Planned Parenthood, Allies Escalate War on Pro-Lifers

Promoting the Culture of Life and Fighting the Culture of Death since 1987 CATHOLIC • PRO-LIFE • PRO-FAMILY Jan. – Feb. 2020, Vol. 31 No. 1 Circ. 4329 www.DefendLife.org • [email protected] Voice Mail: (410) 296-LIVE • Pro-Life Action News: (410) 296-BORN

Planned Parenthood, allies escalate war on pro-lifers

The leather-jacketed “pro- choice escort” in front of Balti- more’s Planned Parenthood abortion facility on January 16 ripped off his orange escort vest and, swaying from side to side, walked slowly toward John Neale until his face was inches from the pro-lifer’s. He shoved his chest against Neale’s, pushing him in an attempt to force him backward. “I’m off the clock now, bitch,” he said in measured tones. “None of your s—t. I don’t care if I ever A screen shot from a video by pro-lifer John Neale (left) captures the come back to volunteer. I’ll ruin “in-your-face” assault on him by a “pro-choice escort” in front of you today.” Planned Parenthood in Baltimore. “You’ll probably be ruining yourself!” Neale retorted. in menacing silence, or broke the tack me and others on numerous oc- “I’m perfectly good,” the escort silence with further threats and ob- casions.” snapped. “You’re not the first one scenities. The next day, January 17, it was I’ve f-----g taken down a notch. It The confrontation (which ended Roswell’s turn to be attacked. won’t be the f-----g last.” with the arrival of a police offi- A plumber, coming to do work Neale chuckled in derision. cer) had begun when Neale gave a at Planned Parenthood, saw three “John, back off from him!” woman on her way into the abortion new signs that Roswell had just set cried a woman pro-lifer. clinic a “Blessing Bag” containing up, showing healthy 6- and 9-week- “I need to back off? I think a pro-life brochure, and the escort old unborn babies. he needs to back off!” Neale ex- tried to grab it from her. “Are these signs legal?” the claimed. “I have every right to be “Don’t let him take that from plumber yelled angrily. where I’m standing—this gentle- you!” Neale had yelled. He started violently kicking one man is encroaching on me.” “This jerk is the foulest- of the signs. Then he turned his attention mouthed person down there,” said Roswell rushed over, shouting, back to the escort. “So what are John Roswell, leader of Sidewalk “You can’t do that!” you trying to do, trying to push me Advocates for Life, whose mem- The plumber turned and shoved some more, so I have to push back? bers regularly volunteer at the abor- the pro-lifer with both hands, push- I know your game!” tion clinic. ing him back a couple of feet. Minutes passed as the escort “He has physically attacked a “You just assaulted me!” cried continued his “in-your-face” assault priest there, and threatened to at- Roswell. 2 DEFEND LIFE • January – February 2020

His attacker raised a pipe as he began setting up his pro-life wrench he was holding as if to use signs, he was accosted by two men it as a weapon. Roswell pulled out who had apparently been waiting a can of mace from his pocket that for his arrival. he carries routinely for protection at They were in plain clothes, but the abortion facility. wore badges identifying them as Roswell called the police and working for the Baltimore City De- reported the assault. Three police partment of Housing and Commu- officers arrived about an hour later, nity Development. after the plumber had done his work One of them told Roswell that and left. any sign touching city property, The three escorts and a mainte- even just setting on the ground, nance man all insisted to the police must have a permit. He warned that Roswell had started the inci- the pro-lifer that he would be fined dent by pushing the plumber first. $500 per day if he set up his signs. An abortion “escort” flaunts a As the officer in charge was “And we can confiscate them,” pro-life flyer that she took from a leaving, he quietly told Roswell, the other official added. woman and ripped up. “Keep up the good work!” A business card one of the men Just five days later, the pro-lif- gave Roswell identified him as an send him a copy. ers received a non-physical assault investigator with the Baltimore City As the pro-lifer began taking his on their First Amendment rights to Housing Department. signs back to his truck, he saw the freedom of speech. When Roswell asked to see two men go into the Planned Par- When Roswell arrived at the a copy of the law, they said they enthood building. abortion facility on January 22, didn’t have it with them, but would Roswell believes that the or- dinances (which one of the inves- tigators eventually sent him) are designed to deal with commercial signs and not with signs temporar- ily used in the expression of free speech. He has consulted with an attor- ney with the Thomas More Society, who has promised to help him. When pro-lifers are able to give a brochure or flyer to a woman, an escort often grabs it from her and tears it up. On January 31 a Defend Life reporter tried to take photos of the escorts blocking the pro-lifers’ at- tempts to hand out brochures to women. A security guard standing at the entrance of Planned Parent- Another ambulance called to Planned Parenthood hood shouted to the reporter, “What Shortly before police arrived on January 31, the abortion facility had you’re doing is illegal! The police to call for an ambulance to aid a woman scheduled for an abortion who reportedly was suffering from a panic attack See WAR, page 15

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Ambo transports woman from Planned Parenthood—again

