Child sacrifice in Canada

About 20 years ago, in her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Mother Teresa made a startling statement: "The greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because if a mother can take the life of the child in her womb, what is to stop me from killing you and you from killing me? Nothing."

Now we have young people killing other young people in numerous acts of shocking violence, and we ask why.

Over 2,000 years ago, the Phoenicians and their relatives, the Cathaginians, were sacrificing their children to idols, hoping to gain better crops and increased prosperity. Five hundred years ago, the Aztecs in Mexico were sacrificing young people and prisoners of war to their idols for similar purposes.

Since May 14, 1969, when Pierre Trudeau and the Liberal government of the day gave Canada legalized abortion, we have sacrificed two million babies in their mothers' wombs to the modern-day idols of Me, Pleaseure, and Convenience - over one hundred thousand a year, paid for by the state.

How can we tell our young people not to kill when we are killing innocent pre-born babies in such ghastly numbers at public expense?

Mother Teresa was a spiritual giant who had impeccable common sense and logic.

Paul Vandervet
Brantford, Ont.

Unfriendly pro-lifers

I am a volunteer at Hamilton Right To Life, and I just returned home from the March for Life in Ottawa a few hours ago.

This was my first rally and I was looking foward to it with much excitement for months. I planned, found ways to get my family there, made signs, and waited for the big day to finally arrive. Then it was the 13th, and my husband and I were off!

We were both excited and drove to Ottawa with eagerness and a certain sense of pride. We were standing up for the unborn. We were going to help people see the unjustice of abortion. We also hoped to meet fellow pro-lifers who would guide us perhaps into their circle of friends.

I felt especcially proud to be a young member of the pro-life movement. I'm twenty-five, and seeing that many people there were of an older generation, I felt like I was needed to help keep things going in the future. I intend no offence by this, of course, but I have struggled extra hard for my pro-life beliefs, and I don't know a single friend my age who isn't pro-choice.

But all that we anticipated was far from what we got. On Thursday, after paying the same as everyone else at the luncheon, we were seated at a table, where I have never in my life felt so unwanted and ignored. We were the only young couple, and instead of embracing us and making us feel welcome, the others simply ignored us. One couple were so busy playing "who's who," they didn't speak to us once. Instead he directed all his comments to the other couple at the table, who I guess care more for the unborn than we do.

The other problem we encountered was the Catholic one. When people did feel it necessary to stray from their social circle, they would introduce themselves and promptly ask, "Are you Catholic?"

I couldn't believe it! I wasn't aware that in order to fight for unborn children you should be Catholic. I found this very rude. My husband is Catholic, but I am not. I don't think religion is the issue. God is, religion is not. I'm aware that many Catholics support this movement, financially and otherwise, however, "So nice to see you here" is a better ice-breaker than, "Are you Catholic?"

By the time the social had come around I felt discouraged for not knowing who's who and for not being Catholic.

As it turned out the reason I went there in the first place saved me, when the march started. I was glad I came, and it was a terrific expierence to march for life. I hope that maybe after I've been around for forty more years, I will be spoken to, befriended, included, and welcome, part of the who's who club.

Deborah James-Josipovic
Hamilton, Ont.