The New Jersey State Board sent the following letter to the AOH Board of Erin in support of their efforts to keep Ireland pro life .
June 28 2013
Brother Harry McCabe,
Secretary, Board of Erin
On behalf of the New Jersey State Board of the Ancient Order of Hibernians of America, I write to you this day to pledge our support for the Board Erin’s fight for an abortion free Ireland. We your Brothers of New Jersey are aware of the importance of your fight. In May of this year, the New Jersey State AOH Convention was held, with the motto of “Honoring life and promoting vocations” Holding true to that motto we were able to hear from director/president of Life House Ireland, Scott Schittl, who informed us about the present issue in Ireland. We also had an enlightening presentation by our Pro-Life Chairman John Hughes and the ongoing work of many of the life-saving programs around the state of New Jersey. After the convention the Hibernians of New Jersey returned to their home divisions with an incredible amount of knowledge and a renewed heart to defend life. We will continue to pray for your work and for all the aborted and the suffering of those that have dealt with this terrible issue. I would like to commend the great work of Brothers Martin Corey, Donal Muldoon, and all those that have assisted with “Hibernians for Life” I pray for the intercession of The Blessed Mother, St Patrick, St Brigid, and all the saints that the horrible act of violence is no more. We will continue to hold in our hearts the truths of the teaching of Jesus Christ and to the motto of our order. Our Catholic faith will continue to guide us in this most important issue of life.
As Pope John Paul II stated in his Encyclical Letter, Evangelium Viyae (The Gospel of Life)
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May God continue to bless you in your efforts to defend life.
Update:
July 8, 2013, In Dublin, 60,000 participants, came out to participate in the All Ireland Rally for Life, it was the largest pro-life event in Irish history, organizers have said. Participants expressed their opposition to the government’s proposed abortion bill, and demanded a referendum, required by Irish law to overturn the nation’s constitutional pro-life provisions, carrying signs saying, “Let us vote.” Niamh Uí Bhriain of the Life Institute said at the rally, “If you refuse, Taoiseach (Prime Minister), to let the people vote, then the people will be heard. 100,000 people have already signed the pro-life pledge.
In Support of the Rally for Life in Dublin, Division 16, Monmouth County (St Oliver Plunkett) attended Mass at St Rose of Lima, Freehold NJ on July 8, 2013 and offered up their prayers for the Unborn and all those that continue to fight for Life.
As a continued effort to more clearly identify the AOH as Catholic and pro-life, The Monmouth County (NJ) Board is currently putting together a Hibernian for Life society. The society plans on moving around the County attending First Saturday morning Mass each month at a different Parish to pray for the unborn. The society will be open to all Brothers and sisters of the order and their families.
“Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.”
– St. Augustine
Go mbeannaí Dia duit
John M. Keane Jr
Catholic Action Chairman
AOH New Jersey State Board
Father Brian Patrick Woodrow – NJ State Chaplin
Father Daniel Cahill – NJ State Chaplin – Emeritus
Sean Pender – NJ State President
Sean Hughes – NJ State Vice President
Patrick Jockel – NJ State Treasurer
Larry Prelle – NJ State Secretary
John Hughes- NJ State Right to life Chairman