The shrill wail of an ambulance siren coming down Mulberry Street grabbed the attention of pro-lifers in front of Planned Parenthood on How- ard Street in Baltimore at 11:30 on the morning of December 18. Lights flashing, the ambulance Baltimore pulled up at the corner of Mulberry City Fire and Howard streets. Two paramedics hopped out and wheeled a gurney in Department the front door of the abortion facility. paramedics Shortly afterwards, a fire truck wheel a pulled in front of the building and three men—one carrying a stack of gurney into boxes—exited the truck and also en- Planned tered the clinic. Minutes later, medics emerged, Parenthood bearing a sheet-covered patient on to transport the gurney, loaded her into the ambulance and drove off. a woman The pro-lifers were alarmed but suffering a not surprised: just two months ear- hemorrhage lier, on October 2, they had witnessed an ambulance call for another client after an at the same location. abortion. A day after the December 18 event, Defend Life emailed a request code that informs responders of the er noteworthy incidents in December. for copies of all 911 emergency com- nature and severity of the medical On December 13, said Roswell, munications from the Howard Street emergency,” Sullenger explained in a woman had to be helped across the facility on that date. her January 28 story on Operation- street because she could hardly walk The BCFD emailed audio and Rescue.com. after her surgical abortion. printed files of the event, but so heav- “The number 21 represents the And on December 19, another ily redacted that there was no infor- general reason for the emergency, woman left, grimacing in pain, grasp- mation on what had caused the ambu- which was a hemorrhage. The ‘Bra- ing her abdomen and having so much lance to be called. vo’ code indicates a Basic Life Sup- difficulty in walking that a -man al Defend Life forwarded the files port ambulance was needed to run most twice her size was having a hard and videos of the incident to Opera- ‘hot,’ using lights and sirens. time getting her down the sidewalk to tion Rescue. “The final number gave more his car. The pro-life investigative orga- specific information about the- hem “There must be a real butcher nization was able to obtain an audio orrhage. In this case, it represented working in that place,” observed copy of the dispatch. ‘possibly dangerous hemorrhage.’ Roswell. “I adjusted the tempo and volume “Hemorrhaging is a life-threaten- on the recording and heard very clear- ing condition that is the most common Our Hearts are Restless ly, ‘Hemorrhage, 21 Bravo 1,’” OR’s abortion complication for which am- O Lord, Until They Cheryl Sullenger told Defend Life. bulances are called,” she concluded. Rest in Thee. “That alpha-numeric code [21- Sidewalk Advocate for Life lead- ST. AUGUSTINE B-1] is a standard EMS determinate er John Roswell reported several oth- 4 DEFEND LIFE • January – February 2020

Planned Parenthood ejects distraught mother from premises

Planned Parenthood employees ordered a very distraught mother to leave the abortion facility on How- ard Street in Baltimore, refusing to let her talk to her daughter who, the mother believed, was being forced to have an abortion by her gun-carrying boyfriend. Once out on the sidewalk, the mother yelled angrily at the security guard and maintenance man who had ordered her to leave and were standing just inside the facility’s glass front door. Then she called the police on her cell phone to report what had happened. Defend Life filed a formal- re A mother (right) who had been ejected from Planned Parenthood quest for a copy of the police report while trying to see her daughter talks to two police officers as on the incident, which occurred on pro-lifer Dick Schaefer looks on. December 13, but received a Janu- ary 2 letter from the Baltimore Po- “She was demanding to see for a smoke!” lice Department stating, “No report some administrator. But I heard the “He started walking at a fast was written for this offense.” guard tell her that there was no one pace up Mulberry Street,” agreed However, several members in authority to talk to her. Neale. of Sidewalk Advocates for Life “They would not get any higher- About ten minutes after the man (SAFL) who often stand outside the ups to deal with her. They told her left, the police arrived. The mother abortion facility offered accounts of to leave the property and she went had gone to wait in her car until the what they witnessed that day. outside.” police came. “I heard [the mother] talk to the Not long after the mother called “They didn’t look for her; they 911 operator,” said SAFL volunteer the police, said SAFL volunteer went straight in” the building, said Dick Schaefer. John Neale, a man in his late teens Schaefer. They talked to the guard “She said, ‘I’m her mother! or early twenties, who had been and the maintenance man in the They threw me out. . . . My daugh- inside the facility, appeared in the vestibule. ter is fearful of her boyfriend. He’s vestibule and began talking with the The young man who had walked been known to carry a gun. He guard and the maintenance man. out earlier returned and went inside pulls it on her.’” “He was kind of thin and had on while the police were still there. The mother “embellished on the jogging pants,” Neale recalled. When the police left the build- fact that the boyfriend has threat- Schaefer thought he looked a ing, the mother got out of her car ened her daughter” in the past, said little desperate. and said to them, “Hey, you didn’t Schaefer. “He came out, paused on the forget about me, did you?” said The pro-lifer said he saw the sidewalk, and looked in a couple di- Neale. One of the officers replied, mother in the vestibule talking to rections like he was trying to decide “Well, let’s talk.” the security guard and maintenance which way to go,” said Schaefer. “Later, the police officer told me man. “Then he crossed Howard Street that the young man said he had to “I don’t know if she got any fur- and headed east on Mulberry. He ther than the vestibule,” he noted. didn’t run—but he wasn’t going out See MOTHER, page 7 DEFEND LIFE • January – February 2020 5

In My Humble Opinion Faithful Catholics must fight to avert planned sacrilege in Md.

