May 7, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A crowd of over 500 pro-life activists packed into St. Therese of the Child Jesus Church in Ottawa this evening to celebrate the vigil mass that kicks off the events surrounding this week's Canadian March for Life.
The mass was celebrated by Bishop Fred Colli of the Thunder Bay diocese. During his homily Colli urged the congregation to prioritize prayer in their efforts to defend the unborn. “We know that it is God that will change hearts,” he said, “and we know that God will answer our prayers.”
Bishop Colli recounted how recently his diocese held their annual prayer service for the unborn, and that very same night on the news he heard that a mother had abandoned the body of her newborn child on a path next to the river in his diocese.
“Where is our society going, and how do we turn this great lack of respect for life around?” he asked. “What can we do?”
While the bishop praised those who will participate in Thursday’s March for Life, he added, “we must also remember that sharing a few days in Ottawa together is really not enough. Every time we hear of tragedy and indignity shown to others and to life, we need to raise our voices to the Lord in prayer.”
The bishop also exhorted his listeners to recognize that abortion isn’t an issue that “is out there,” that “doesn’t touch us,” simply because his listeners may not be contemplating an abortion.
“Every aspect of our society is touched by this issue,” he said. “From our entertainment to our work place, to our schools, our families, our homes, our entire society is affected.”
During the prayers for the faithful at the mass, the congregation specifically prayed that Health Canada will “recognize the danger of RU-486 to women and their unborn babies and refuse to allow it in Canada.”
The theme of this year’s March for Life is RU-4-Life, in opposition to plans by pro-abortion activists to bring the controversial abortion drug RU-486 into Canada.
At the end of mass, the hundreds of participants lit candles, and then filed quietly out of the church for a silent walk through Ottawa to the The Canadian Tribute to Human Rights monument on Elgin St., where a pro-life candlelight vigil was to be held.
March for Life events will begin Thursday with Catholic and protestant prayer services at 10:00 at various locations throughout Ottawa, followed by the March for Life rally on Parliament Hill at 12:00, and then the march itself.
For a list of events, click here.