I wrote to almost all the Bishops in India, including the office of the Nuncio. I had to write to all of them because there is just too much innocent blood flowing down the nation.
This August 10th marks the 47th anniversary of legalized abortion in India. So far, the total estimate of children killed by abortion since 1971 is unknown. But research published in 2017 shows that the total number of abortions performed in India for the year 2015 alone must be 15.6 million.
India legalized abortion on August 10th, 1971 through the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. But so far there is no single day of remembrance or observance of this horrible day. There are no vigils, protests, public prayer or marches of any sort. It’s just another day in India because India is busy “developing” herself as the fastest growing economy in the world as she stands tall on the pile of butchered bodies of our own babies. We literally practice ‘Narabali’ (human sacrifice) in order to achieve the status of a “Developed Nation”.
Every time we observe the Day of Prayer for the Protection of Unborn children and participate in the January 22 March for Life in the U.S we join with almost a million Americans who stand up for the unborn children killed by abortion in their country and my heart longs for those children murdered in India. Nobody mourns for our children killed by the legal abortion in our country. They are not remembered, their death easily erased off without a memorial. So I thought why not write to the Bishops requesting them to offer Mass and to encourage priests under their leadership to do so as well on August 10th?
With prayers and guidance from a few well-wishers, I embarked on this weird task. I wrote to almost 170 bishops in India pleading them to declare August 10th as “A Day of Prayer for Legal Protection of Unborn Children” and observe the day by offering Mass, praying for an end to abortion. This ‘Day of Remembrance’ will serve threefold purpose: to do penance for the mass murder of innocent children, to pray for the legal protection of unborn children and for the forgiveness and healing of those involved in it and to speak about it so that people will be encouraged to Defend Life.
Was it fruitful? Of course. Six Bishops and a priest wrote back. They acknowledged the problem, appreciated the effort, and even took time to read the full letter, assuring that they would offer Mass on August 10th as well as encourage other priests to do the same. His Excellency Bishop Alex Vadakumthala Archbishop of Kannur encouraged this humble effort saying ‘it is a timely reminder’ for him to give priority to the pro-life ministry. He chose to speak on the topic of ‘Sanctity of Life’ in Shalom Mirror a live TV show the following week.
Archbishop Peter Machado, Archbishop of Bangalore, Fr. Pepin Gnana head of Family Commission in Archdiocese of Calcutta, Bishop Thomas Dabre, Bishop of Poona, His Excellency Mar Paul Alappatt, Bishop of Ramanathapuram, Bishop Chacko Thottumariackal, Bishop of Indore, His Excellency Mar George Njaralakatt, Archbishop of Telicherry and Archbishop Leo Cornelio, the Archbishop of Bhopal were kind enough to respond and assured me that they would offer Mass on August 10th.
Will this trivial effort change the dynamics? Well I can say yes without a slightest doubt because, we’re speaking about offering the Holy Sacrifice of Mass.
“There is no stopping abortion without the Eucharist. Abortion is murder. It is on a scale today greater than all previous combined abortion murders in human history. Public demonstrations and statements of all kinds and sizes are all very important. They offer the opportunity for the pro-life Catholic to publicly identify before the world where he or she stands. We must put first things first to know and understand that behind every abortion is the devil, a murderer from the beginning. Our own human resources are entirely inadequate. Divine grace is absolutely necessary to stop abortion. All graces come through Jesus Christ in His human nature. The primary source of these graces is Holy Mass, Holy Communion and Holy Adoration of our Lord in His Real Presence.”
Read the full letter addressed to the Bishops here
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