US spereme Court ruling) legalising abortion in 1973 that, fifteen years later, largely contributed to the freefall in crime. And this, in diminishing (there are 1.5 million abortions per year in the United States) the number of undesirable children, often in dysfuncitonal families, and thus fated to a shady future. It is an shocking analysis, yet may not be void of some truth.

Selon les auteurs, c'est l'arrêt Roe v. Wade ayant légalisé l'avortement en 1973 qui, 15 ans plus tard, a largement fait chuter la criminalité. Et ce, en diminuant (1,5 million d'avortements par année aux États-Unis) le nombre d'enfants non désirés, souvent dans des familles dysfonctionnelles, et donc promis à un sombre avenir. C'est une analyse d'une froideur choquante, mais peut-être pas dénuée de vérité.

A couple of things I wish to point out that undersocere this limited analysis of Mr. Levitt and Dubner, and in turn Mr. Roy.

Blogger Bryan Kemper - StandTruedotcom, was widely critized for comparing the tragic event in a Colorado theater last week to the on-going tragedy of abortion. The following is his response to these critics.

July 24, 2012 (StandTrue.com) - To answer this question one must first answer the question: what is abortion?

Abortion is simply a word used to describe the action of killing a human person in one of the early stages of that human person’s development, just as shooting is simply a word to describe how the human persons in that Colorado theatre were killed. Both words describe a different method used to end the life of human persons who are all in different stages of their life and development.

In the same way, when I compare the Nazi Holocaust and the Abortion Holocaust, I am showing that they are both horrific events that have claimed the lives of millions of innocent human persons. One took place 70 years ago and one is taking place right now.

I could easily show comparisons to many other events in history such as Columbine, slavery, earthquakes and many more tragic events that have claimed so many innocent lives.

Many people think that I am making these comparisons to show the similarities of the events in question and abortion, but that is not really the case. I am not merely trying to show them as the same thing, I am trying show the horrifying fact that we don’t see them as the same thing.

When I make these comparisons it is because, while I am grieving for the loss of those innocent lives lost in Colorado at that theatre, I am also in pain for the other thousands of innocent human person killed on the same day that so few people are crying for. I am trying to shake this world and make us realize that there are thousands of innocent human persons being murdered in buildings every day around the nation and the media are not there to tell their story.

The Planned Parenthoods and abortion clinics have successfully lulled America into silence about the bloodshed behind their doors. They have convinced so many that this is nothing more that a choice being carried out to help women. They have declared war on women and innocent children in the womb and have disguised it as liberation and freedom.

In carrying out this war on women, the abortion industry has been able to silence the outrage that should be shown towards this abortion massacre. They have been able to mask a horrific and violent action as a healthcare right that needs to be funded by our government.

I will be totally honest here: I do not simply believe I have the right to make these comparisons; I believe I am compelled to make these comparisons. I believe that the blood of 55,000,000 of my fellow Americans who have been massacred by abortionists must be cried for.

(Ed.: Here in Canada, figuring 100,000 deaths per year since the legalization of abortion in 1969, some 43 years ago means 4.3 million Canadians have perished. As for Quebec, where 30% of all abortions are performed, the figure is 1.3 million.)

In my most recent comparison I created a graphic showing the Colorado theatre where the shooting took place alongside a picture of a Planned Parenthood. I said that when 12 people are killed at this theatre it is called a massacre and when 12 people are killed at the Planned Parenthood it is called Choice.

I was not shocked by the responses I got from non-Christians or from pro-abortion people; I was shocked by some of the comments I got from Christians and people who identify themselves as pro-life.

I was told that calling abortion murder is judgmental and as Christians we are not called to judge. I have to ask these people if they are calling what the shooter in the theatre did can be called murder, or is that being judgmental as well?

I was told that it is just too soon to compare things like these because those people just died three days ago. While I am so very saddened by their deaths, I am also saddened that in the four days since that attack in Colorado, almost 16,000 innocent human persons have been killed in abortion clinics. Since January 22 of 1973 over 55,000,000 innocent humans beings have been killed by surgical abortion in America alone. It is not too soon; it is actually long overdue.

I am being told that I am just opportunistic. Yes, I am. I am using this opportunity to bring to the light the senseless and brutal murder of millions of innocent children who deserve to have their deaths mourned. I am using this opportunity to show the hypocrisy of a nation who defends, protects and funds the murder of her own citizens in the name of choice.

