In late May, Catholics and other people of faith from Fontana realized that a Notice of Filing sign was posted on the corner of Sierra and San Bernardino Ave. The notice was a request to remodel an existing building into a clinic operated by Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties.
After seeing the notice, Catholic leaders and those of other Christian denominations held a strategy meeting at St. Mary’s Church – about 120 people attended. An ecumenical prayer effort to prevent another Planned Parenthood clinic in the Inland Empire had begun. In less than a week, the word spread about an organized prayer walk.
On June 2 about 900 people gathered at St. Joseph Church, Fontana, for prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament and later walked two miles to the proposed location of the clinic. The people met with other Christian brothers and sisters gathered at Bethel Church, Fontana and walked together the rest of the way.
“The moment I saw person by person begin to arrive for Holy Hour, I knew that this walk would be a significant event for our diocese,” participant Yesenia Lepe said.
On the prayer walk, they prayed the Rosary and carried signs stating life is precious and deserves protection. Once the people arrived at the corner of Sierra Avenue and San Bernardino Avenue, they gathered there for about an hour, praying, and singing songs. Many passing motorists saw all four corners of the busy intersection filled with people giving witness to life, for the unborn babies, mothers, and families.
“This filled me up with so much joy and hope, knowing that we are united in this fight,” Lepe said.
“This prayer was a gift from God for our local church in the Dioceses of San Bernardino, it came at a time of uncertainty and preoccupation.”
The effort continued after the prayer walk with faith communities from the west end of San Bernardino County circulating and signing petitions, attending public hearings on the proposal, and praying outside of the proposed abortion clinic every day.
From Inland Catholic Byte
Planned Parenthood has a bad plan.
This is a good example of Catholics and evangelicals (and hopefully others) standing and praying together for the common good. It’s one of the things that the Second Vatican Council called for. Through baptism and faith, our evangelical brothers and sisters are in some, though imperfect, relationship with the Church. Although we cannot yet share Communion, there are many things that we can do together. As Saint John XXIII said, Christ, who unites us, is greater than what divides us.
They’re still going to hell if they have knowingly rejected membership in the Catholic Church. But kudos to them for joining us to oppose abortion. Just too bad about their eternal destiny and all.
That is contrary to Scripture.
Which scriptures do you read? Which catechism do you read? The Catholic Church has always taught “extra ecclesiam nulla salus.”
Yes. There is no salvation outside the Church.
Think about it with the Holy Spirit.
What is the Church?
Mark 16:16
Acts 16:31
Romans 10:9-111
John 3:16-18
If they know the Catholic Church is the Church founded by and of Jesus Christ and refuse to enter it, then your warning is correct. Yet, only God can judge the eternal destinies of persons. Who will be in hell is not ours to know. If we’re not sharing the love of Christ and His Church with the world, then we should be concerned about our eternal destinies as well. God will judge all mercifully and justly. Let’s establish relationships, love deeply and invite others to the fulness of the Faith.
As our Lord said, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23)
“They’re still going to hell if they have knowingly rejected membership in the Catholic Church. But kudos to them for joining us to oppose abortion. Just too bad about their eternal destiny and all.”
This seems to me to be a good example of someone hijacking a thread.