Life Chain Held on Respect Life Sunday

On Oct. 5, Respect Life Sunday, hundreds of Rocklanders gathered in Nanuet for the 22nd Annual Life Chain –standing together along the intersection of Route 59 and Middletown Road to pray for an end to abortion and for healing of all who suffer because of it.

Life Chains were held in over 1,500 cities, according to the campaign’s national organizers.

The signs held by the participants carried their message: Abortion Kills Children, Adoption the Loving Option, Jesus Forgives and Heals. Several people brought their own home-made signs: “Today is my birthday because my mom chose LIFE” and “God created ALL of US for a reason.” MORE PHOTOS FOLLOW

And these signs were seen by thousands who passed through the area during the time the Life Chain was in place (from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.). Possibly it was the bright, crisp weather that brought out so much traffic. One man said that he was stunned to see, at one point, four lanes of traffic, bumper to bumper, as far as the eye could see along Route 59.

Some of the groups who participated in this year’s Life Chain were the Knights of Columbus, the Albertus Magnus High School Prolife Club, the Order of the Augustinian Recollects from the Tagaste Monastery in Suffern, the Sisters of Life, the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill, the Sisters of Charity, the St. Peter’s Church Prolife group, and the Seamless Garment group from Nyack.

Also at the Life Chain were Rev. Robert F. McKeon, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi in West Nyack and Vicar of Rockland County, Rev. Gerry Deponai, pastor of St. Anthony’s in Nanuet, and Rev. Joseph LaMorte, pastor of St. Gregory Barbarigo Church in Garnerville, and Deacon John Kelly and his wife, Lucy, also from St. Gregory’s.

They were joined by men, women, and children of all ages, who came to stand up for Life. See the LoHud Journal News article “Hundreds Rally for 22nd Annual Life Chain.”