This graphic comparison was meant to do many things, and one of those things was to create a buzz and get abortion talked about. It worked. When abortion is being talked about and the truth is being exposed, lives are saved. One of my goals as an abortion abolitionist is to never allow abortion to fade away as a non-topic. My goal is to make it so prevalent and so front and center that this nation and the world are forced to open their eyes and see it for what it truly is. Abortion is an act of homicide and I will take every opportunity to expose this until we see the abolition of the abortion massacre.

The following is the latest entry by the Canadian Crossroads walkers, a pro-life hike begun in May in British Columbia and continuing through the second week of August. In it, writer and walker Patrick Wilson shares some interesting observations. First there is his chance encounter and unusual exchange with a young man who had been adopted as an infant. Next, Patrick shares his reflections about apathy among Canadians regarding this all-important issue. (The Crossroads walkers will be making their Montreal stopover the first weekend of August, visiting four parishes and praying at local abortion mills; I hope you can join me in welcoming them to Montreal.)

Monday, July 16, 2012

Ontario

Hello all,

Well, we've made it to Ontario, which means we have covered 4 provinces, and have 2 to go. Who would have thought that nearly half the trip would be spent in these last two provinces, and primarily Ontario?

This is not to complain, however - I think many of our Ontarian team members are excited and happy to be back in our home province, myself included. We are happy to have lakes, trees and rocky hills surrounding every turn in the road, and for those of us who are or have attended Our Lady Seat of Wisdom in Barry's Bay, ON, it feels like home. It is incredible how fast and dramatically the landscape changes as soon as one crosses the border into northwestern Ontario from Manitoba. Manitoba has trees, certainly, but the Ontario border dramatically brings the Canadian Shield with it. Unfortunately, it has also brought a plethora of mosquitos and black flies with it as well. Something else for us to offer up…though the sheer number of them does make for a good laugh when one looks at the interior roof of our minivan after a night shift, where our swatting walkers create a suspended graveyard for the mosquitos. The front grille on our white Dodge minivan doesn't fare much better…makes for a good laugh from onlookers when we pull into a gas station after night shift! Some of them have actually congratulated us for getting so many of the bloodsuckers.

This trip has not been without its interesting run-ins, and many of them have been very inspirational. One of the most memorable occurred in Winnipeg, when I was driving with two other teammates to our host family. We were sitting at a red light when a pristine '68 Impala convertible pulled up beside us. I had my window down, so I commented to the dude that he had a nice ride. I wasn’t expecting much conversation to happen after that, but he asked what we had written on the other side of our van (Walk Across Canada) so I told him we were doing a pro-life walk. "Pro-life?" He asks in a slightly elevated tone. The light had since turned green, but he kept pace with our van. "As in not pro-choice?!," he continued. Great, I thought. Here comes a verbal tirade. Turns out to be quite the opposite. "I'm adopted," he says, "and if it wasn't for people like you, I might not be around today." We carried on a conversation between our cars for about a kilometre down a busy Winnipeg street. Once again, it's these experiences that help boost our morale when it seems like most are against us.

Another thing that is encouarging,(sic) and reminds us of just how great of an undertaking this trip is, has been talking with those who don't agree with our cause. This might sound strange, but some of the most inspiring encounters have been with those who vehemently oppose our cause, but deeply and truly respect us for standing up for the pro-life cause. First of all, I actually prefer it when people take a confrontational stance when we tell them we are walking for the pro-life cause. It is annoying to tell people our cause, and, when you can tell that they are pro-choice, they still just ignore the issue and half-heartedly wish us luck on our journey. None of that! I know that I am probably guilty of the same crime with standing up for my faith, but you can tell that these people just do not care, which, as I have discussed previously, is typical Canadian apathy and is slowly rotting this country away. On the other hand, I have gotten into some heated discussions with pro-choicers I have met along the way, and at the end of each of those conversations, they still congratulate us on our mission to walk across the country. And the difference here is that they truly mean it, and you can tell. I have been thinking that this is where this walk can truly make a change in the hearts of Canadians. If we can get people to respect us for what we are doing, then they are much more likely to consider our cause or mission with at least a more positive eye than beforehand. And if we can do that in the hearts of enough people, then who knows how many hearts can be changed on this walk?

We are currently in Marathon, ON, and heading towards Sault Ste. Marie. Though we spent this past weekend in "The Soo", the distance between the northwestern Ontario border with Manitoba and Sault Ste. Marie is definitely the longest and most isolated stretch of this walk. It is beautiful country, but we need to make it to more populated southern/central Ontario in order to be in cities large enough to host our weekend visits. Though this stretch is isolated, we have still managed to receive great support! In the span of a couple of days last week, we met two different individuals who were members of the Thunder Bay Right to Life group, who were both previously unaware of our walk, but we very impressed to see us and our mission. Another man, Doug, was driving home to Mission, BC from his holidays in Cape Breton, and happened to know a couple of my close friends and had walked with last year's Crossroads team for a few days. Small world! It is hard to believe we only have 4 weeks left before we finish off, but I'm sure our witnesses and interesting experiences will only increase as we get closer to the final and most populated stretch of our walk.

Thanks for reading, and we'll try to keep you posted!

Pat Wilson

The pro-life movement is blessed to have inspiring leaders. Three are noted in the article reproduced below - the blogger, an author, the subject of the book. Matt Barber, the blogger, provides a book review; the full article, along with its string of comments may be found here. Eric Metaxas is the author; I was privileged to meet him in 2009 at the Socrates in the City speaker series in the Big Apple which he MC's. And Dietrich Bonhoeffer is the German theologian who is a model to many for both his scholarship and his participation to end the German Holocaust.

July 9, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) - I recently finished reading “Bonhoeffer” by Eric Metaxas. The book, a nearly 600-page biography of German pastor and influential theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, was simply life-changing. Throughout his page-turning treatise, Metaxas brilliantly illustrates how Bonhoeffer lived and died by Christ’s admonition, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20).

Although Bonhoeffer penned a number of widely read books on theology and Christian apologetics, he is chiefly remembered for his key role in one of several German conspiracies to assassinate Adolf Hitler and overthrow the Nazi regime. For this he was captured and hanged just weeks before the end of World War II.

It seems natural at this point to trek into “must read” book review territory; however, I will resist that temptation. Although “Bonhoeffer” kicked open the door to any number of theological, philosophical and political themes, it struck another cord with me entirely.

As I read of Bonhoeffer’s efforts to thwart the genocidal slaughter of millions of Jews, disabled people and other “enemies of the State,” I could not help but recognize the parallels between the vast holocaust carried out in Nazi Germany just decades ago and the modern-day holocaust ongoing within our own shores.

Whereas the Nazis were responsible for the wholesale murder of more than 6 million Jews, those today who support the practice of abortion homicide are no less complicit in the systematic slaughter of 55-million-and-counting equally precious human beings post Roe v. Wade. The parallels are undeniable and the science unequivocal. Murder is murder whatever stage of development the human victim.

The stark similarities between the two holocausts were lost on neither Dietrich Bonhoeffer nor Eric Metaxas. “Destruction of the embryo in the mother’s womb is a violation of the right to live which God has bestowed upon this nascent life,” wrote Bonhoeffer in “Ethics,” his very last book.

“To raise the question whether we are here concerned already with a human being or not is merely to confuse the issue. The simple fact is that God certainly intended to create a human being and that this nascent human being has been deliberately deprived of his life. And that is nothing but murder,” he concluded.

(To continue reading the rest of the blog, click here.)

Dear pro-Lifer,

Blessed summer greetings to you.

“We pray that people will understand that to be pro-life means to be pro-woman,

and that to be pro-woman demands that we be pro-life.”

(Taken from "Pro-Life Meditations" by Priests for Life.)

This month I want to underscore the importance of coming to the aid of women. Whether those struggling with an unplanned pregnancy or those who have already aborted, we as a society need to be front and centre in our support of both groups so as to eliminate altogether the scourge of abortion.

Before saying any more on this, I want to encourage you not to forget us over the summer months. Our bills do not take a holiday. Please click here to donate today. Your support would help us to continue supporting life initiatives such as:

• Welcoming a delegation from the Calgary-based Canadian Centre for Bio-ethical Reform;
• Hosting the Canada Crossroads walkers, a group of intrepid youth who are walking across the country for the cause of life; and
• Canvassing select areas of Montreal with pro-life material.

Our Attitude Towards Women

An important way to confront and change the culture of death that we live in is to confront and change our inertia towards helping women in distress. I’m thinking of the adage; to be pro-life is to be pro-woman.

The Post-Abortive Woman

While visiting Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Laval ten days ago, a parishioner pulled me aside. He worried for the fate of his sister-in-law. The latter is post-abortive, having had three. Rightly her soul is in danger and I was asked for prayers, particularly as she shows little remorse or contrition for her acts. The parishioner struggled on what role he can play in her spiritual journey.