By Janet Baker Very soon thereafter, the Epis- snake pit of dissidence. He often copalian church decided to change works with New Ways Ministry, a In early January of 2020, the their venue away from Catholic gay-enabling organization in Mary- Episcopalian church of Virginia property. land that calls itself Catholic but has planned to “ordain” a woman as one Clearly, a sacrilege was averted been condemned by the Archdio- of their “bishops” in Williamsburg, because good Catholics essentially cese of Washington. Va. said that they wouldn’t just sit by He has thrown his support be- I don’t know who made the and let Our Lord be outraged by this hind a retreat for “gay” priests or- first overture, but Bishop Barry travesty: they raised their voices ganized by New Ways Ministry, to Knestout, prelate of the Diocese of loud and clear and made the Rich- be held April 14-16 at Bon Secours Richmond, agreed to let them use a mond diocese feel the heat. Retreat Center in Marriottsville. local Catholic church, St Bede’s, for This is not the first time that The retreat facilitator is Father their event. faithful Catholics have been suc- Peter Daly, another dissident who Please note two major issues continues to try to make sodomy with this event: acceptable. 1. Pretenses notwithstanding, Like Martin, Daly makes no no ordination would have oc- New Ways Ministry has secret of his hell-bound beliefs, curred, for the Episcopalians scheduled a retreat for having gone so far as to publish ac- do not have valid sacraments ‘gay’ priests in counts of his gay-enabling efforts nor do they have apostolic Marriottsville, Md. conducted while a pastor at St. John succession. Vianney in Prince Frederick, Md. 2. Even if they did have valid on April 14-16. He was also a columnist for the sacraments and apostolic suc- Catholic Standard, and I believe cession, this planned “sacra- he still is for the National Catholic ment” lacked valid matter. cessful in preventing blasphemy Reporter, where he has published No woman can receive the and/or sacrilege, nor will it be the much of his pro-perversion screeds. Sacrament of Holy Orders. last. For its own part, Bon Secours in Indeed, another opportunity for Marriottsville has been its own den Therefore, what Bishop action looms on the horizon in Mar- of perversion. Knestout did was give license to riottsville, Md. In the November-December is- Episcopalians to commit sacrilege Father James Martin, S.J., has sue of Defend Life, you read of the in a Catholic church. long had the unsavory reputation scandal of Gordon Creamer, the Faithful Catholics local to the as a priest who has gone to great openly “gay-married” guy who is area got wind of this and mobilized lengths to normalize the mortal sin currently chair of the parish council immediately. They organized a of sodomy—that is, perversion of of St. Ignatius Church in Baltimore. Facebook page and contacted faith- the homosexual variety. His “day job” is director of ful Catholic social media personnel. Father Martin has made no se- “Mission Bridge” and he operates Both the Lepanto Institute and cret of his beliefs. Unfortunately, out of—you guessed it!—Bon Sec- Church Militant publicized this under this current papacy, he has ours. He touts himself as a spiritual planned mess and urged action. enjoyed rather unbridled liberty in director and reiki master. A Rosary rally and protest was his activities, having been assigned One wonders just what kind of scheduled to occur at the church a key position in the Vatican’s com- “spiritual direction” can come from during the same time as the sacri- munication office. someone living in an objective state lege. Secular media was abuzz with Martin is headquartered at the news. Georgetown University, itself a See SACRILEGE, page 7 6 DEFEND LIFE • January – February 2020

Md. legislature is poised to pass physician-assisted suicide law

By Loretta Hoffman society, should be guided to seek PAS may not designate that PAS is what or euthanasia. caused a person’s death. The Maryland General Assembly Shockingly, in some cases where Doctors are being forced to en- is now in session for 2020. It appears such laws have been passed, there is gage in this deception even though that some lobbyists and legislators no personal choice, and some doctors they took the Hippocratic Oath to “do will continue down the path leading and other health-care professionals no harm”! to the deaths of the most vulnerable in are being forced to prescribe poison In addition, there is no oversight our society: the unborn, disabled and pills to their patients or to inject them of abuses by doctors, other health elderly. with chemicals that will kill them. care workers or institutions, and no Advocates of proposed laws to In fact, sometimes family mem- investigation of heirs who may be advance abortion until birth, infanti- bers choose this path to end another implicated in forcing someone to be cide, and physician-assisted suicide person’s life against their will because killed by PAS. Such people will liter- (PAS) expect them to be passed. If it’s legal. ally be getting away with murder! that happens, all of us will become Many proponents of PAS are Many articles online reveal that vulnerable, and our entire society will working endlessly to legalize phy- these misguided and evil things are be impacted and continue to build a happening in other countries that “Culture of Death”! have legalized physician-assisted sui- We are now at a crossroads: to cide and euthanasia. choose life or to choose death. Let us Maryland came Our Canadian neighbors are be- defend and support life! very close to passing a ginning to experience many horrors According to an article entitled: because of these laws being passed “Assisted Suicide is the Wrong Pre- physician-assisted there. scription,” by Dr. Joseph Marine, a suicide law last year. Many health-care institutions, in- member of the American Medical cluding religious ones, are also being Association and an associate profes- forced to participate in the killing of sor of medicine at Johns Hopkins sician-assisted suicide. Maryland their patients since physician-assisted University, the AMA’s current posi- came very close to passing such a law suicide laws were passed. tion is that “Physician-assisted sui- last year. Medical personnel are being decide is fundamentally incompatible Now, advocates of these laws in nied their former rights to practice with the physician’s role as healer the Maryland legislature are work- medicine and health-care in accord and would be difficult or impossible ing hard to pass these laws during its with their consciences too, forcing to control and would pose serious so- 2020 session. It’s up to people who many to resign as doctors, nurses, cietal risks.” love, respect and support life to stop pharmacists, etc. Other medical associations con- them! What was once considered a cur with this statement. There are many reasons to op- crime has now become acceptable as Countries around the world, in- pose this dangerous legislation: a result of PAS laws being passed in cluding Canada, have expanded their PAS is not medical care, nor is it these countries. Do we really want PAS laws to permit euthanasia (vol- necessary. this to happen in our own country and untary and involuntary). Bills entitled Death with Dignity, in our own state? The indoctrination of people via End of Life Options, or MAID (Med- We must not succumb to obfusca- false information is gradually chang- ical Assistance in Dying) are decep- tions like “compassion” and “choic- ing the mindsets of our people. Many tive. es.” Verbal engineering always pre- are being deceived into acceptance of If passed, people will lose trust cedes social engineering. the idea that those who are physically, in their physicians. Supposed “safe- Compassion does not mean to mentally, or emotionally disabled, as guards” are illusions. kill someone; it means to suffer with well as the elderly or those deemed to Death certificates are altered and someone. There is no dignity in kill- be no longer valuable contributors to deceptive. For example, physicians ing oneself or another. We have dig- DEFEND LIFE • January – February 2020 7 nity because of being created by God. prayer for life arise in our hearts to- Catholic women’s and student orga- If we choose this treacherous path to day and each day forward...until ev- nizations and seminars at universities death, there will be no turning back! ery human being is protected in law and other venues. Advocates for life oppose these and welcomed in love” (Evangelium She has founded Respect Life proposed laws in Maryland and en- Vitae 100). committees in churches in Baltimore courage all of us to vigorously oppose County and is a co-founder of a Re- them by writing to their legislators in Loretta Hoffman is a wife, mother, spect Life council. She does research, Annapolis as soon as possible, de- grandmother and great-grandmother development and organizing of edu- manding that they vote no on them. and has been a dedicated advocate cational events, conducting several Let us also get to work in building for life since Roe v. Wade. She has town-hall type gatherings, and has a new “Culture of Life” for everyone! written articles for Defend Life and testified against PAS legislation in As St. John Paul II said, “May a great other publications and has spoken to Annapolis.

