Suffering caused by abortion recognized on Good Friday

Tanya Watterud

The faithful filled the sidewalk, leaving an open path for passerby, as they gathered outside the state of North Dakota’s only abortion facility on Good Friday, April 2, to pray the Stations of the Cross. The crowd included more than 250 people of all ages, joining in the responses as Bishop Samuel Aquila moved in prayer down the sidewalk, focusing on each Station depicted in photographs held by participants.

“That was probably the largest number of participants I have seen in the seven years that Bishop Aquila has been offering Stations of the Cross at the abortion facility,” Rachelle Sauvageau, director of the diocesan Respect Life Office, said.

“A lot of people would say the pro-life movement is dead, but I don’t think so,” said Jed Hillmer of Holy Spirit parish in Fargo. He and his wife, Annika, brought their three children, Gustav, 3, Berit, 2 and Ingrid, 8 months, to the Stations. Hillmer, who has prayed the Rosary outside the Red River Women’s Clinic abortion facility in Fargo, but had never attended the Stations there, said he had “always been raised adamantly pro-life across the board.” He hopes to pass that on to his children by “being a good example to them, taking them to events like this as they grow up.” He said he wants to instill in them the importance of participating in pro-life events to witness to the dignity of all human life.

After the Stations were prayed, nine-year-old Alexis Coles from St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center in Grand Forks said, “It made me feel good that everybody wants to try to help the babies.” She was there with her parents, Stacey and Destin Coles, and siblings, Drew, 7, Evan, 5 and Abigail, 2.