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April 7, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – As public pro-life witness across the country is being stifled by coronavirus lockdowns on public activity, Pro-Life Action League says it fully intends to carry on with Way of the Cross for Victims of Abortion this Good Friday, which is April 10.
During the services, pro-lifers traditionally gather to pray the Way of the Cross outside of abortion facilities. Over the past month, however, many states have ordered their residents to stay in their homes except for certain “essential” activities, with enforcement varying wildly, in the name of containing the spread of the coronavirus.
In a statement, Pro-Life Action League acknowledged that the Way of the Cross “cannot proceed as it has in recent years,” but should continue in a revised manner, consistent with public health rules and recommendations.
The group offers a list of recommendations for pro-lifers across the country who plan to participate in some way, including limiting in-person prayer gatherings to 10 people at a time, six feet apart (per “social distancing”); following all specific directives from state and local authorities; and explore live-streaming options for people to pray together remotely. It also advises groups not to promote their events via email, social media, or church bulletins, so as to keep crowd sizes small.
“If you do go hold a Way of the Cross service — following the guidelines above — you should be prepared for the possibility that the police may object,” Pro-Life Action League noted. “But if police still object after being informed that the attorneys at the Thomas More Society have OKed this activity, do as the police say — and then contact the Pro-Life Action League and tell us what happened.”
“If the coronavirus pandemic has taught us anything, it's how utterly dependent we all are on one another,” Pro-Life Action League executive director Eric Scheidler told LifeSiteNews. “So let this period of separation become an opportunity for us to deepen our solidarity with the most dependent of all, our unborn brothers and sisters. And let us not abandon them, but continue — with care and safety — to reach out and offer Easter hope at abortion facilities.”
Pro-life activists have been arrested in California, Michigan, and North Carolina for gathering outside of abortion centers, even when maintaining social distancing and carrying documentation of their legal right to do so. Sidewalk counselors were also threatened with arrest in Wisconsin, but ultimately allowed to continue.
Further details on respecting public health rules during pro-life activism, and on pro-lifers’ legal right to stay active during this time, can be found at Pro-Life Action League's website here. Readers can also click here for LifeSiteNews’ live updates on the coronavirus and its impact all over the world.