SACRILEGE, from page 5 Archbishop Lori allows St. Ignatius day and Wednesday evenings, but I and St. Matthew churches in Balti- digress. of mortal sin. Reiki is a very dan- more to flout Church teaching with I know we must contact the Bal- gerous New Age practice, but when regards to sodomy. timore chancery and the Catholic you consider that Bon Secours But as we saw in Williamsburg a Review—repeatedly. comes complete with a labyrinth, short time ago, miracles can and do I have a few more ideas, but we’d why, he just fits right in! happen—when we raise our voices. love to hear from you, the Catholics Bon Secours flaunts its façade So how do we do that in this situ- within the Defend Life readership. of “catholicity.” Therefore, Arch- ation? I am asking you, dear reader, Please feel free to leave your sug- bishop William Lori could enforce for suggestions and for you to join gestions via comments on my blog some discipline, telling these “sis- the effort. post, https://restore-dc-catholicism. ters” that either they eject this New We have some time between blogspot.com/2020/01/ planned-sac- Ways retreat or forfeit their right to now and April to stave off this re- rilege-in-williamsburg.html or with call themselves Catholic. treat-farce. It runs from a Tuesday Defend Life Director Jack Ames, My hopes in that regard are to Thursday, and I shudder to think 410-337-3721 or 410-961-2008. rather muted, to be frank, given that what will probably occur those Tues- GET THIS GREAT T-SHIRT FREE MOTHER, from page 4 before the police came because he was trying to unload a gun—are pay the parking meter,” said Neale. conjecture. “I don’t buy that! He was gone But, concluded Neale, “I think ten to fifteen minutes—it doesn’t it’s terrible that Planned Parenthood take that long to feed a parking me- wouldn’t allow the mother to see If you PROMISE — ter. her daughter! • To wear it AT LEAST “I think he may have been try- “Once the police came, I don’t ONCE A WEEK in PUBLIC ing to get rid of a gun before the see any harm in their letting her in • To send us a picture of police came; but I can’t prove that. to see her daughter.” yourself wearing it. We never saw a gun or anything.” Schaefer concurs. “There is no Send requests including name, Both Neale and Schaefer admit doubt that the mother thought she shirt size (M, L, XL, 2XL), address and phone # to: that their speculations about the was very ill-treated by Planned Par- [email protected] young man—that he was the daugh- enthood.” or: DEFEND LIFE ter’s boyfriend and that he left just PO Box 5427 Baltimore, MD 21285 P.O. Box 5427 Baltimore, Maryland 21285 www.DefendLife.Org Jack Ames, Director Proclaiming the Culture of Life and 410-337-3721 Fighting the Culture of Death since 1987 [email protected] DefendLife.Org February 14, 2020 Anno Domini Feast of Saint Valentine of Rome Dear Friend of DEFEND LIFE,

