In a few weeks my partner Tim at ProLifeBlogs.com and I will launch ProLifePlanet.com, a blog that will corral international pro-lifers and groups in one place for information dissemination and encouragement.

Following is an example of one reason why we all need each other, taken from an email forwarded to me by Rod Murphy, author of the book, Stopping Abortions at Death’s Door, from his nephew Niall Murphy in France. Niall learned about pro-life protests here in America from his uncle. The prologue from Rod:

[Niall] has been trying to start a sidewalk counseling effort in Paris and running into great difficulty, Catholic indifference, and now overwhelming hostility from the feminist and leftist Mafia. Yet he perseveres.

Following is Niall’s account of his first experience, which happened on September 17. The excellent and frightening photos are by Armond Borlant Photographe. Click all to enlarge…



Hi Rod, How is everything doing? I’ve done my first sidewalk counseling. But it’s French sidewalk counseling. It was yesterday, in front of a hospital that just opened a abortion department in Paris.

We’ve declared the demonstration to the police one month ago, so everything was legal.

When I arrived with my car, I saw the group between 150 and 200 people already there, and therefore was happy of that success. When I got closer, and in order to park my car nearby, I realized it was not my group, it was a group of feminists, left wing, gay and lesbians! There was the riot police in position to stop them.



Finally, I saw my group, they were approximately 15. Mostly women between 60 and 80 years old! one priest, and a couple of 20 years old students. When I got to them, they were praying for the aborted babies occurring in the hospital, but also for their lives because the opposing group was now marching towards us.



The anti riot police came between us and them, and advised us to hide behind their truck. The opposing group was now throwing eggs and other stuff at us.



One small group of leftists succeeded to go through the police, and jumped on the guy in our group who was holding our flag. They broke the flag and his glasses.We stayed there one hour and a half, and the police escorted us to the subway.

It was just prayer. Because of the leftists, we couldn’t talk to anybody ! Here’s a few pictures of our association ‘s president being attacked. He is 82 years old and 75% blind!


I’m happy for that experience, and for the first time in my life, concerning the matter of abortion, I’ve been able to see clearly where the real violence came from. The next step is to find a way to contact these women in distress without ourselves being attacked.

Niall, we are all proud of you and your fellow pro-life saints. Your bravery was remarkable. Thank you for standing up for the little French babies.