As he spoke with me, I recalled the words a bishop had said to St. Monica about her wayward son, Augustine. “Speak less to Augustine about God, but more to God about Augustine.”

In aiding women, whether this sister-in-law or others, I believe we need to greet them in their terms- i.e., meet them where they are at in their spiritual journey. Our role is to walk with them towards Christ. Only then will they discover the way, the light, and the truth.

Rachel’s Vineyard

Other women have recognized the gravity of their abortion. Diane (not her real name), mother of five, had her abortion some thirty years ago, as a sixteen year-old.

Her road afterwards was quite bumpy. There were years of broken relationships, drugs, and alcohol. There was estrangement from her parents. Healing appeared unattainable.

Yet healing was available and was found through participation in a post-abortion recovery ministry. The form hers took was called Rachel’s Vineyard.

Rachel’s Vineyard organizes weekend retreats throughout the year to help women who suffer mental anguish and pain after having an abortion. This ministry aims at assisting post-abortive women come to deal with the emotional, physical, and spiritual pain the death of their child has had on them.

Diane says that she continues to experience bouts of depression, yet because of the structures she learned in this ministry, she finds support and peace.

Montreal and Quebec needs a similar kind of post abortion healing retreat. In Montreal alone, there are about 10 000 abortions per year. Since unrestricted abortions came into effect in 1988, that means about 250 000.

It is our goal to organize such a retreat. With your support we can organize one as early as this fall. Will you help? Your support would allow us to get the training needed to organize such a retreat.

So, let’s continue to be supportive of women.

Yours in faith,

Brian Jenkins

English and Multicultural Communities Outreach Director

Quebec Life Coalition

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation wants to gather commitments of billions of dollars from heads of state and other leaders for contraceptive programs aimed at poor women. The Gates Foundation also wants governments to help overcome what they consider to be "barriers" to contraceptive use such as parental involvement. These efforts will take place at a Gates-sponsored Family Planning Summit on July 11 in London.

According to a Gates Foundation paper published in conjunction with the government of the United Kingdom, a key goal is permanent government funding for advocates to promote global agreements on sexual and reproductive health services and rights, and to lobby for more money for contraceptive information and services.

Melinda Gates insists the campaign is not associated with abortion or population control. She says is it about enabling women to choose as small or large a family as wanted. Yet the Summit provides no support for maternal or child health, and its primary partners have engaged in forced abortion and sterilization campaigns.

Even Amnesty International fears the campaign will “return to coercive family planning programs.”

The outcome document for the Summit calls on all members of the "global community" – countries, donors, civil society, manufacturers and others – to fund and advocate for family planning for all, including for the unmarried and adolescents.

The Summit’s underlying premise is a so-called “unmet need” for contraception. The concept refers to women not wanting a child immediately and not using contraception for any reason – including infrequent sexual activity, dislike of side effects, or religious objections. According to Harvard professor Lant Pritchett, women who have no expressed desire for contraceptives are reported as needing it. Also women “who require motivation to want what they are presumed to need.”

This broad net capturing women who do not want to use contraception, and may desire children at a later time than when surveyed, explains the Summit’s overbearing intention to use funds to “increase demand” for contraception.

Funds raised by the Summit will also be used to buy and distribute more contraception, presuming that women want contraceptives but cannot obtain them. Yet the World Bank reports, “unmet need should not be equated with the lack of access to contraception . . . women with unmet need may still not have any intention to use contraception were it readily accessible and of good quality.”

In fact, contrary to the two main arguments promoted by family planners, studies show that greater access to contraception does not result in fewer pregnancies or abortions.

Critics fear the Summit’s campaign for contraception will divert funding and staff from struggling health issues that lack powerful advocates, such as medical care for pregnant women.

The tightly-controlled Summit is organized by the UK’s Department for International Development, which has been charged by the Guardian newspaper with funding India’s coerced sterilization program. So tightly is the conference organized that the venue will not be announced until shortly before the meeting commences, and only governments that make pledges can attend. International Planned Parenthood Federation, the largest abortion provider, is mobilizing civil society ahead of the event. Pro-lifers are complaining about the lack of transparency and accountability

This past Sunday I was warmly welcomed by Cornwall's pro-life community as I travelled there to take part in their annual March fo Life and Annual General Meeting.

