Published February 18, 2007

Rose Day 2007                                                                       
Hundreds Take Pro-Life Message to Capitol

OKLAHOMA CITY — Rose Day again attracted hundreds of pro-life supporters to the Oklahoma State Capitol. Among the throngs were dozens of Catholics who asked their elected lawmakers to support pro-life legislation. Representatives from Catholic Charities as well as the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women were also on hand to make their voices heard.

A priest from the Tulsa Diocese, Father Carl Kerkemeyer, opened the day with the invocation. Pro-life lawmakers were introduced with more than 80 percent of the House of Representatives counting themselves among those who are pro-life. Throughout the day, speakers offered highly personal testimonies about how personal issues have affected their pro-life views. One woman told how as a young medical student her friends encouraged her to have an abortion because she and her husband were struggling financially. She said she knew abortion was not the answer and instead received counseling from a crisis pregnancy organization. She and her husband will soon welcome a daughter into their family.

Pro-life advocates were encouraged to continuously contact their state lawmakers about the need to support pro-life legislation. Rep- resentatives from Planned Parenthood and other abortion advocates were also in attendance, doing their best to grab the ear of any lawmaker who would listen.

Sen. James Williamson encouraged pro-life advocates to pray for their lawmakers. He said he has known legislators who once were abortion supporters to have a change of heart and mind and turn their support to the pro-life effort.