Archbishop to take part in July 31 protest By CATHOLIC VOICE
Archbishop George J. Lucas will be on hand July 31 at a prayer vigil to protest the opening of a Planned Parenthood of the Heartland Center in northwest Omaha.
Scheduled for 1 p.m., the prayer vigil - organized by Nebraskans United for Life - will be held at the proposed center location at 3105 N. 93rd St., just north of 93rd and Maple streets.
The archbishop encourages Catholics and all women and men of good will in Omaha to oppose the opening of this abortion facility, according to a statement released July 27.
According to the statement, the planned center will include abortions among its services.
"So many people of good will in Omaha have become involved in efforts to reduce violence in our community," the archbishop said in the statement. "It is particularly ironic that Planned Parenthood is now proposing to increase the possibility of violent attacks on innocent human life, attacks that are no less harmful to the life of our community even though they remain largely hidden from view."
Archbishop Lucas said women and unborn children "deserve better than to suffer the violence of abortion."
He invited women who might be considering abortion to first consider the pro-life pregnancy centers in the Omaha area, including Catholic Charities, Essential Pregnancy Services and its Bellevue location, A Woman's Touch, AAA Crisis Pregnancy Center, Bethlehem House and Gabriel's Corner in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
In addition to the prayer vigil, Nebraskans United for Life has organized a petition drive to express opposition to the center. Those petitions have been distributed to all parishes in Omaha.
"Make your voice heard in opposition to the efforts of Planned Parenthood to expand the culture of violence and death in Omaha," Archbishop Lucas said in the statement. "Please pray for a greater respect for all human life, from conception to natural death."
