By Lois Rogers | Correspondent

Driving downpours and damaged sidewalks may have sidelined the faithful from the annual Respect Life procession through the town of Red Bank to Planned Parenthood in neighboring Shrewsbury March 14. But nothing could deter the more than 250 adults and children from gathering for the annual Respect Life Mass and Witness in St. Anthony of Padua Church, Red Bank.

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It was the 25th year that the event had been held to give individuals an opportunity to stand together and raise their voices in prayer, asking God’s intercession for all those who are lost to the culture of death. Standing with their parents and the prolife community were the winners of the Diocese of Trenton’s annual Respect Life Poster, Essay and Video Contest, who were recognized for their artistic and articulate affirmation of the sanctity of human life.

Those gathered shared the prayer that the day will come – hopefully in the not too distant future – when the nation respects each human life from conception to natural death. They listened attentively as Father Joselito Noche, diocesan chaplain and liaison for the Diocese’s Respect Life Ministry, which sponsored the event, recognized their unfaltering support for life.

“All of us gathered (today) are pro-life,” Father Noche said.

Such a stance may be “different from that of many in society,” acknowledged Father Noche, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Hainesport, who served as principal celebrant and homilist. Father Edward Jawidzik, parochial vicar of  St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold, and Father William Halbing, who resides in St. Mary Parish, Middletown, concelebrated.

Christian Responsibility

But, Father Noche said, “as Christians, it is the only stance. Our responsibility as Christians is to protect life.” He called the “validating of every human life, of God’s Creation not an easy task, especially in the society we live in.”

And he noted with some despair, the many Catholics who say they are pro-life but take very little action “while others do all they can to support life.” He urged those present to remember that “as Catholics, we raise our voices for faith. … God has given us choices, but as Catholics, our choice must be to save life, not end it.”

No one should expect, he said, that the ongoing fight to overturn Roe v. Wade will be any easier than it has been over the 42 years since the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion on demand. “The fight is not easy. There will (continue) to be conflicts. For more than 40 years, we have been asking ‘when is this terrible crime going to end.’”

“We gather,” he said, in a “common cause, first to pray to stop the culture of death … and then to rise up to the challenge Jesus always gives us to protect life. Every Christian is called to life … it is what we are called to do.”

Noting the approaching Holy Week, he asked those present to “let us humble ourselves in the eyes of God, respecting life.”

Prayer and More Prayer

As the Mass concluded, Father Noche invited everyone to remain in the church to pray the annual Rosary for Life instead of taking the traditional walk which has been a staple in Red Bank for 25 years and to attend the reception which followed in the Rev. Joseph Miele Center where the winners of the Respect Life Poster, Essay and Video Contest were recognized.

The Respect Life Mass and witness began in 1990 under Bishop John C. Reiss, recalled Donna Goodwin, Respect Life coordinator.

Expressing her joy that the turnout was good despite the fact that participants were unable to take the two mile walk to and from Planned Parenthood, she pointed out that this is the 25th year that the Respect Life Mass and Witness has been held in Red Bank parishes.

Noting the significance of the anniversary, Goodwin said that “for 25 years, under the leadership of three bishops, we have marched to Planned Parenthood where human life is threatened and taken.”

 “It’s one way our Diocese gives Parenthood where human life is threatened and taken.”

 “It’s one way our Diocese gives public witness to our belief in the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception to natural death,” Goodwin said.

Artistic Expressions for Life

During the post-prayer fellowship in the parish center, the young contest winners received their awards and congratulations from everyone. With all the posters on display, excerpts from the essays to read and the videos available to watch, there was a lot of excitement in the Rev. Joseph Miele Center across the street from the church where the honors are traditionally bestowed.

The contest is open to students up to grade eight from grammar schools, parish religious education programs and youth groups and it bore the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops theme “Each of us is a Masterpiece of God’s Creation.”

Amanda McNally, a seventh grader in St. Mary of the Lakes School, Medford, took second place for her poster. It showed a lovely young girl springing to life off God’s easel. She said that she gave the theme a lot of thought and did additional research to see it if was a good religious and artistic concept.

Elizabeth Piatkowski, a student in St. Peter School, Point Pleasant Beach, was awarded a first place for her depiction of the theme for grades 6-8. Her poster showed “God’s palette” with profiles of all generations painted on it. Elizabeth, who said she had also entered an art contest for the St. Barnabas Burn Foundation.

“Being a Catholic, especially after attending the Catholic School’s Mass at the cathedral in Trenton, I wanted to enter this contest. I like the idea of Respect Life.”