People trickled in and out of a memorial service to support the National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children held Saturday at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Holts Summit.
The service involved three different stations, where attendees were asked to join together in prayer, song and reflection to remember unborn infants.
Three national pro-life groups - Citizens for a Pro-Life Society, Priests for Life and the Pro-Life Action League - have organized memorial services since the first Day of Remembrance was recognized in September 2013. In the last two years, these national groups have continued to reach out to local pro-life leaders to host memorial services and vigils to pray for aborted babies at their burial site or the hundreds of other memorial sites, with the goal of humanizing the unborn.
Rallies planned at Missouri Capitol
A rally to "Stand Up For Life and Life Affirming Legislators" and to "Get Mizzou Out Of The Abortion Business" will be held in Jefferson City from 3-5 p.m. Tuesday in the Capitol Rotunda.
The event is timely due to the ongoing release of undercover videos of Planned Parenthood employees discussing the alleged illegal sale of aborted body parts for research and the University of Missouri Hospital's granting privileges to a St. Louis doctor enabling Columbia Planned Parenthood to get back into the abortion business, organizers said.
Speakers will include state senators Kurt Schaefer, Bob Onder and Eric Schmitt; state Rep. Diane Franklin, chair of the house committee on children and families; and state Rep. Mike Moon, vice chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, investigating Planned Parenthood and the licensure of Planned Parenthood in Columbia.
Brief messages also will come from Bridget Van Means, president of ThriVe St. Louis; Mike Hoey, executive director of the Missouri Catholic Conference; Karen Nolkemper, director for the Archdiocese of St. Louis' Respect Life Apostolate; Brian Westbrook, executive director of the St. Louis Coalition for Life; Susan Klein, legislative liaison for Missouri Right to Life; Jon-Michael Rutter, who had been scheduled for an abortion to end his life; Sharonda Donner, whose sister was harmed by Planned Parenthood; and Zina Hackworth, founder "This Race Will Self-Destruct."
Kathy Forck, co-campaign director for the 40 Days for Life Campaign in Central Missouri, will emcee the rally.