By Chuck Gibson
A field of white crosses – the Cemetery of the Innocents – greeted traffic at the Oakland Rd. and Loveland-Miamiville Rd. intersection in front of St. Columban Church for two weeks from September 7-22.
Susan Kues, Loveland resident, St. Columban parishioner, and current chairperson for the St. Columban Respect All Life ministry, organized the effort to create a temporary cemetery on the church property. A total of 978 crosses were carefully set up and later removed by nearly 40 volunteers.
“Each cross represents approximately 90 abortions per day worldwide,” said Kues. “It is hard to have an exact number based on best information available at the time.”
Kues believes the crosses are a “very vivid” representation of approximately 80,000 abortions each day worldwide. The intention is to bring greater awareness to respect human life in all stages and forms – especially throughout Respect Life Month during October.
“We did it so people would be reminded of the horror of abortion,” Kues explained. “I wanted people to go by and say a prayer for the babies that have died, for the mother’s thinking about aborting so they don’t abort; for women who have had abortions, regret it and need help.”
Kues also hoped to display a banner with information about Project Rachel. She learned from Cincinnati Right to Life the banner is being replaced because it was damaged previously. Project Rachel is a ministry organization which provides help to women who have had an abortion.
Kues was not alone in her effort to make this happen. St. Columban gave approval for the Respect All Life ministry to use the property on those dates. The crosses were provided by Cincinnati Right to Life. Parishioner Mike Irwin helped pick up and deliver the crosses to the site. The Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts helped store them. The St. Columban Council of the Knights of Columbus helped get the word out for volunteers on set up day and take down day two weeks later. “We had a few people that honked as they drove past, some waved,” Kues said. “This represents babies that died every day. Babies are a gift from God. If they are conceived, they deserve to be born. They are a person.”
More about St. Columban at: www.stcolumban.org
Find help
with Project Rachel at: www.hopeafterabortion.org
