Traveler's gift of rosaries used to pray for unborn babies

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
April 21, 2005

Every other Tuesday when abortions are done at Planned Parenthood in Sioux City, it is typical for 15 to 30 people to gather in prayer outside the facility.

They pray for a conversion of heart for women considering abortion and for the unborn babies. Sometimes they stand quietly in silent reflection and at other times they recite a variety of prayers. Among other prayers, they pray the rosary.

About a month ago a traveler dropped off some rosaries at Trinity Heights in Sioux City. The traveler told Terry Moran, the manager of the gift shop, that they wanted people to use the rosaries to pray for an end to abortion.

These were a special kind of rosary called the Rosary of the Unborn. The Hail Mary beads are light blue teardrops with an image of an unborn baby inside of them. The Our Father beads are droplets of blood in the shape of a cross and the crucifix is gold.

This special rosary was developed by visionary Maureen Sweeney-Kyle. She claimed that Our Lady appeared to her with the rosary on Oct. 7, 1997 - the feast of the Holy Rosary.

Dianne Winkel, who is a volunteer at Trinity Heights, pointed out that Moran gave the Rosaries of the Unborn to her for distribution to the people who pray outside of Planned Parenthood.

Holding a one-decade version of the Rosary of the Unborn, Winkel said, "This reminds me of the babies that are being slaughtered and that we need to continue our efforts to pray and recruit more people to come here and realize the horror of abortion."

Marge Stanek, who had some of these rosaries even before the traveler had dropped them off at Trinity Heights, prays every week outside of Planned Parenthood. She noted that every other week, on the weeks when they are not doing abortions about three or four people gather there for prayer.

To her, the Rosary of the Unborn offers a powerful symbol.

"When you touch the beads, you feel very much like you are trying to save a life at that moment - when you are praying a Hail Mary," she said.

She added that the rosaries are precious and somewhat fragile - it again symbolizes the fragility of life.

Kathy Gilbert, a parishioner at Blessed Sacrament in Sioux City, who usually gathers for prayer outside Planned Parenthood on the weeks the facility does abortions. She noted that prayer begins at 8:30 a.m. and concludes at 11:30 a.m. A few stay for the entire time, but many for an hour or however long they can.

"I pray a day will come when we don't need a rosary like this one," she said. "I pray for an end to abortion."

While they offer sidewalk counseling and prayers for women who are considering or planning to have an abortion, Stanek stressed they stand united in prayer for the intentions of the unborn babies.

"We are the ones that give any source of love at all to the babies that are dying because they are unwanted by their parents. They are unwanted by the abortionists. Everyone works to execute that baby," she said.

Winkel, a parishioner at Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City, said all are welcome to join them.

Father Dan Wittrock, pastor at St. Michael Church in South Sioux City, Neb., prays with the group on a regular basis on weeks the facility is having abortions. He pointed out that he joined in this effort at the urgency of some parishioners.

"If there are any babies who are going to be aborted, we don't want them to die alone," he said. "We are here to pray for them."

Kathy Anfinson, a parishioner at Nativity in Sioux City, pointed to a pro-life sign that featured a hand holding a small baby.

"I had two little grandbabies that were under two pounds, so when I look at this I think how can we not love them and pray for these babies. Our grandbabies are now seven and that was the way you could hold them, in the palm of your hand," she said. "There is no reason to take the life of a baby. I know that they can live and survive when they can just rest in the palm of your hand."

That knowledge gives her a constant reminder that she must support life.

Just as the sign was a visible image, Anfinson said the Rosary for the Unborn provides another visual aid that affirms their work to end abortion.

Several religious sisters from South Sioux City, members of the Leaven Heart of Mary, were present.

Members of the group estimated that between 10 and 12 abortions are completed every other week. They notice license plates from various counties around the Siouxland area - coming from Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska.

Some are members of the group, Helpers of God's Precious Infants headed by Dr. Peggy McGinty of Ponca and John Fitzsimmons of Jefferson. Others are members of Siouxland Right to Life or both groups. The majority of the people are Catholic.