This was my 46th March for Life. I remember the very first one, way back on January 22, 1974. It was the first anniversary of Roe v Wade. Nellie Gray and a group of other PRO-LIFERS, including Archbishop Patrick O’Boyle of Washington, D.C. were responsible for it. The first March was actually a circular march around the perimeter of the Capitol. About 5,000 persons were present. Most were from Boston, Long Island, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. There were no speeches as I recall. Here are some of my recollections of this year’s March: • The Smithsonian Metro Station was closed for security reasons, so we had to walk several blocks from the closest nearby station to get to the Mall. Whom did I see but Mike Koon, past Grand Knight of the Father Rosensteel Council in Silver Spring and his wife Katie. Nobody is is more PRO-LIFE than Mike Koon. We need more Knights of Columbus like Mike. • It was thrilling to hear President Trump’s talk, who was there in person. This was the first time any sitting president addressed the March for Life in person. • One of the people I met in the crowd was Fr. Joseph Looney, a retired priest from the Archdiocese of Hartford. Father Looney is a fearless pro-lifer. One of his claims to fame was a condom roast organized on the steps of the state capitol in Hartford, Connecticut. • Another person I saw was an ebullient young man waving a Trump flag. He was the grandson of the late Paul Weyrich. Paul was the brilliant founder of Heritage Foundation, as well as the Committee for a Free Congress. He and the late Mike Schwartz taught me so much about activism! • That evening I attended the Rose Banquet thanks to a ticket provided by Larry Cirignano. One of the people honored was my great friend Dr. Bill Hogan. Bill Hogan was a wonderful OB-GYN who fought many great battles in the early years of the PRO-LIFE Movement. Bill Hogan realized early on the great evil of the contraceptive pill and moved mountains to get women off The Pill. • Bill Hogan was introduced at the Rose Banquet by Gerry Mitchell, Esq., a longtime Pro-Lifer and wonderful benefactor of DEFEND LIFE and a great lawyer. Bill delivered many of Gerry’s children. One became an Opus Dei priest named Father John Paul Mitchell. • Later that evening I attended a Red Rose Rescue meeting, headed by my great friend Dr. Monica Miller. The purpose of Red Rose Rescue is to reintroduce Rescues at the abortion mills in a more clever way than when Rescues peaked in the late 80s and early 90s. Visit www.RedRoseRescue.org to find out more about their great work and their upcoming Spring meeting in St. Louis or email her [email protected]. 8 DEFEND LIFE • January – February 2020 9

• The following day I attended the Pro-life Summit co-sponred by Students for Life, Heritage Foundation, Live Action, and Alliance for Defending Freedom. Kudos to Kristen Hawkins for pulling off this marvelous event attended by over 1,000 high- school and college students and many adults like myself. • One of the many outstanding talks was about women who sell their eggs to sperm banks and the disastrous results to their health, including infertility, that sometimes results. Baby Philomena Grace — RIP In November, an alert PRO-LIFER overheard a police report about the body of a baby found in the ladies room of a restaurant in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Upper Marlboro is one hour southeast of Washington, DC. She sensed that this baby might have been aborted. She was right, as was confirmed later by my longtime friend and PRO-LIFE activist Missy Smith. After much delay, Missy was able to claim the body of this 30-week old baby girl whom we have named Baby Philomena Grace. On Saturday, April 18 at 10 AM, a funeral Mass will be held in Our Lady’s Chapel of the historic and magnificentCathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore. Plan to attend this beautiful funeral Mass, which will give honor and dignity to this baby girl whose mother left her in a toilet in that restaurant in Upper Marlboro. After Mass, burial will take place at Christ the King Catholic Church in nearby Towson. RSVPs are a must because of the limited seating capacity at Our Lady’s Chapel. Please contact Missy Smith at 202-337-1966 or email [email protected]. Fight PAS in Maryland! The Life You Save May Be Your Very Own! In 2019, we barely defeated PAS by a tie vote in the State Senate. Had one senator who voted against it changed his vote or abstained, Physician Assisted Suicide would now be the law in Maryland. Already, Washington, DC, and such states as California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Colorado, Montana, Vermont, and New Jersey have legalized physician assisted suicide. Even though it has not already passed, Physician Assisted Suicide is already a reality! All this law would do would be to give cover to doctors who provide it, and to greedy persons who are are orchestrating the killing of their mothers, fathers, and other relatives. The means used to kill such persons include over-medicating and withdrawing food and water. It’s happening in homes, hospices, hospitals, and nursing homes. A good friend of mine whom I trust profoundly told me about several cases of adult children who engineered the deaths of their parents. I personally know of a woman who was killed at Baltimore-Washington Hospital in Glen Burnie. I tried to stop it but to little avail. Here are several things YOU can do to keep PAS from becoming law in Maryland: • Visit the Maryland Right to Life website www.MdRTL.org frequently to keep abreast. • Visit TheDignityMandate.org which is wonderful documentary on the evils of PAS produced by Tom and Laura Jones. • Listen and then share the great talk sponsored by DEFEND LIFE and given recently by Alex Schadenberg, a Canadian who has spoken in 9 different countries. He is one of the most prominent authorities in the world on PAS and the Euthanasia that will most likely follow.

Long Live Christ Our King!

Enclosure Jack Ames, P.E., Director 10 DEFEND LIFE • January – February 2020

Planned Parenthood calls police on Christmas carolers

When fifteen or twenty pro-lifers tars, and Cathy Applefeld sang a “When he came out, he told gathered to sing Christmas carols solo. the group, ‘You all are doing a fine in front of the Planned Parenthood “There was some beautiful sing- job!’” said Roswell. abortion facility on Howard Street ing,” Roswell recalled. “Then he went on to say, ‘But let in Baltimore January 4, Planned Par- But the three Planned Parent- me explain this in legal terms, as I enthood called the police. hood “escorts” standing by the en- am talking about the law: you must “They said we were blocking the trance were not impressed. be peaceful, which you are doing, entrance, but we weren’t,” said pro- “We saw some sneers directed and you must leave a thoroughfare lifer Jody Ward. our way,” said Ward. “One lady was for people to pass through—and you John Roswell, who heads the very antagonistic and belligerent.” have fulfilled both requirements.’” Maryland branch of Sidewalk Ad- “They got a little bent out of When one of the pro-lifers asked vocates for Life, had organized the shape and called the cops,” agreed him if they could pray for him, the caroling, called an Empty Man- Roswell. officer readily agreed. ger Event, placing a small wooden The carolers sang for about an “The escorts were really teed off “empty manger” on the sidewalk hour and a half. at that!” said Roswell. near the front door. By the time a police officer -ar Roswell explained that they pur- A handwritten sign to the left of rived, the caroling was over and posely held the event on the first Sat- the manger read, “Jesus brought life the pro-lifers were chatting in small urday of the month, when Planned of light to darkened world. What if groups. Parenthood does abortions. Several Mary had said No?” One group tried to talk to the of- women did go into the abortion clin- A sign on the right read, “Your ficer, but he told them he had to go ic during the event, and a few of the child’s gift to the world will only into the abortion facility and talk to pro-lifers approached them to side- come if you say Yes to life.” them first. walk counsel. “The message was, you have no idea what the potential of your child might be; we were trying to use the occasion of Jesus’ birth to emphasize that,” explained Roswell. Ward and Erika Piotrowski ac- companied the singers on their gui-

