Right To Life Hopes To Send Message Through Crosses Representing Abortions
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
People driving by Sacred Heart Catholic Church and School most likely have noticed small white crosses in the ground in front of the facilities.
A banner hangs on the chain length fence in front of the crosses that states "Each cross represents four Kosciusko County babies lost to abortion since 1982."
The statistics came from the Indiana Department of Health, according to Dave Koontz, Right to Life director.
Kosciusko County does not have an abortion clinic, and the crosses represent the women in the county who have gone to South Bend, Fort Wayne, Merrillville or Indianapolis to have abortions, Koontz said. Women who have abortions are required to complete a form which includes their county of residence and the information is compiled by the Indiana Department of Health.
"We want to visually educate people on the fact that abortions impact Kosciusko County even though we don't have an abortion facility in the county," Koontz said. "Not only does abortion affect the babies, but also the mothers, many of whom will experience emotional as well as physical problems related to the decision they made."
Bill Landrigan, Kosciusko County Right To Life board member, created the crosses and installed them in the playing field in front of Sacred Heart Elementary School and Church.
There are 504 crosses that Landrigan made and painted. KCRTL paid for the crosses.
Landrigan has been on the KCRTL board for more than 10 years and served as president for seven years.
Landrigan said his vision of creating the signs had been in his head since he saw crosses in front of a church in Markle representing lives lost to abortion.
"It's very difficult anymore for people, including myself, to listen," Landrigan said.
Landrigan said when people drive by and see the crosses, he hopes they will reflect on what they symbolize.
"My hope is that the crosses will be a silent statement so powerful that they can't get it out of their mind," Landrigan said. "I hope people see what a destructive force abortion is in our county, society and our nation."
Landrigan started making the crosses the second week of July, and the crosses have been up for two weeks.
The crosses are 31 inches high and 17 inches wide.
Landrigan's grandson, Kyle Quick, and Koontz' son, Michael Koontz, helped Landrigan put the crosses in the ground. It took them four hours to put the crosses in the ground.
Landrigan said plans are to continue to have the crosses in the play area until Aug. 17 when students return for the school year.
Students at 10 a.m. Aug. 17 will pray the Rosary among the crosses, and then the crosses will be removed and the field will return to serving as a playground for the students. The crosses then will be displayed at Wihebrink Landscape Management, Ind. 15N.KCRTL's banquet is Sept. 28 at the Orthopaedic Capital Center, Winona Lake.
For more information about Right To Life, visit www.kcrtl.org
