‘We want to shut it down through prayer’

By Jonathan Martinez - Florida Catholic

HOLLYWOOD | In an effort to bring down the walls that blind the heart, hundreds took to the streets of Hollywood June 11 for a “Jericho Walk” and procession with the Blessed Sacrament around a local abortion clinic. 

Members of Nativity Parish joined volunteers from the Respect Life Ministry and the South Broward Pregnancy Help Center to circle “A Woman's Center," an abortion facility at Hollywood Boulevard, seven times while praying for life.

“We pray that one day there will be change,” said Father Julio De Jesus, parochial vicar at Nativity. “So that the walls of the heart come down and for people to realize that this is a life, which has a right to live. God is love and we need to protect the children.”

Similar Jericho Walks have been taking place throughout the year across the United States. The peaceful pro-life strategy recalls the Old Testament story of the battle of Jericho (found in Joshua chapter 6). According to the biblical account, the Israelites were able to defeat the city of Jericho after marching around the city walls once a day for six days; on the seventh day, the walls of Jericho crumbled.

The South Broward Pregnancy Help Center is located within walking distance of the abortion facility.

“When we moved in here we found out that we had an abortion center just blocks down the road,” said Joan Crown, archdiocesan respect life director. “We do get people from there who have changed their minds and it is so good to be close to them and know that they can see people are outside praying for them and they can realize that there are people just down the block that can help them.”

The prayerful and peaceful Jericho Walk united over 200 people, including parishioners from churches across the archdiocese and members of other Christian denominations.

“This is a great display of Jesus saying, ‘Christian's come together, stand together on this,’” said Nancy C. Warner, a member of the First Baptist Church of Hollywood and director of the Hollywood-area “40 Days for Life” campaign.

“On this issue we have to come together and pray to end abortion. This is the holocaust of our time,” Warner said.

During Lent of this year, the 40 Days for Life campaign surrounded the same clinic with prayer for 12 hours a day, 40 days straight.

At times, the Jericho Walk was disrupted by people honking their horns, both in support of and against the respect life movement.

“We are, as a Catholic community, reclaiming this land for the Lord,” said Barbara Groeber, who recently retired as education coordinator with the Respect Life Office. “This abortion facility, which is a very busy abortion facility, is within walking distance of Nativity Parish and we want to shut it down through prayer. We hope that as people drive by they see the Eucharist, the cross, Our Lady of Fatima, images with powerful quotes from St. John Paul II, and that people realize that an abortion facility is here. We hope that they realize that all life begins at the moment of conception and that all life is valuable and must be protected.”

Organizers hope other archdiocesan parishes will be inspired to host their own Jericho Walks.

“South Florida has the third highest abortion rate in the country,” said Groeber. “Walks and peaceful demonstrations such as this have a proven track record of succeeding.”

Groeber noted that a Kendall abortion facility shut down last year after 15 years of persistent prayer by a dedicated group of pro-lifers. Respect Life hopes to repeat that success at other abortion facilities across South Florida.

For Father De Jesus, the mission is deeply personal. When his mother found out that she was pregnant with her eighth child, she was told by her doctor to get an abortion. She chose life. And because of her choice, he is the youngest of his 14 siblings. Now, he leads walks like these and even offers to support other parishes that choose to do their own Jericho Walk.

FIND OUT MORE

• Since abortion was legalized in 1973, respect life offices throughout the United States have been educating Catholics and others about the painful psychological consequences of abortion as well as the physical dangers. They also offer women safe and healing alternatives.

• The Respect Life office of the archdiocese offers seminars, five pregnancy help centers in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, courses for new or soon-to-be fathers, and counseling for women who have already had an abortion. For more information on their services, visit their website, www.respectlifemiami.org.