Dear Friends of Life,

Blessed Easter greetings to you and your loved ones.

Our Lord is risen. He has broken the bonds of death, bonds which we have all inherited from our fore parents. Today, thanks to your generous support of our work, Our Lord lives and is active, sending workers into His vineyard to console and support the wounded.

EMMANUEL

Recently I got to see firsthand how God is among us, acting through four workers to provide this healing consolation and support to those who have experienced an abortion.

I am blessed to know Jennifer (not her real name) - mother, wife, pro-life warrior and woman of faith.

Jennifer is also post-abortive. Having had two abortions some fifteen years ago, she has lived with the consequences – emotional and spiritual wounds.

On an early Monday morning, I receive a call from her. Her voiced is strained. She tells me about the deep regret she is experiencing and asks if I can come over.

I am no sooner there that she shares about an incident from the day before. An exchange over the Internet had reopened the wounds of her abortion experiences, wounds festering all day and into the night, resulting in a restless night. The next day isn’t much better and so she calls.

Well into our conversation, she expresses a desire to go to mass. Packed into the car and thirty minute later, we enter the church and arrive for communion.

I’m the second worker our Lord has sent to this mother, the first being the Internet blogger.

After mass, the third worker appears. Sonya, a dear friend of Jennifer’s, does not usually attend this service and yet there she is on this particular day. The two women share privately. Tears well up in Jennifer’s eyes.

Conversation over, Jennifer seeks out the vicar for a blessing – the fourth worker. Rather than acquiescing immediately to Jennifer’s request, the minister notices her tears and asks what’s wrong. So begins a conversation that lasts no less than three hours.

I am enriched by the experience in two respects. On the one hand, Jennifer’s humility and faith inspires me. In her distress, and guided by her faith, she sought help, reaching to both to individuals and to Our Lord.

Also, God provided four caring workers, docile to His promptings and permitting that His healing gift of consolation be administered. These persons were willing to be "disturbed" from the normal course of their lives so as to participate in God’s mission to redeem the world.

The moral of the story is we never know how Our Lord will use us to further his aim of providing each and every one of us with a life of plenitude. Multiple persons enter and leave our lives. How do these contribute to furthering providential care? How much do we contribute to their providential care?

Yours in Christ Jesus,

Brian Jenkins, Outreach Coordinator, Quebec Life Coalition

P.S. Our court challenge continues. Over the past few weeks we have met with our lawyer on several occasions to prepare our case against the immoral imposition of an injunction zone, preventing us from praying and helping abortion-bound men and women on the streets of Montreal. As a result, expenses are incurred and so your support in paying our legal fees would be most helpful. Thank you

Close to 100 people travelled from Montreal to Ottawa yesterday in two chartered buses to join the close to 25 000 who attended the 16th annual National March for Life on Parliament Hill.

These pilgrims came from all over - Laval, Ile-Perrot, West Island, Greenfield Park, and St-Hyacinthe, to board one of two buses leased by the Quebec Life Coalition (QLC).

A third bus chartered by the QLC came all the way from Quebec City carrying upwards of 45 pilgrims. These left the provincial capital at 7 a.m. and arrived in time to attend the mid-day speeches on the hill from leaders in the political, religious, and civil areas. A film about their travel may be seen here.

As for the Montreal pilgrims, here are a few pictures.

Famous Montrealers in attendance include Archbishops Christian Lépine of Montreal and Terrence Prendergast of Ottawa. 

QLC President Georges Buscemi was the co-Master of ceremony for the afternoon event, providing commentary in French.

Additional photos of the day may be seen here.

The television network EWTN, in attendance at the march for the first time, will rebroadcast the event tomorrow Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.

Finally, two local papers carried stories about the event. The Gazette featured two while LaPresse a single one - "Dissension sur fond d'avortement," a spin on the dissension within the federal conservative party. I didn't see any article in Montreal's largest daily - Le Journal de Montréal.

National March for Life in Ottawa May 9, 2013:

chartered buses from both Montreal and Quebec City.

The National March for Life will be held this year on Thursday, May 9 in Ottawa. Last year 20,000 people crowded onto Parliament Hill for this event. Many dignitaries from various walks of life were present to inspire the crowd including MPs, senators, religious and pro-life leaders.

If you wish to be part of this vibrant day of support for the life of the unborn, the Quebec Life Coalition is chartering buses that will permit you to participate.

The fare is $35. Family rates are available.

Our schedules read as follows:

MONTREAL DEPARTURES

07h00   Departures (2)

1. Montreal - Downtown (895, De la Gauchetière west) followed by a second pick-up at the Cremazie metro station - 8753 Lajeunesse.
2. Laval - Holy Name of Jesus church (899, Chomedey Blvd.) followed by a second pick-up at the Fairview shopping centre (Sears Canada)

10h00  Pro-Life Mass (bilingual) Notre-Dame Cathedral. 

