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Thousands Mourn the Innocent Victims of Abortion on Largest Ever National Day of Remembrance

On Saturday, September 14th, thousands of pro-lifers gathered at over 200 gravesites of aborted babies and other locations throughout the United States for the seventh annual National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children.

Many post-abortive women spoke at memorial services across the nation, including ones held in Valley City, Ohio; Evergreen Park and Hillside, Illinois; Vacaville, California; and Jackson, Mississippi, where Jeanhee Kang shared the heartbreaking story of her abortion at age 16 after getting kicked out of her high school in rural South Korea.

A similar scene played out at memorial services across the country as countless mothers and fathers of aborted children came out to join others in mourning and in prayer. Reflecting on her visit to a memorial site in Glastonbury, Connecticut on this year’s Day of Remembrance, Erika Kapustinski wrote the following on Instagram:

I wept for my two babies whose lives were lost to abortion… I have two babies who never had the chance to walk this earth, because of my selfish, broken and sinful decision. But in the midst of my tears, I thanked Jesus for the hope I have knowing I will see them again and for the healing he has done in my life so I can use my story to bring the same healing to others and to be a voice to the voiceless.

Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron blesses the gravesite of 14 aborted babies at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield, Michigan on the 2019 National Day of Remembrance [Photo courtesy of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society]

Several memorial services also featured reflections given by clergymen, including several Catholic bishops, among whom were Archbishop Joseph Naumann (Kansas City, Kansas), Bishop Daniel Conlon (Romeoville, Illinois), Bishop David Konderla (Tulsa, Oklahoma), and Bishop Donald Hying (Dane, Wisconsin). And in Southfield, Michigan, Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron dedicated the gravesite of 14 aborted babies whose remains had been found in the trunk of an abortionist’s car and laid to rest in November 2018.

Numerous other prominent figures also spoke at services around the country, including Project Rachel founder Vicki Thorn (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), Patrina Mosley of the Family Research Council (Fairfax, Virginia), and former Planned Parenthood manager Crystal Eldridge (Kernersville, North Carolina).

Increased Attendance at Memorial Sites Nationwide

Not only did the overall number of memorial services across the country increase considerably compared to last year, but several veteran leaders also witnessed a significant boost in the number of mourners who attended their services. Perhaps the most dramatic example was the memorial service held at St. Joseph Parish in Damar, Kansas, which saw a 180% increase in attendance relative to last year!

From an organizer’s standpoint, it was particularly edifying to have the opportunity to work with several individuals who, having heard about the National Day of Remembrance just days before it was scheduled, we eager to take part. In Spokane, Washington, for instance, the local organizer first learned about the National Day of Remembrance just four days beforehand, but she still was able to organize a modest memorial service that even included a bagpiper.

On the weekend following this year’s National Day of Remembrance, an article appeared on the front page of the Sunday edition of the Chicago Tribune that was one of the finest we’ve ever seen on this annual event. It included details of some of the burials of aborted children over the years as well as some remarks from Day of Remembrance co-director Monica Miller, who was quoted as saying, “The unborn are human beings … they are not trash, they are people.”

About the National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children

The National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children is a joint project of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society, Priests for Life, and the Pro-Life Action League. The first National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children was held in September 2013, and the event continues to be observed annually on the second Saturday of September.

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