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This 81-Year-Old Parishioner Has an Eight Year Streak of Attendance at March for Life

By Jessica Easthope

Mary Ruane has thought of everything. In a backpack she has water bottles, Band-Aids and necessities – the things she’ll need for March for Life.

She’s ready to head down to Washington D.C. on Friday and march for hours with more than 100,000 other people who believe life is sacred.

“It’s thousands, they just keep coming when you get up to the hill they’re still coming, no one can really express how it makes you feel, it just makes me so happy that there’s hope in the world,” she said.

Mary’s attended March for Life many times over the years, but she currently has an eight year streak going. At 81-years-old, the march isn’t easy for her, but she says it’s worth it, to show up for every single soul that’s been lost to abortion.

“There’s nothing more beautiful than the gift of life and it’s our job to protect those children not to kill them,” Mary said.

Mary will make the trip on a Diocese of Brooklyn bus. Joining her is Father Michael Panicali, parochial vicar at St. Helen Church in Howard Beach.

This year there’s a renewed sense of purpose for pro-life marchers. Now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned, Mary and Father Michael say the work is more important than ever and far from over.

According to March for Life there are still more than 900,000 abortions every year and that number is only expected to decrease by about 200,000 in a post-Roe America.

“The right to life is still under attack in our country so we really can’t let our guard down, I think it’s easy for people to assume the abortion issue is settled but it’s far from settled but the more we acquiesce to the mentality that it’s all good the worse it may get,” Father Michael said.

“There will be people there who have so much hate in their hearts and they’re very angry Roe was overturned and they say it’s against women but it’s in favor of women, women don’t realize they’re being exploited and manipulated to believe it’s okay to kill their own child,” said Mary.

Mary says to march in solidarity alongside the teenagers and young adults who call themselves the “pro-life generation” is a gift. In 2010 it was estimated half the marchers were under the age of 30.

“It fills my heart with pride, I’m so proud of them that they know right from wrong, it’s an amazing thing,” she said.

“It’s so affirming and it’s beautiful to see God’s work in the young people, how much the faith is alive, how fervent and holy so many young men and women are, they come out year after year to defend life, it’s a great day to celebrate your Catholicism,” said Father Michael.

Mary plans to march for as long as she can, she says she’ll stop when abortion is unthinkable.

Catholic News Headlines for Wednesday 1/18/2023

 

Preparations are underway for this weekend’s March for Life in Washington D.C.

Mayor Eric Adams wants to expand access to abortion in New York City.

The winners of The Tablet’s “Keep Christ in Christmas” art contest have been announced.

This Former Teacher at Our Lady of Lourdes Got a New Kidney – A Student She Taught Made it Happen

By Jessica Easthope

“This is NYU Kidney Transplant, I’m calling this morning to say we have a kidney for you.”

It was the call Debra Molloy was waiting for and she missed it, but now she forever has a memory of the moment her life changed.

“My emotions were running the gamut, I was going from disbelief to crying to calling people who were then shocked and rushing around because I was trying to pack a bag, I didn’t have anything ready,” she said.

Debra’s recovering from transplant surgery. She got the call that NYU Langone had a kidney for her and was in a hospital gown less than three hours later. Most people are on the list for three to five years, Debra was on it for five months.

“People who knew the story were praying, it’s amazing how prayer works and I know it works,” she said.

Last year when Debra found her kidney disorder would require a transplant, she turned to Christine Whalen, her former first grade student at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Academy and now great friend.

The two got to work, creating a social media campaign for Debra, their shared mission brought them closer and though Debra’s kidney came to her in a different way – they raised awareness.

“I cannot thank her enough, I’m very grateful to her, she got the word out and no one helped me that way but maybe somebody will help someone else that way, that brings awareness,” said Debra.

“The work that we’ve done to get the word out and let people know about this and hopefully help other people has been equally rewarding,” Christine said.

Debra now has three kidneys in her body, the two she was born with and one from a stranger, an Ohio man 15 years younger than her who died of respiratory failure.