12h00  Gathering on Parliament Hill.

13h30 MARCH through the streets of downtown Ottawa

14h45  "Silent No More Awareness Campaign" testimonials (Parliament Hill)

16h00   Closing Prayer Service by Eastern Catholic Chaplaincy of Ottawa (Parliament Hill)

QUEBEC CITY DEPARTURE

07h00   Departure (1073, René-Lévesque Blvd., QC)

12h00  Arrival in Ottawa

12h00 Gathering on Parliament Hill

13h00 March through the streets of downtown Ottawa

14h45  "Silent No More Awareness Campaign" testimonials (Parliament Hill)

16h00   Closing Prayer Service by Eastern Catholic Chaplaincy of Ottawa (Parliament Hill)

16h30 Departure from Ottawa

21h30 Arrival in Quebec City

Cost: Tickets are $35. Family rates are available: $20 per family member.

Registration: Before May 6, by calling (438) 930-8643 or (514) 344-2686, or by email [email protected]

Additional Information:

• Québec archdiocese promotional video may be seen here.
• Download the 2013 March for Life brochure
• Downlaod the 2013 March for Life poster
• A lunch may be brought along or vendors are available inOttawa
• For Quebec City travelers, a supper break is planned.

Hope to see many of you.

(The following story, written by Vanessa Sproule, appeared in today's Guelph Mercury.)

After shouting on Parliament Hill last Thursday with a crowd the size of a small city — 19,500 people-strong I’m told — it seems obvious to me that there’s a new normal among Gen Y and the Millennials taking over the scene.

It’s not one that would have been expected to emerge 20 years ago during the rise of third wave feminism or one that 1970s politicians would have anticipated. It’s one that has been moving into the mainstream, making headlines in last week’s national newspapers and challenging perspectives of today’s MPs, many of who are accustomed to pro-abortion rhetoric prevalent among the Gen X-ers and baby boomers.

Residue from 1960s activism has condemned voices from my generation — Gen Y — as “anti-choice” or intolerant if we dare to disagree. Who would have expected so many Canadian citizens under the age of 35 to be adamant about bringing attention to the fact that a baby in the womb is to be recognized for what it is — human and deserving of full human rights?

Despite what a former generation might be trying to assert, the younger generations are immensely in favour of legal protection for the unborn and safeguarding the physical and emotional well-being of all women.

This new normal is not just based on observation of the crowd on Parliament Hill last week. Recent polls have been picking it up.

Just over three years ago, a poll conducted by Environics Focus Canada questioned 2,047 Canadians. Results showed 67 per cent of people between age 18 and 29 years old surveyed wanted legal protection for unborn babies at some point before birth. This same age bracket further showed that 70 per cent had high support for informed consent surrounding abortion. More recently, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted a nationwide survey that included a representation of Canada’s population age 18 to 35. Results showed 60 per cent of people surveyed believed abortion is morally wrong.

Going beyond the polls, over the past five years, teams of 20-somethings have visited politicians on the Hill every November to express their grief at Canada’s continued killing of the unborn and to advocate for protection of babies’ lives by law, before they are born. Then, there was also last year’s Defund Abortion Rally at Queen’s Park; the Letters for Life movement — founded and directed by teens; the growing movement known as the National Campus Life Network; the countless members of pro-life student clubs on university campuses and high schools across the country; the When Am I Human campaign — founded and fuelled by individuals under the age of 30; Bound4Life Canada, and Campaign Life Coalition’s pro-life youth movement to name a few more examples of pro-life youth and young adult initiatives.

These are 100 per cent dedicated to going against what’s force-fed in public schools while standing for the truth — plain and simple.

In our own community, several students from the University of Guelph and at least two bus loads of teenagers headed to the Hill this month to participate in bringing awareness to an issue they believe is worth making a ruckus about.

There’s no denying, it’s an emergence of a new normal. It’s one much different from the Trudeaumania-filled days of 1968 and it’s happening right here, too. Until last week, this young-people movement has swept the country but without recognition from the media.

Why the lack of coverage? With a movement this strong, why has there been silence from journalists across the nation? Could it be that, like many of our MPs, our media is still governed by those who dare not oppose the creed of their day in order to escape being branded as intolerant or a woman-hater or anti-choice?

As a result of the May 10 gathering, abortion proponents need to recognize that Gen Y and the Millennials have a different perspective that is quickly rising. Downplaying it, and threatening it with name calling, won’t make it disappear.

(Vanessa Sproule is Program Manager for the Guelph and Area Right to Life.)

A wonderful day was had by the 50+ Montreal pilgrims who attended the annual March for Life in Ottawa, yesterday.

