KAPA‘A — As if by magic, the rains blanketing Kapa‘a and the neighboring communities stopped when the clock struck 3 p.m. Friday.
The brisk trade winds that shredded the field of pinwheels subsided, and people poured out of their cars in the St. Catherine Church parking lot.
“It appears we’re going to do this,” said Terri Mansfield, one of the guests at the Rosary of Life held on the sidewalks fronting the St. Catherine Church. “Father Anthony Rapozo is coming out, and everybody is coming out of their cars.”
Kevin Clark collected the pinwheel heads and re-assembled the stems in the field of pinwheels placed by students at the St. Catherine School. Each pinwheel represented an unborn life — 63 million unborn babies in the United States since Jan. 22, 1973, according to the March for Life banner joining the pinwheels.
“I don’t know if any of the other churches are doing anything,” Rapozo said. “They may have their own events. This year, we’re not at the State Capitol, or at the Kukui Grove Center. Everything is virtual.”
Three dozen people, each donning protective face masks, collected on the sidewalk for the Rosary of Life that is a part of the 2021 March for Life marking the 48th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade abortion decision.
“As we stood outside the church near the banner that states ‘We are God’s Masterpiece,’ and as the colorful pinwheels whirled in the breeze after having been planted by the parish school students, Father Anthony gave us a blessing, and Kathleen Refamonte-Ramos led us in praying the rosary with others contributing,” Mansfield said. “Many cars drove by on the busy Kawaihau Road, with people waving, honking and sending positive messages. This was a peaceful, respectful demonstration of prayer in action.”
Following the rosary, a two-hour virtual March for Life took place inside St. Catherine Church with Catholic parishes from around Hawai‘i joining Bishop Larry Silva in remembering “One life matters — You are God’s Masterpiece,” from Ephesians 2:10.
A statement from the March for Life group said that “in light of the fact that we are in the midst of a pandemic which may be peaking, and in view of the heightened pressures that law-enforcement officers and others are currently facing in and around the Capitol, this year’s March for Life will look different.”
The March for Life organizers plan on having a live broadcast on Friday, Jan. 29, starting at 11 a.m. EDT featuring speeches from pro-life leaders, information on how to stay involved in the pro-life movement throughout the year, and a performance by Christian singer and songwriter Matthew West. Visit www.marchforlife.org/2021-virtual-events/ to view the live stream.
According to online sources, Roe vs. Wade was a landmark legal decision issued on Jan. 22, 1973 in which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Texas statute banning abortion.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
