Basilica of Saint Mary participates in the 2020 Life Chain
The Basilica of Saint Mary joined with other parishes from the Diocese of Arlington for the 33rd annual Life Chain on October 4. Life Chain participants stand along a designated sidewalk, hold pro-life signs and pray for an end to abortion.
Parishioners from the Basilica were assigned to the heavily traveled Franconia Road in Springfield.
“I think it is important to give public witness to the dignity of unborn children,” said Father Edward Hathaway, Rector of the Basilica of Saint Mary. “It is up to those who understand the dignity of the human person, created by God in His own image and likeness, to put that belief into action.”
“We need to be visible,” said Tim Burns, a parishioner at the Basilica of Saint Mary. “This is one of the best ways we can do that as a group – to publicly support our pro-life beliefs and pray. We need to have more prayer in our nation today.”
“We will not see most of the fruits from today until Heaven,” said Father David Dufresne, a Parochial Vicar at the Basilica of Saint Mary. “You never know the impact you could have by publicly standing up for life.”
Father David added that he has met people whose mothers were considering having an abortion but changed their mind after the public witness of pro-life advocates.
Life Chain is held annually on the first Sunday in October. There were Life Chain events in over 2,000 North American cities this year.