"As we navigate these days to come," writes columnist Lindsey Weishar, "may we be unafraid to pour out upon others the mercy, gentleness, and compassion our Lord unceasingly shows us." (CNS/Tyler Orsburn)

Parishes, schools and organizations around the Diocese of Peoria will make the case for life from conception until natural death by hosting Masses and a variety of other events in the days to come in commemoration of the Supreme Court decisions that legalized abortion in 1973.

On the diocesan level, a Mass for the Legal Protection of the Unborn is planned for 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 21, at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria. (Editor’s note: The Mass had been scheduled for Jan. 28, but was recently changed to Jan. 21. See related story.)

Following is a list of some of other events that were made known to The Catholic Post as the new year began.

Life rally planned for Jan. 18 in Peoria

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Because of COVID concerns, this event has been postponed until May 24.) 

Monica Cline, a former trainer for Planned Parenthood, will be the keynote speaker at the 2022 Sanctity of Human Life Rally on Tuesday, Jan. 18. Sponsored by Central Illinois Right to Life, it will be held at 7 p.m. at the Spalding Pastoral Center, 419 N.E. Madison Ave., in Peoria.

Monica Cline

The rally will also feature a Memory Wall, where men and women with abortion experiences can honor their children by writing a message of love on a paper heart and adding it to the wall.

Cline taught comprehensive sex education for more than 10 years as a volunteer educator for Planned Parenthood and Title X (family planning) training manager. Her experiences there and her conversion to Christianity led her to question CSE and its impact on children, families, and the community.

She is the founder of “It Takes a Family” and her goal now is to encourage and help parents in their role as the primary educators of their children.

For more information, send email to askCIRTL@gmail.com.

Pro-life prayer vigil Jan. 22 in Champaign

“Transforming Love” is the theme for an ecumenical pro-life prayer vigil planned for Saturday, Jan. 22, at Meadowbrook Community Church, 1902 S. Duncan Road, in Champaign. It will be held at 6:30 p.m.

The speaker will be Bonnie Donley of Peoria, who will share her story of how love transformed her life.

It will be livestreamed from the Facebook page of Pro-Life Prayer Vigil of Central Illinois for those who cannot attend in person.

Rock Island Knights holding pancake breakfast

Saying that the “momentum is tipping toward life,” Allouez Council 658 of the Knights of Columbus in Rock Island will have the Sir Knight Larry Quane Memorial Pro-Life Pancake Breakfast on Sunday, Jan. 23, in Farrell Hall at St. Pius X Church, 2502 29th Ave. It will be served from 7:30 a.m. to noon and include scrambled eggs, sausage, pastries, juice, milk and coffee, in addition to pancakes.

The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for children 13 and younger, or $25 for families of any size.

Proceeds will benefit Quad City Right to Life, Women’s Choice Center, Pregnancy Resource Center, and the Christ Child Society.

Parish walk for life scheduled in Germantown Hills

Knowing that not everyone will be able to attend the National March for Life in Washington, D.C., St. Mary of Lourdes Church is inviting people to join them for their Second Annual Parish Walk for Life on Sunday, Jan. 23. It will begin at 1 p.m. with a rosary in the church, 424 Lourdes Church Road.

Afterward, people are welcome to walk around the parish grounds and cemetery, or pray in church. At 3 p.m. participants will gather under the church awning for a closing prayer.

In case of inclement weather, the parish hall will be open for the walkers.

The parish is collecting diapers and baby powder, shampoo, wash, wipes and diaper cream, etc. These items will be donated to the Bessette Center of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Peoria.

For more information, call the St. Mary of Lourdes Faith Formation Office at (309) 383-4460.

Quad Cities pro-life Mass celebrated Jan. 24

The Christ the King Chapel at St. Ambrose University, 518 W. Locust St., in Davenport, Iowa, will host the Quad Cities inter-parish pro-life Mass on Monday, Jan. 24. It will begin at noon.