The Sanctity of Life

Each year the Order of Malta organizes a Mass in recognition of the Sanctity of Life. This year it fell by coincidence on the same weekend as Patriots Day, an occasion that is, at its purest, a time when we remember the lives that were tragically lost those nine years ago. Our Mass today was celebrated by Archbishop Gregory and Monsignor Dillon, both members of the Order, assisted by Father Paul Burke and with our beloved retired Archbishop, John Francis Donoghue present as the Presiding Prelate. We were also joined by the Knights and Dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre. I share this because, following the Mass, we were blessed to have two guest speakers from the Hapeville Pregnancy Advice Center, a Catholic apostolate that has served thousand of women of all faiths over the last 25 years and consequently saved the lives of thousand of unborn children. To find out more about this remarkable apostolate you can read an article from the Georgia Bulletin from earlier this year:  http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/2010/01/21/pregnancycenter/ The Center is run on a shoestring budget in facilities that are in need of a great amount of work. I cannot imagine a charitable entity in our City that provides such a exponential return on its operating budget.