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Judge Tells Arch Meeting
America Must Stop Abortions
National
Catholic Register,
October 6-12, 2002, page 3
BUFFALO, N.Y. (CNS) -- A Vermont state court
judge told a Catholic gathering in Buffalo that America as a nation
needs to eliminate the sin of abortion or it will feel God's justice.
Judge Daniel Lynch addressed participants at an event called a
"Celebration of the Culture of Life and Civilization of Love."
It was held in early September to support efforts to erect
a shrine in Buffalo called the Arch of Triumph of the Immaculate
Heart of Mary and International Shrine of the Holy Innocents.
The arch is envisioned as a 700-foot ascendable monument,
making it 70 feet higher than the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and
one of the tallest monuments in the world. It would overlook Lake
Erie, within sight of Niagara Falls and the Canadian border.
At the arch's base would be an international, pro-life shrine
dedicated to the Holy Innocents, the children of Bethlehem whom
King Herod's men slaughtered in their quest to kill the baby Jesus.
Lynch, presiding judge of the state probate court in Grand
Isle County, Vt., told the crowd of several hundred that America
has a choice between the Arch of Triumph, which he termed "an
arch of mercy," or the Arch of Titus in Rome, which he said
was an "arch of justice." The triumphal arch was
put up to honor Emperor Titus' destruction of Jerusalem in 70
A.D., he explained. If Americans repent for the sins of
abortion and eliminate "this horror," he said, God's
mercy will flood the country and the Arch of Triumph of the Immaculate
Heart of Mary will symbolize God's mercy and the victory of life
over death.
Lynch, who is also director of the Apostolate of the Missionary
Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, tied the Blessed Mother's appearance
to St. Juan Diego in 1531 to fostering a culture of life in the
United States. Her appearance to the Mexican peasant, he
said, led to the conversion of many of the native people and brought
an end to the Aztec practice of human sacrifice, which he called
their culture of death.
Also addressing the crowd was Buffalo lawyer Laurence Behr,
executive director of the association that proposed the arch and
shrine. He said the project reflects the message the Blessed
Mother gave to three shepherd children at Fatima, Portugal, in
1917. She told them wars were the result of sin and that if people
did not turn back to God more evils and more war would result,
he said. But, he said, she told the children: "In the
end my Immaculate Heart will triumph and a certain period of peace
will be granted to the world."
About 50 chapters have been formed around the United States
and in Canada and Australia to raise the $100 million needed to
build the arch and shrine. Behr said about $50,000 has been raised
so far. Earlier this year, in an interview with the Catholic
Courier, newspaper of the Diocese of Rochester, Behr said he envisions
the arch and shrine as a place where people will be brought back
to God, and a place where those whose faith is wavering will have
their faith strengthened.
He expects that the arch and shrine will be instrumental
in conversion experiences for visitors, as well as a place of
consolation and spiritual healing for those who have had abortions.
"Our country is amazingly secular these days," he said.
"I think people need to be shown a great sign of faith and
belief in God."
- - -
Editor's Note: For more information on the Arch of Triumph of
the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the International Shrine of the
Holy Innocents, readers may call Behr at: (866) 205-6512, or visit
the Web site:
www.archoftriumph.org.
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