Thanks for the ping! [The late] Fr. Weslin was a champion for life, of course, and this woman reminds me of him, but for myself, my prayers in the Adoration chapel, hidden from the public eye, are the best Power source I know of. Years ago, Tom, our daughter, and I, went to the many marches we had in our area and made these simple videos and put them to music. YouTube has taken off most of our [well.... not “our”] music, but this video still retains its soundtrack, so I’m putting up the link because tomorrow’s Reading is in this tune, “Turn, Turn, Turn,” by the Byrds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aV_4J7njZY
Hartford Archbishop John Whealon was a strong supporter of Rescue and Rescuers in Connecticut. He successfully called the US Civil Rights Commission in to investigate the West Hartford Police Department after a festival of anti-Rescuer violence, the likes of which had never previously or since been seen in Connecticut. There was a reasonably full investigation including forcing the thug police chief to testify in DC. No punishment but the Commission made plain that it was not pleased with such police behavior. Archbishop Whealon explained in his archdiocesan newspaper that he was essentially a liberal Democrat by belief and that the Democrats had, in his view, been right on "all the little issues" while being totally wrong on the two major issues of American history: slavery and abortion. Therefore, he became a registered Republican and appeared with Ronaldus Maximus and George H. W. Bush in their POTUS campaigns before the archbishop died in 1991.
John Cardinal O'Connor was none too pleased with West Hartford police brutality perpetrated against some of the Catholic pro-lifers from his archdiocese. He sent his lawyer/niece to observe and inform him of the goings on. He successfully urged long-time Staten Island Republican Congressman Guy Molinari to get involved in demanding a US Civil Rights Commission investigation.
There have always been many pro-life ministries and those who pray at Adoration Chapels are as important to that movement as anyone else. We shall never know until we die how many were saved by prayer. We know that God will put those prayers to their best use as only He can judge.
The Rescuers tended to be elderly or very young, more likely unmarried or without children or other family members dependent on them for care. Some were converted to pro-life activity after having had an abortion. Most were or had become quite religious. They tended to be quite committed to non-violence and creative in their methods of resisting abortion. They were remarkable and loving people. Joan Andrews Bell, as a young woman, was among the earliest of them and was a veteran of the civil rights and anti-war movements as were many early Rescuers.
One arrestee in West Hartford was the retired Auxiliary bishop of Raleigh, North Carolina, Bishop George Lynch, an elderly hero, then residing with his elderly sister in NYC. Fr. Weslin was also arrested in the West Hartford Rescues.
Joan Andrews Bell and Fr. Norman Weslin spent years as courageous and legendary pro-lifers. I think Fr. Weslin's last arrest (in his 80s and afflicted with Parkinson's and early stage Alzheimer's) was on the campus of Notre Shame University for carrying a cross on campus on the day when Obozo was the commencement speaker. Norma McCorvey was with him that day but the university did not dare to arrest her. That tells us what is running Notre Shame.
May God bless you and yours!