Washington D.C., Nov 11, 2009 / 18:31 pm
Shield of Roses, the pro-life student group at Christendom College, reports that it held its largest protest ever when more than 200 people protested at the Planned Parenthood clinic just north of the White House in Washington, D.C.
Students, faculty, staff and others traveled to the U.S. capital on Oct. 31. While the group protests at the same clinic each Saturday morning during the academic year, normally only 20 to 30 students participate.
Once a semester the group organizes what it calls a “Mega Shield” event to encourage as many as possible to participate. Last year’s event drew as many as 125 students, according to Christendom College.
“All of the members of our college community are, of course, pro-life,” explained Shield of Roses President Paul Wilson, who will be graduating this May, “but getting college students to give up their Saturday mornings to drive 75 miles to Washington to pray four rosaries and a Divine Mercy Chaplet and to drive another 75 miles back to campus all before lunch is a lot to expect – even for Christendom students.”
Christendom College reports that a writer on the feministing.com blog named “Professor Foxy” has commented on the student protesters.
Saying she works as a clinic escort at the D.C. clinic, she explained her impression of the “antis,” meaning anti-abortion protesters.
“Over the years, the antis have stayed the same and they have changed,” she wrote. “When I started, almost all the antis were 45 plus, white, male and slightly disheveled. These antis still exist, but they are now joined by the younger antis. Some of these younger antis are hip, especially the Bound for Life crowd. We also have many, many students who come from local colleges, the most prominent being Christendom College.”
She explained that these students generally pray and end each Saturday with “a rousing Viva!” but a few approach the patients.
“Nervously approaching the women entering the clinic, the Christendom kids tentatively say 'we can help you save your baby. Each baby is a blessing from God',” reported the blogger.
Christendom Admissions Director Tom McFadden, an attendee at the Oct. 31 protest, said it is hard to tell the effect of the annual March for Life held on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.
In contrast, McFadden said the Saturday protest made a difference.
“Through the grace of God and our physical presence, we ended up saving the lives of two babies because their mothers chose not to enter the clinic that day. It doesn't really get much better than that!”
The Shield of Roses group has been protesting at the Planned Parenthood clinic for the past ten years.