“I have a foreign body in me but that foreign body is helping me live and giving me a second chance on life, that person’s life was cut short but it made my quality of life that much better because of their selfless act, he saved my life,” she said.

It’s been seven weeks since Debra’s surgery, she’s still on a cocktail of medications but she’s healthy and feels better than ever and says currents news played a part in her unbelievable journey.

“We were on the Currents broadcast last time on November 1st exactly a month before this and the first thought we had was it’s a Christmas miracle, what are the chances of this happening,” Christine said. “We’re already starting to make our list of things we have to do, simple things at first like taking a walk but then we’re going to ski and again and go to a spa because she can, she can.”

Debra can’t find out for a year who her donor was but when she can she plans to contact his family to say thank you.

Cafe Con Cristo: Unidos pero confundidos

Laura Aguirre, MA, LPC Cuando el hombre y la mujer se unen en matrimonio pueden llegar a sufrir una crisis de identidad al ahora asumir un nuevo rol como esposos y padres de familia, si es el caso. Nuestra invitada la Licenciada Laura Aguirre, terapeuta familiar nos habla sobre este tema.

Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday 1/17/23

A New York City police officer is in the hospital after being shot in the arm in the Bronx overnight.

A four-year-old boy in a diaper was caught on camera waving a loaded gun.

We told you recently about a former student at Our Lady of Lourdes school in Queens Village who’s been helping her first-grade teacher find a kidney donor – she found one!

 

How the Diocese of Brooklyn Honored and Remembered Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights icon that preached a message of nonviolent resistance.

King organized hundreds of protests, marches and speeches that helped to bring about landmark legislation and change the course of this country. MLK Day was observed on Monday, Jan. 16.

In the Diocese of Brooklyn, more than 100 people came to St. Kevin’s in Flushing to discuss racism in the church and keeping Dr. King’s spirit alive. There was a panel discussion with input from the audience, followed by a prayer service.

Catholic News Headlines for Monday 1/16/2023

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the Diocese of Brooklyn is commemorating the civil rights leader with a prayer service led by Bishop Robert Brennan.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has wrapped up a trip to the southern border.

A dramatic rescue caught on camera in California.

Mayor of Rome: ‘The Jubilee is a Moment of Extraordinary Importance for the City’

Rome is preparing for the Jubilee of 2025, an extraordinary event that brings a large increase in pilgrims to the Eternal City.

As a result, Roman authorities announced the first phase of the special plan that calls for an investment of almost 2 billion dollars to carry out 90 different projects.

“It is a moment of extraordinary importance that puts us as the Italian state and as the city of Rome in the condition of a great responsibility of having to favor support, help this event with all our commitment and all our strength,” said Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri.

Public transportation, both buses and metro, are undergoing improvement projects, and spaces around the Vatican will be renovated. As always for major occasions, exclusive spaces will be set aside for private buses carrying pilgrims from all over Italy and the world.

The Italian government expects the scheduled works to be completed on time. This will prevent any problems that may arise from mafia groups, which sometimes happen when the State allocates money to specific projects.

“For me, experience shows that the more the schedule is maintained, the less successful mafia-like organizations are in delaying, stopping or suspending our efforts,” said Undersecretary, Presidency of the Council of Ministers Alfredo Mantovano.

The Jubilee Years are a real test for the city of Rome as they bring more pilgrims than usual. The 2000 Jubilee saw an increase of 7.4% more tourists with a total of 25 million in one year.

More details about the plan for the 2025 Jubilee, including the security details, will be announced in the coming months. The 2016 Jubilee was marked by a strong police and military presence due to the threat of ISIS and radical group attacks throughout Europe.

Catholic News Headlines for Friday 1/13/23

The search continues for two vandals who destroyed a nativity.

Another set of classified documents were found, this time in President Biden’s car.

A survivor of the Miracle on the Hudson sits down to discuss a new book he’s written.