Join us every 3rd Wednesday 9 – 10:30 am HOPKINS BAYVIEW 4940 Eastern Avenue Baltimore 21224 Contact Jim Bocklage 443-615-3424 A Planned Parenthood “escort” (left) stands watch at the abortion clinic for exact location and parking information entrance while pro-lifers sing carols near a small empty manger. DEFEND LIFE • January – February 2020 11

Book Review Wells nails what it takes to be a good and holy priest

By Diane Levero long time—about crosses, burdens, caine and alcohol, had broken into and surrendering to God’s sanctify- the rectory, severely beaten the What would provoke a mere ing providence and accepting His 56-year-old priest, and stabbed him Catholic layman to have the nerve will. dozens of times. to tell Catholic priests how they The next morning, just before Eight years later, while undergo- should live their lives? Kevin underwent a scheduled ar- ing a major spiritual crisis, Kevin’s For former Major League Base- throscopic surgery on his knee, brain hemorrhaged. Major brain ball writer Kevin Wells, it was a se- Krista told him that Uncle Tommy’s surgery failed, and Wells, at age 40, ries of soul-shaking and life-chang- words made sense to her. was close to death. ing happenings. While he was in surgery, she In response to Krista’s plea, Fr. Wells begins The Priests We Jim Stack, Father Tommy’s best Need to Save the Church with one friend, came to anoint him, such event on June 6, 2000, when Father Stack asked the dying he and his wife Krista met with his man, “What saint do you want to in- uncle, Msgr. Thomas Wells. tercede for you?” Krista and Kevin, both practic- “Bring my uncle down,” he ing Catholics who wanted to have a whispered. large family (Kevin was one of eight Stack, stunned but compliant, kids himself), had learned that they pleaded, “Hey, Tommy. Hey, buddy. could not have children. Kevin needs you now. He’s calling Krista, miserable and desperate, on you to save his life.” was determined to try to bear chil- Suddenly, Father Stack later dren through in vitro fertilization. told Kevin, “There were lights ev- Their liberal Catholic pastor, in erywhere. Everything in your room the name of pastoral sensitivity and took on a light. accompaniment, assured her that in “And all of a sudden, the pres- vitro fertilization was permissible if ence of Tommy and the saints sur- their consciences were “clear” on it. rounded your bed, and everything But Kevin knew that Catholic took on a great warmth. . . It was teaching clearly forbade it. He tried overwhelming.” all the arguments he could muster The next day, Kevin received to persuade Krista to adopt children started researching adoption agen- an angiogram. It came back clean. instead. cies. The trapped blood and fluids in his But she was adamant against Kevin was overjoyed; he knew brain had vanished; the arteriove- adoption. They had reached a seem- that this good and holy priest had nous malformation had disappeared. ingly intractable impasse that threat- saved their marriage. Doctors scratched their heads. ened to destroy their marriage. The next morning, while he was In his long hours of recovery, “Uncle Tommy,” as Kevin calls in bed recovering from the surgery, Kevin decided to write a book (lat- him, met the unhappy couple at his the phone rang. er published, in 2011) titled Burst: rectory at Mother Seton Church in It was his Dad—with the news A Story of God’s Grace When Life Germantown, Md., with his usual that Msgr. Wells had been found Falls Apart. radiant smile and a warm hug for that morning in the rectory, brutally Then he started thinking more Krista. murdered. about what made his Uncle Tommy And then he talked to them for a A homeless drifter, high on co- such a good and holy priest—and by 12 DEFEND LIFE • January – February 2020 extension, what were the characteris- Shaffer, pastor of Assumption and Father Tommy was brought up tics of all good and holy priests. Church in Washington, D.C. in Chevy Chase, so many of Wells’ With this idea in mind, he began While Shaffer was serving as stories are about Maryland priests to write. He wrote against an appall- chaplain for George Washington and other Marylanders (which, for ing backdrop of ongoing priestly sex- University, two students, members of Maryland readers like myself, adds ual abuse scandals, and of Catholics, the university’s Newman group, met to their enjoyment). especially young Catholics, leaving with the priest to talk about their ho- Inevitably, given the huge impact the Church in droves. mosexual relationship and activism made on Wells’ life and the lives of To find answers, he interviewed in a campus gay rights group. so many thousands of others during dozens of bishops, priests, exorcists, Shaffer gently but firmly spoke to the 29 years of his priesthood, many seminary rectors, and lay Catholics. them of their grave spiritual mistake of the author’s tales involve Father He finally came up with a list of of acting on their homosexual attrac- Tommy. eight characteristics essential for the tion. He encouraged them to leave One of my favorite stories illus- kind of priest that the world needs. their gay activism and live lives of trates the willingness of a good priest The saintly priest, he says: celibacy. to view every random meeting with 1. Adores the Eucharistic Jesus The two students went on the at- anyone as an opportunity to lead 2. Is devoted to Mary tack, charging that the priest’s coun- souls to Christ. 3. Prays devoutly sel had caused them extreme anxiety, At his first parish, Sacred Heart 4. Assumes a victimhood in Bowie, Tommy began to strike up 5. Is a father conversations with the attendant at 6. Is persistently available Wells wrote against an the gas station down the road when- 7. Preaches divine truth appalling backdrop of ever he went there for a fill-up. 8. Dives into souls at a moment’s David was a Marine Corps Viet- notice ongoing priestly sexual nam vet turned drifter. In their talks abuse scandals and of about the mental scars the war had Wells spends the next eight chap- Catholics leaving the inflicted on him, Tommy learned that ters explaining in detail what living Church in droves. David was Catholic. out each characteristic entails. “Their talks intensified—and He does it with fascinating, of- within a year, the soldier became a ten enthralling descriptions of priests daily communicant,” Wells relates. who embody these characteristics. and demanding that the university When the priest asked him to One of those priests is Fr. Greg fire him. help out with youth catechesis, Da- In spite of a nasty media fire- vid accepted. storm that went national, Shaffer Sometime later, Father Tommy THINKING stayed firm. asked him if he might consider the LONG-TERM? “Those two guys were my spiri- priesthood. Remembering DEFEND LIFE tual sons,” he explained. “And I felt “I’m too old for the seminary,” in your WILL shows a serious like I was their spiritual father, so I David objected. commitment to strengthening spoke to them as a father speaks to Three weeks later, Father Tom- and continuing what DEFEND LIFE stands for! his sons.” my got him into a seminary. The following language is A year later, one of the two stu- Fr. David Russell has been an suggested for making such dents came back and apologized, ad- ordained priest in the Washington, a bequest: “I give to mitting that they had made up a lot of D.C., Archdiocese for more than DEFEND LIFE, INC., their accusations. three decades. a Maryland not-for-profit Shaffer and he have stayed in With masterful detail and pene- corporation, whose address is PO Box 5427, Baltimore, MD touch as friends since then: “We’ve trating insight, Kevin Wells has nailed 21285, the sum grabbed coffee and shared a meal down for all Catholics—including of $______, to be used and laughed about it all a few times Catholic priests themselves—what a for the benefit of since,” says the priest. priest is truly meant to be. DEFEND LIFE.” Wells was raised in Bowie, Md., Five Stars. DEFEND LIFE • January – February 2020 13