Motor coach ride from downtown Montreal to Ottawa via Pointe Claire, 10 a.m. Mass at the Notre Dame Cathedral, lunch in the food court at the Rideau Centre, gathering on Parliament Hill, march through the streets of downtowm Ottawa, reconvene on the Hill, return to our bus and ride to Montreal.

The mass was packed to the rafters. presided by archbishop of Ottawa, Mgr. Terence Prendergast, sj, presided along with seven other bishops, including Montreal's own Christian Lépine, and fifteen or so priests. Many of the faithful stood throughout the service.

After the celebration, Archbishop Prendergast greeted many of the pilgrims including a few from our own group. In this photo we see with his grace Christine Le Beau, Marc-Albert Bélanger, and Lucille Charette-Morga, who is sporting the white cap. In the fore plan is Mr. Marcel Givoque

After a lunch break, we walked up Wellington street and entered the grounds of the parliamentary buildings. There we gathered and milled about, listening to the various speakers. 

At about 1:30 p.m., the march began. Seen above are the walkers leaving Parliament hill and ...

... then proceeding through the cavernous streets of downtown Ottawa...

... returning to their starting point.

The website of Campaign Life Coalition, the march's organizer along with us and LifeSiteNews, states that over 19 500 people came to this year's march. This is 6000 more than last year!

Will you be with us next year?

The National March for Life Ottawa will be held this year on Thursday, May 10, 2012. Last year over 15 000 people converged on our nation's capital to call for an end this senseless killing of a human being.

If you are interested in participating yet do not wish to drive up yourself, consider joining us on our chartered bus.

Our deluxe coach will leave from Montreal's downtown Via Rail Central Station (935 de la Gauchetière West) on Thursday, May 10 at 7:00 AM, and return to Montreal at the same location for about 6 PM. Round-trip tickets are $30 per person.

For those of you living on the West Island or Laval, you needn't travel downtown to board. We will make a second pick up on the way to Ottawa at the Fairview Shopping Center - corner Highway 40 and St. John Boul.

To reserve, call Quebec Life Coalition at (514) 344-2686. Payment guarentees you a seat on a coach.

Join us this year in Ottawa as we gather under the theme that "Abortion hurts Everyone."

This past Thursday, May 12, 2011, I led a small group of faithful pro-lifers to Ottawa to participate in the National March for Life. It was a full day and add some, for we only got back at around 2 AM Friday morning. 24 plus hours later,  I can now say that I feel recovered from the exercise. Despite the soreness from the long hours of standing, I am glad to have gone and look forward to participating again next year.

The day began with an early departure for we wanted to arrive in Ottawa for the 10 AM mass at the Notre Dame Cathedral. This meant leaving Central Station at about 7:30 AM and rendez-vous'ing with a second group awaiting us in the west-island, at Fairview Shopping Centre. We weren't disappointed by the early departure for we arrived at the cathedral some ten minutes before mass time. Further, several of us - Donald Kondusky, Johan Distler, and myself, were fortunate to have reserved seats waiting for us; the Knights of Columbus had several cancellations and one invited three of us to join their ranks. Lucky break!

The mass was presided over my Archbishop Pendergast of Ottawa along with several of his bishop brothers.  Once over, we proceeded to Parliament Hill for the opening ceremony. On the way, Charlotte L'Heureux, Jack Coyne, Marcel Givogue, and myself, took a short cut through Major Hill park and while there paused to eye the tulips and eat our lunch. Charlotte and I tested the delicacies at one of the finer greasy spoons.  I wolfed down the fries and chicken pita.

Finally we arrived on the hill as the speeches were being made.  I don't know if it was because of the beautiful sunshine and the cool breeze, but the turnout was large. Later that day I heard that the crowd was estimated at 15 000 people, that is 3000 more than last year.

This year's theme was "Abortion Kills a Human Being." Our own Georges Buscemi, Quebec Life Coalition president, was interviewed by the French side of the CBC; his interview made be found at: http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/societe/2011/05/12/001-manifestation-avortement-ottawa.shtml.

Eventually, when all was said, we proceeded to walk through the streets of Ottawa, led by many banners and the Knights in full regalia. The walk proceeded up Wellington to Elgin, passing along its way both the cenatath and the human rights monument.  At this point our path crossed a large group of protesters and what appeared to be a jostling exercice began; the youth in both camps attempted to outshout the other with their various slogans.  Call be bias but I think our own won out.  We snaked through the streets to Bank street and back to Wellington and the hill. Our own Irene Camilli appears here. The afternoon on the hill ended with several members of "Silent No More Awareness Campaign" giving personal testimonies of how abortion had affected their lives and an orthodox prayer service.

Here are some pictures of the day :