Under sunny skies, the afternoon began when Gale Barr, head of Pro-Life Cornwall Pro-Vie, gathered the thirty or so of us in prayer before the entrance of the Charles-Émile Claude Centre before leading us thrugh the streets of Cornwall. At the head of the march, she was accompanied by her husband as well as a fourth degree Knight of Columbus.

Walking in pairs, we followed behind. Deacon Christopher Chisholm introduced himself to me and accompanied me for the forty-minute, 1.6 km walk.

Back at the recreation centre, the AGM was presided by Ms. Barr. In addition to reports by the secretary and financial officer and the election of new board members, there was a surprise addition to the agenda - me!

Ms. Joan Lemieux, office manager for Pro-Life Cornwall, invited me to say a few words about our work here in Quebec. With delight, I accepted and after briefly outlining the history of QLC, I spoke about a few of our current projects - such as outreach into the community, 40 Days for Life prayer vigils, and sidewalk counselling.

The meeting ended with a presentation by Ms. Anastasia Bowles, Special Projects Coordinator wiith Life Canada. I gathered from her thirty-minute power-point presentation that Life Canada produces national campaigns promoting adoption. Venues in which their adds run include buses, bus shelters, and in the general media.

By 4 p.m. the meeting had ended and I was making my way back to Montreal.

A story appears in the local paper - The Cornwall Standard Freeholder.

P.S.  The AGM began with the following prayer:

Prayer for the Unborn

Heavenly Father, in Your love for us, protect against the wickedness of the devil, those helpless little ones to whom You have given the gift of life.

Touch with pity the hearts of those women pregnant in our world today who are not thinking of motherhood.

Help them to see that the child they carry is made in Your image - as well as theirs - made for eternal life.

Dispel their fear and selfishness and give them true womanly hearts to love their babies and give them birth and all the needed care that a mother can give.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, your Son, Our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.

Austin Ruse, President at C-FAM (Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute) sends us the following message about Melinda Gates and those with whom she associates - i.e., population controllers.

Have a read and, if you are in agreement, follow through and sign the open letter.

I did; # 8071 who had done so.

June 21, 2012

Dear Friend,

In just a few weeks billionaire Melinda Gates is hosting a Family Planning Summit in London. She is doing this with the largest abortion providers and promoters in the world, the UN Population Fund and International Planned Parenthood Federation.

They say they want to raise $4 billion to promote contraception among poor women. This is population control plain and simple, population control aimed at poor dark-skinned women.

We have tried to get pro-lifers registered for this summit so there can be a counter voice…

BUT WE ARE BEING SHUT OUT BY PLANNED PARENTHOOD!

Even though our voices will be shut out, we will not be silenced.

I ask you to read the OPEN LETTER TO MELINDA GATES and if you agree that this is a dangerous conference and if you agree that pro-lifers should not be shut out, sign the letter!

We hope to gather 100,000 signatures from all over the world and we will hand deliver them to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation headquarters in Seattle, Washington and/or directly on the steps of the Family Planning Summit in London on July 11th!

BUT WE HAVE ONLY TWO WEEKS TO DO IT. PLEASE ACT NOW!

Please read the OPEN LETTER TO MELINDA GATES, sign it, and then send this email to everyone in your address book. The only way this will be effective is if this email and this petition go viral all over the Internet.

So, help us say NO to Melinda Gates. No abortion. No abortion groups. No coerced family planning.

Sign the OPEN LETTER TO MELINDA GATES and send this email to all of your family and friends, TO YOUR ENTIRE ADDRESS BOOK.

We will deliver all signatures to Melinda Gates office in three weeks!

Yours sincerely,

Austin Ruse, President, C-FAM New York/Washington DC

PS We have only two weeks to get this done. Please act fast, act now, sign this letter and send this email to everyone you know!

For a second consecutive year, we at the Quebec Life Coalition will be hosting the crossroads walkers when they arrive in Montreal the first weekend of August - August 4-6.

The group of ten left the west coast five weeks ago and, as I write to you, are arriving in Regina to spend the weekend.

The following story was written by Thaddeus Baklinski.

SOMEWHERE on the prairies, June 21, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) - After walking through British Columbia in almost incessant rain, the team of stalwart Crossroads Canada pro-life walkers made it to the plains of Alberta and are now trekking through the vast expanses of Saskatchewan sharing their message of life in major cities and small towns along the way.