Miracle of the Sun occurs in Baltimore during Rosary

By Jack Ames, Director Defend Life

During the recent Fall Bishop’s meeting in Baltimore, Defend Life and the Catholic Media Coalition sponsored two public Rosaries honoring Our Lady of America. By way of background, the Blessed Mother appeared to Sister Mildred Neuzil on September 26, 1956 in Rome City, Indiana. She requested that a statue as she appeared to Sister Mildred be processed into the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Concep- tion, then under construction, in Washington, D.C., and properly venerated. She promised that if this was Bishop Joseph Strickland kneels and prays before a picture of Our done, America would become a Lady of America outside the Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore. role model for purity throughout the world. She also said the miracles pro-life priest his entire priesthood, He faced a beautiful framed im- that would occur in America as a re- praying frequently outside abortion age of Our Lady of America brought sult would exceed those of Fatima mills. to Baltimore by Mary Ann Harold, and Lourdes combined! On November 13 we had two from Massachusetts, founder of Even though this beautiful stat- bishops with us. Newly consecrated WOPH 89.3, an EWTN affiliate. ue very much exists, it sadly has not Auxiliary Bishop for the Military, Before each decade of the Ro- yet been processed into the Shrine. Joseph Coffey, spoke briefly. sary, Bishop Strickland gave an in- Perhaps the chaos pervading He has been pro-life since age spiring 5-to-7-minute extemporane- the Church and America is a direct ous homily on the meaning of that result of not fulfilling this simple particular Mystery; that’s why the request made 63 years ago by the rosary lasted forty minutes instead Mother of God. I looked toward the of the typical fifteen minutes. Inner Harbor and saw a Bishop kneels and prays huge sun, surrounded “Starbursts,” spinning sun by ‘star bursts.’ On November 12 the Rosary About halfway through the Ro- was said outside the Marriott Water- sary, I looked toward the Baltimore front Hotel, where the bishops were Inner Harbor, south of where we holding their Annual Fall Meeting. 13 when Roe v. Wade was inflicted were praying in a circle surround- Bishop Mark Brennan, recently on America. ing the kneeling Bishop Strickland. consecrated bishop of Wheeling- Bishop Joseph Strickland, the I saw a huge “rectangular” sun Charleston, West Virginia, led a outstanding Bishop of Tyler, Texas, about one hundred times wider and group of twenty who recited the led us in the Glorious Mysteries thirty times taller than we normally Sorrowful Mysteries. while kneeling for forty minutes on see when taking a quick glance at Bishop Brennan has been a solid a very cold brick sidewalk. the sun. 14 DEFEND LIFE • January – February 2020

Surrounding this rectangular about the October warning received ry, especially those against abortion, shape, I saw “star bursts.” I expe- by Sister Agnes in Akita, Japan. “were so powerful and so holy” that rienced absolutely no discomfort A few days later, Elisabeth Lom- Our Lady of America responded when viewing it. I could not take a bardi sent me several photos of the with a miracle. picture because I had loaned my cell amazing and inexplicable phenomena At least one other person in my phone to a person who was record- around the sun that she had witnessed: Scripture Study class saw some- ing the Rosary. they showed a pinkish-colored globe, thing miraculous. Several others At the end, before we disband- larger than the sun, and partly con- saw nothing, perhaps because they ed, Mary Ann Harold, while weep- cealed behind it. were intently praying the Rosary ing, told me she had seen the sun Lombardi firmly believes that with their heads bowed while this “spinning” during the Rosary. Bishop Strickland’s prayers before miraculous event was happening. I asked her to say a few words each decade as he recited the Rosa- What we should do

Here is how I interpret what happened:

Elisabeth Lombardi sent me sent me photos of the amazing and inexplicable phenomena around the sun that she had witnessed.

