Remembering Every Life: A Respect Life Witness in Our Community

October is Respect Life Month, a time for us to reflect on the dignity of every human life and our call to protect and support the most vulnerable among us.

This year, St. Mary’s Respect Life Committee once again brought that message beyond our parish walls, serving at the Delaware County Fair and preparing our annual cross display in the parish courtyard.

A Week of Conversations at the Fair

During the Delaware County Fair, our Respect Life volunteers had the opportunity to meet people from throughout our community. Some conversations were difficult. Others were unexpected. Many were deeply personal.

One woman shared that she had become pregnant after being raped, yet chose to keep her daughter. Another young woman shared that her own mother had become pregnant at a very young age and had considered abortion.

One volunteer also spoke with a woman who had experienced an abortion decades earlier. She was very interested to learn about Project Rachel, an abortion recovery ministry that offers support to those affected by abortion.

The booth’s displays of baby models at different stages of gestation were especially impactful, drawing the attention of visitors of all ages. These visual reminders helped people engage with the reality of developing human life and opened the door to meaningful conversations.

These encounters remind us why our presence matters. Our volunteers were able to listen, share resources, and offer a compassionate, life-affirming presence in our community. Sometimes, a single conversation can help someone discover support they did not know was available.

221 Crosses. 221 Lives Remembered.

Back at St. Mary, our courtyard display will once again provide a visible reminder throughout October.

This year, 221 crosses will represent abortions in 2025 involving women who reported Delaware County as their place of residence. The figure comes from Table 5 of the annual report. It is important to understand that this does not mean 221 abortions were performed in Delaware County. Of those, 57 were performed within the county itself. The 221 figure represents Delaware County residents who obtained abortions.

Each cross represents a life lost. But the crosses also remind us of the mothers, fathers, families, and communities affected by abortion.

The annual display is difficult to see. Members of our community have shared how meaningful and moving it is to see St. Mary publicly remember these lives each October.

"It as a beautiful, yet difficult, scene to see each year," said one member of our Respect Life Committee.

A special thank you to Matt Dehn for creating this year’s cross display and taking the time to set it up for our parish. His dedication helps make this annual reminder possible and gives our community a meaningful way to remember the lives lost and the mothers and families affected by abortion.

A Witness of Hope

Our Respect Life witness cannot end with remembering lives lost. We are also called to walk with women and families facing difficult pregnancies, to offer practical support, and to make sure that choosing life is met with compassion and help.

The stories from the fair remind us why this work matters. There are women who have faced circumstances that seem impossible and still chosen life. There are people who carry difficult stories of their own. And there are opportunities, often in very ordinary conversations, to offer encouragement and hope.

As we look at the crosses in our courtyard this October, may we pray for mercy, for healing, for mothers and families, and for a culture that welcomes and protects every human life.