"It’s week 4 and we’ve hit the plains! After descending the Rockies into the plains of southern Alberta, we have since jumped north and continued walking east from the Calgary area. We are now in mid-western Saskatchewan heading to Saskatoon,” the group related on their blog late last week.

Patrick Wilson, leader of the group of 10 young people ages 18 to 30, said that blisters - the most serious physical hardship the walkers have experienced so far - are both a painful reminder and an inspiration to the walkers of the reason they walk, so the phrase “offer it up” is used often.

“I am happy to report that we have sustained no real injuries as of yet - despite some fairly bad blisters for some - but everyone is more than happy to walk, even though it may at times be painful,” Patrick said. “In that vein, the phrase “offer it up!” has already become a bit of a joking cliché term - and though we joke about how frequently we say it, there is still much truth in the idea of offering up any pain in our walking for the unborn and the intentions we receive along the way at parishes.”

The team’s daily routine involves walking in shifts through the night and day. They also attend daily Mass at the nearest parish.

The group walks for five days and then spends weekends praying in front of abortion clinics, visiting parishes to talk to youth groups and to drum up donations. The weekends also give blisters and sore muscles time to heal.

“One of the things which has surprised me the most on Crossroads - in a good way - is the importance of the parish mission on the weekends,” Patrick related.

“Visiting local churches, we share with parishioners what our walk is about, and ask for spiritual and financial support. I was initially reluctant to do this part of the walk, but have since found it extremely rewarding for both the parishioners, and our own motivation.”

“For them to see young people active and engaged in the mission, who care deeply enough about it to want to walk across the country for the cause, is very encouraging for many of these people. Their encouragement, in exchange, is very encouraging for us. To feel and receive this abundant support on weekends has helped to strengthen our resolve to walk with purpose this summer. Thank-you parishioners!”

Nineteen-year-old team member Lindsay Richey of B.C., said the positive response, especially from parishes along the way has been a highlight for her.

“I’ve noticed a lot of positive response. We get a lot of encouragement, especially from parish communities on the weekends, which really fills us up and keeps us motivated,” Lindsay told the Western Catholic Reporter, which caught up with the team in Edmonton.

“I’m walking this summer because I’ve come to realize how precious all human life is and I want to witness to how important it is especially for the unborn,” added Lindsay.

The team notes that, “The general response we have received so far along the road has been interesting.”

“While the majority of actual responses we visibly receive has been so far positive - friendly horn blasts, thumbs up and waves - it is still tough to gauge exactly what the majority of those who drive by us actually think.”

As participants in previous Crossroads Canada walks have told LifeSiteNews, their experience is that many Canadians are apathetic about abortion.

Patrick observed that, “Looking into the cars of passersby (we do not try to make it look obvious!), nearly all drivers notice us, and with some degree of interest. It is easy to notice the turning heads, or the glance, and the averted eyes. We very rarely get middle fingers, angry yells, or any negative response.”

“It is interesting to note,” Patrick said, “because I think it is sadly indicative of the typical Canadian tendency towards apathy on topics such as abortion. I feel that many of these people likely do not disagree with our cause, or respect us for standing up for it, but might feel that since abortion is not directly their problem, then they should not be concerned or excited about the movement.

“How do we reach these apathetic Canadians? This is not an easy question to answer. But I only hope that our shirts have at least got these apathetic passersby to think about the issue a little more, and maybe open their minds to consider that maybe there is something wrong with the genocide that we are inflicting on our future generation.”

Again, as has been the experience by teams in previous years, Patrick and the team agree that the level of support for the pro-life cause and for their cross-Canada walk was by far the highest in the province of Saskatchewan.

"So far, our experience in this province of Saskatchewan has proven to be most supportive overall, judging by the amount of positive response we are getting from passing cars and those we meet in the towns along the way. We have even got some donations on the road!” Patrick said.

Crossroads Canada will wind up in Ottawa on August 11 with a rally on Parliament Hill. The organizers and participants are urging pro-lifers to take the time to come out and show their support of the walkers, and for the pro-life cause in Canada.

The Canada Crossroads walkers are blogging their adventures here.

The schedule of the 2012 Crossroads Canada pro-life walk is available here.

Anyone wishing to donate toward the pro-life walkers’ expenses can do so online at www.crossroadswalk.org by phone at 1-800-353-8817 or by mailing a cheque made out to Crossroads Pro Life to:

Crossroads, Inc., PO Box 2219 Columbia, MD 21045, USA