• Our Lady was extremely pleased that one of her shep- herds was leading a Rosary honoring Our Lady of Ameri- ca while praying on his knees for 40 minutes. • Our Lady desires now more than ever that her statue as Our Lady of America be processed into the Shrine soon. • We must organize similar Ro- saries led by various bishops at all future U.S. bishops’ meet- ings, whether they be in Balti- more or at other locations. • But more than that, those of us who realize the importance of Our Lady of America’s requests and promises, even if just three or four are in our Our Lady of America requested that a statue of her be processed into group, must pray similar Rosa- the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. ries outside Catholic churches DEFEND LIFE • January – February 2020 15

everywhere, holding a picture of her and passing out prayer cards explaining her requests. • For example, if your parish has a 9:00 a.m. and an 11:00 a.m. Sunday Mass, consider standing in front of your church between those two Masses,

Mary Ann Harold, while weeping, told me she had Photos taken while Bishop Strickland recited the Rosary show a seen the sun ‘spinning’ large, pinkish-colored globe partially behind the sun. during the Rosary.

reciting the Rosary, holding an image of Our Lady of Amer- ica, and passing out prayer cards explaining her requests. Every Catholic or pro-life event offers a similar opportunity. Be not afraid!

Here are two sources for those Al Langsenkamp (317-946-0495) prayer cards, plus an image of Our [email protected] Jack Ames Lady of America that can easily be ourladyofamerica.org/wordpress/ turned 78 in enlarged to 18”x24”, printed in col- or and mounted on foam board at a Dan Lynch (802-524-5350) November! local copy store: [email protected] HE URGENTLY NEEDS www.jkmi.com YOUR HELP TO KEEP DEFEND LIFE GOING AND GROWING. All work can be done WAR, from page 2 there has also noticeably increased. from home. Help needed Planned Parenthood has re- in these areas: are on their way!” sponded with aggressive, belliger- • Finding host churches and The first of the four police offi- ent “escorts” who purport to protect schools for our various cers who responded told the report- clients from the pro-lifers, but in lecture tours er, “You can take photos, you can reality, harass and physically block • Typing assistance take videos; it’s your constitutional pro-lifers from talking to or giving • Data base clean up freedom.” abortion-minded women pro-life Contact Jack Ames Sidewalk Advocates for Life be- information and help. 410-337-3721 gan coming to the Baltimore clinic [email protected] in the spring of 2017. As SAFL’s numbers and pres- • Drivers Needed for Transporting Speakers ence have increased, the number of • Car Provided Contact Jack Ames • 410-337-3721 unborn babies saved from abortion [email protected] Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID P.O. Box 5427, Baltimore, MD 21285 Baltimore, MD Affiliate, Mater Dei Chapter, Catholic United For Faith Permit No. 7433

Please donate NOW so you MAILING don’t miss upcoming issues! LABEL HIGHLIGHTED PINK?? To continue receiving this outstanding INSIDE: Abortion “escort” magazine: assaults pro-lifer • Please donate NOW! • If you cannot, simply See page 9 for Funeral Mass of Aborted Baby CONTACT US! Philomena Grace. See page 13 for Miracle of the Sun during November Bishops’ Meeting

Maryland MARCH APRIL March for Life Lecture Tour Lecture Tour Annapolis, MD MONDAY EVENING, FEB. 24 Kevin Bishop 6 pm • Catholic Mass St. Mary’s Church Wells Joseph Duke of Gloucester Street Author, Father of 3 Coffey 7 pm • March Begins Auxiliary Bishop for Military For more information The Priests We Need MarylandMarchForLife.org To Save the Church How I Discerned My Palm Sunday Weekend * Vocation to the Priesthood Thursday evening, March 19 Thursday, April 16 Men’s Retreat Friday, March 20 1:30 pm • St. Andrew’s APRIL 4 – 6 10 am • St. Peter’s Silver Spring, MD MALVERN RETREAT HOUSE Libertytown, MD Friday, April 17 Malvern, Pennsylvania 0 Nourishment for the Soul 1 pm • Our Lady’s Center 10 am • St. Peter’s Ellicott City, MD Libertytown, MD in TheseTroubled Times 7:30 pm • St. Bartholomew’s 1 pm • Our Lady’s Center Fr. Simeon Gallagher Manchester, MD Ellicott City, MD Renowned Retreat Master *STILL AVAILABLE, Contact Sandra 7:30 pm • Cathedral of Fore more info, contact Mark 410-935-3788 • [email protected] Mary Our Queen 410-925-0022 Baltimore, MD [email protected] Baby Philomena Grace was aborted at 30 weeks! Come on Saturday, April 18, 10 am, to the historic Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, 5200 Noth Charles Street in Baltimore, Maryland to her Funeral Mass.