Priest Calls for Faithful To Pray Outside Michigan Abortuary

You are not signed in as a Premium user; you are viewing the free version of this program. Premium users have access to full-length programs with limited commercials and receive a 10% discount in the store! Sign up for only one day for the low cost of $1.99. Click the button below.

See All Plans

WESTLAND, MI (ChurchMilitant.com) - A stalwart Catholic priest is calling for 1,000 people to join him in a eucharistic procession outside an abortion mill in Michigan this Saturday on the feast of Our Lady of Fatima.

On May 13, Fr. John Hedges will hold high the Holy Eucharist as he walks around the grounds of the Northland Family Planning Center in Westland, an abortuary just outside Detroit. Faithful pro-lifers go every Saturday to pray for the end of the murder of unborn babies there, but even more attend when Fr. Hedges — and Jesus — join them.

On a promotional flyer for Saturday's procession, Lynn Mills, director of Pro-life Michigan, quotes Fr. Hedges: "Numbers speak! I would like to see 1,000 people there to fight the evil going on inside."

Mills invites everyone to attend and to put their faith in Jesus Christ. She told Church Militant:

On the anniversary of the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, we, as devout Catholics, invite Christians of all denominations to join with us as we stand to honor our Mother and Mother's Day as we pray against the evils of abortion. We are at a place in the state of Michigan that our hope is in Jesus Christ, and the fight is His! That is why we bring this battle to where the slaughter happens, with Our Lord Himself in prayer! In Christ alone is our hope.

The pro-lifer lauded Fr. Hedges, calling him a "hero" and saying that "he is the only priest I know of in the archdiocese of Detroit that goes to any abortion dump regularly."

Mills also said, "We are so grateful for bold priests such as Fr. John Hedges for taking this stand in our world. Listen to his call, and obey!"

The event is sponsored by Fr. Hedges' parish, St. Stephen Catholic Church, in New Boston and occurs each week from 9:30–10:30 a.m. at 35000 Ford Rd. in Westland. Fr. Hedges brings the Holy Eucharist on special occasions.

A number of regular attendees spoke out about the importance of showing up in person to make a statement about the horror of abortion.

One pro-lifer who prays outside the Westland abortuary weekly told Church Militant she especially looks forward to "the Saturdays" when "Fr. Hedges devoutly brings Jesus to the abortion mill."

"I have witnessed Protestants drop to their knees as Fr. Hedges processes Jesus toward the abortion mill," she attested. "I have also witnessed the 'death-scorts' run in fear of Jesus in the monstrance, for 'safety' toward the building where murders are happening." 

Another regular attendee encouraged people to make it to the Northland Family Planning Center on Saturday morning. She told Church Militant, "Our way to fight is to pray. Get out of bed. This is a battle we're fighting. Join us to give a one-two punch to the evil of abortion."

It's not surprising Mills says that "in Christ alone is our hope." During the last midterm election, Michiganders voted to enshrine abortion-on-demand until the moment of birth into the state constitution. 

The Guttmacher Institute reports that there are 30 abortuaries operating in Michigan as of 2017, with 31,510 abortions performed in 2020.

Have a news tip? Submit news to our tip line.

We rely on you to support our news reporting. Please donate today.