In Kansas City, the Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic provides abortion clinic alternative services and free pregnancy tests for families in need. This proved to be best “first stop” for Father West to bring the Pilgrim Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa.
Fr. West presented the history and Ocean to Ocean mission of the Black Madonna to the many staff and supporters of the clinic before blessing the clinic with holy water. It should be known that the day prior, a new counselor at the clinic became extremely distraught over a couple she had counseled. This couple seemed very determined to have an abortion. However, with a change of heart, the couple returned later, requesting a sonogram of their baby. We rejoice for this choice for life which we attribute to the prayers offered to Our Lady of Czestochowa.
While the Black Madonna supports the work of life-saving clinics like Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic, we also bring her to clinics masquerading as “women’s health centers” but, in reality, are abortion mills. Unborn children are killed; women are exploited and harmed emotionally and sometimes physically, leaving men free of responsibility.
While we prayed the Rosary with the Icon at one such place called “Aid for Women,” the Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic stationed their mobile pregnancy center there to offer women real help. Flanked by many area pro-lifers, we arranged another larger prayer vigil at the Planned Parenthood abortion mill in Overland Park. Two police cars showed up as well, but we continued our vigil as guaranteed under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Later that day, Father West processed into Overland Park’s Holy Spirit Church, celebrating Mass with the flock. We received quite a reception after Mass and presentation from those who spent the day supporting our efforts to end abortion.
Pro-lifer Roman Hamenski recounted a remarkable anecdote from his high school days in Communist Poland. One day, 800 high school students were sent to watch movies in a theater, keeping them from taking part in a procession with the Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa. However, the students made a mad rush for the door while Communist agents blocked the exit. At the moment the Black Madonna came by in procession, she was miraculously seen by the students confined in the theater. His story is a reminder to us that public displays of faith, like processions, are an important way of practicing our religious freedoms.
The Pilgrim Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa and Father West arrived later that evening at the Pastoral Center for the Archdiocese of Kansas City. The next morning after celebrating Mass, a nice crowd of lay personnel from surrounding parishes attended the Ocean to Ocean presentation.
It has been our privilege to work with many talented coordinators, especially Ron Kelsey, the Director of the Respect Life Office for the Archdiocese of Kansas City and his wife Donna, the Director of the Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic.