Msgr. Hebert details strategy to fight in greatest 'moral war'

Published: January 27, 2007

By Tara Little
Associate Editor

Malea Hargett

Pro-life teens and adults hold up signs on the steps of the State Capitol at the conclusion of the March for Life Jan. 21 in downtown Little Rock.

Malea Hargett

Pro-life teens and adults hold up signs on the steps of the State Capitol at the conclusion of the March for Life Jan. 21 in downtown Little Rock.

At the annual Mass for Life Jan. 21, Msgr. J. Gaston Hebert armed participants for battle during his homily, telling them that courage, wisdom and stamina are necessary to win the "defining moral war of all history."

Speaking in a clear and commanding voice at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, he said, "Tens of millions have already been slaughtered, though no bullet has been fired, no bomb has been dropped ... As disastrous as the mortality rate has already been in this war, it is but a faint taste of the Armageddon which will follow unless, somehow, we are able to win the hearts and minds of the presently blind and enable them to see the beauty of a culture that respects and reveres all human life womb to tomb."

Msgr. Hebert, administrator of the Diocese of Little Rock, celebrated the noon Mass, which preceded the 29th annual March for Life to the State Capitol in Little Rock.

This year marked the first Mass for Life not celebrated by a bishop. The diocese has been without a bishop since Bishop J. Peter Sartain was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Joliet, Ill., in May 2006.

The Mass and march take place each year on the Sunday nearest the anniversary of the legalization of abortion in the United States. On Jan. 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in two decisions, Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Dolton, that abortion is legal through all nine months of pregnancy.

An estimated 1,400 people from across Arkansas attended the Mass, including 690 high school students and their chaperones who also participated in Weekend Extravaganza, an overnight lock-in at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

As the teens started their lock-in at UALR Jan. 20, a prayer vigil before the Blessed Sacrament began at the Cathedral of St. Andrew, where parishioners and Knights of Columbus members from central Arkansas parishes prayed throughout the night. Prior to the Mass in the convention center ballroom, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed for a Rosary for Life and Benediction.

Msgr. Hebert reminded participants during his homily to stand firm because rewards await all those persecuted in Jesus' name.

"People of faith who stand for life -- you -- are often looked upon with distain as being backward, uneducated and even perceived, ironically enough, as being unloving by those whose moral values are derived by either pragmatism or humanism," he said. "Those favoring embryonic stem-cell research are appalled by our position and our opposition to experimentation that would sacrifice human life for possible progress in the elimination of various diseases. ...

"The weight of Golgotha is arduous and we must be willing to carry that cross as long as it takes to change the culture of death in which we live into one that promotes, and protects and celebrates life."

During the offertory, dozens of participants carried red roses to the altar in memory of children who have died.

The Mass was organized by the diocese's Respect Life Office. Marianne Linane, the new diocesan respect life director, was a lector at the Mass.

Rose Mimms, executive director of the Arkansas Right to Life, the organization that hosts the March for Life, estimated 5,000 people attended this year's march.

Marchers of all ages and religious affiliations walked in protest of legalized abortion. One group carried small white crosses, while two other groups carried full-scale crosses. Several carried signs with messages from the simple and direct: "Stop Abortion Now," to the thought-provoking: "If You Could Look Through The Eyes Of A Child Being Aborted, Would You Want To See?" Many teens carried signs which read: "Women Need Love Not Abortion."

Theo Wahlgreen, chairman of the Respect Life Committee at Christ the King Church in Little Rock, helped carry his parish's sign reading "Christ the King Respects Life."

It was Wahlgreen's sixth year to attend the march. He expressed his appreciation for Msgr. Hebert's candor at Mass.

"I think it's absolutely true when he said that we're in a war," Wahlgreen said. "He used words like, 'battle' and 'war.' You got to use strong words like that. I think other clergymen should take a similar attitude."

Others brought their children to show Arkansans that life is a sacred blessing. Jason and Erin Pohlmeier of St. Joseph Church in Paris brought their 7-month-old son, Isaac. Though she had not attended a march before, Erin Pohlmeier said she came this year because being pregnant last year put a whole new perspective on the importance of respecting life.

"It's hard to look at him and know that a year ago we could have easily and legally gotten rid of him just because we wanted to," Jason Pohlmeier said.

"We're happy to bring him here to show people what a blessing life is," Erin Pohlmeier added.

A presentation on the Capitol steps included prayers, music and speeches. Featured speaker, the Rev. Cedric Hayes of Gloryland Baptist Church in North Little Rock, spoke about adoption.

"If we're going to be pro-life, we also have to be pro-adoption," he said.

Hayes and his wife have six children, three of whom are adopted. He brought his daughter, Melody, and son, Timothy. Both were saved when their mothers were told their babies would be taken care of if they wouldn't have abortions.

He challenged the audience to either adopt a baby that would otherwise be aborted or financially support someone else who can.

"When you're talking about choice, you're not talking about flesh, but you're talking about a person with a soul," he said as he was interrupted by applause.

Sarah Whitehead and her husband, David, brought their two babies, ages 18 months and 4 months, to the march. This was Sarah Whitehead's 23rd march. She is 27 years old. The couple are members of St. John Latin Mass Community in North Little Rock.

She praised Hayes' remarks. "It was very good, especially talking about adoption," she said. "We don't hear that enough."

She said as long as they hold marches for life she will come and bring her family.

Adoption was a topic Catholic teens and youth ministers also heard at the Weekend Extravaganza at UALR Jan. 20.

Thirty-five parishes were represented this year, said Liz Tingquist, diocesan youth director.

Nina Fuller, a mother of five children, encouraged the teens to see God's plan for their lives by sharing the story of how she gave birth to a daughter with Down Syndrome, Tess, 12 years ago and later agreed to adopt another child with the same disability.

"We knew we had to trust God," she said. "We knew he would fulfill his plan for our lives."

The biological mother of now-3-year-old Hope was on her way to get an abortion before changing her mind and placing Hope up for adoption. At the same time, the Fullers contacted an adoption agency with their interest in adopting a child.

"Adoption is a win-win situation," she said.

Fuller, a Christian pro-life speaker and author of "Special Strength for Special Parents" from Indiana," often addresses youth and brings her daughters along to show what a blessing they are.

"I love watching teens meet my girls," she said during an interview with Arkansas Catholic. "They see the girls are just like any other little girls."

Fuller said many people are amazed that she and her husband Andy would agree to adopt a special-needs child and wonder how they do it.

"It's not us," she said. "It is really God working in us."

Malea Hargett contributed to this article.