Keara Brown, originally from Columbus, Ohio, came with her Washington, D.C. team from pro-life group Live Action. They attended the pro-life rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021. / Katie Yoder/CNA
Washington D.C., Dec 2, 2021 / 16:15 pm (CNA).
Thousands of abortion supporters and pro-life Americans rallied outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1 as justices heard oral arguments in the historic abortion case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
The case, which involves a Mississippi law restricting most abortions after 15 weeks, challenges two landmark decisions: Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide, and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which upheld Roe in 1992.
Here’s what it looked like outside of the Supreme Court:
Thousands of pro-life advocates gathered outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 1, 2021, in conjunction with oral arguments in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization abortion case. Katie Yoder/CNA
Anna Del Duca (right) and her daughter, Frances, traveled from Pittsburgh to attend a pro-life rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021, in conjunction with oral arguments for the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization abortion case. Katie Yoder/CNA
Hundreds of students from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, traveled to Washington, D.C., for a pro-life rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021, in conjunction with oral arguments in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization abortion case. Katie Yoder/CNA
Hundreds of students from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, traveled to Washington, D.C., for a pro-life rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021, in conjunction with oral arguments in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization abortion case. Katie Yoder/CNA
Theresa Bonopartis of Harrison, New York, was among the pro-life demonstrators outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021. She runs a nonprofit group called Entering Canaan that ministers to women and others wounded by abortion. Katie Yoder/CNA
Marion, who declined to provide her last name, was among those who attended a pro-life rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021, from Mississippi, where the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization abortion case originated. Katie Yoder/CNA
Juanito Estevez, from Freeport, a village on Long Island, New York, at a pro-life rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021. Katie Yoder/CNA
Mallory Finch from Charlotte, North Carolina, was among the pro-life demonstrators outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021. Katie Yoder/CNA
Keara Brown, originally from Columbus, Ohio, came with her Washington, D.C. team from pro-life group Live Action. They attended the pro-life rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021. Katie Yoder/CNA
From left to right: Amaya Kocher from Cecil, Pennsylvania, Mathilde Steenepoorte from Green Bay, Wisconsin, Megan Moyer from Sunbury, Pennsylvania, and Ellie Kaynor from Detroit, Michigan, woke up around 5:45am to attend the pro-life rally together outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021. Katie Yoder/CNA
Ann and Jimmy Aycock from Birmingham, Alabama, were among the pro-life demonstrators outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021. Katie Yoder/CNA
Delia Tuttlebee (right) from Texarkana, Texas, and Laura Lane from Birmingham, Alabama, attend Mississippi College and came to the pro-life rally outside the Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021, with Students for Life of America. Tuttlebee interns with Students for Life and Lane serves as president of the Students of Life chapter at MC. Katie Yoder/CNA
Stephen Kosciesza, from the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., attended the pro-life rally outside the Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021. Katie Yoder/CNA
Abortion supporters attend a separate rally outside the Supreme court on Dec. 1, 2021, in conjunction with oral arguments in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization abortion case. Katie Yoder/CNA
Capitol police placed fencing in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021, during oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, in an attempt to separate rallies by abortion supports and pro-lifers. Katie Yoder/CNA
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Crowds exit Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Washington, D.C., after the June 14, 2023, "Pride Mass" with "Progress Pride" flags visible in the back of the church. / Peter Pinedo/ CNA
Bishop Rodrigo Aguilar Martínez presides over the Diocese of San Cristóbal de las Casas in the Mexico-Guatemala border region. / Credit: Diocese of San Cristóbal de las Casas, México
A powerful tornado hit St. Mary’s Catholic Church in rural Barnsdall, Oklahoma, on May 6, 2024. / Credit: Daniel McCay/Eastern Oklahoma Catholic
CNA Staff, May 11, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).
A rural Oklahoma parish hit this week by a powerful tornado suffered serious damage, especially to its parish hall. But amid the rubble, broken glass, and winds possibly as high as 175 mph, the church’s tabernacle containing the body of Christ remained intact.
Father Emmanuel Nduka, who pastors three local churches including St. Mary’s, told CNA that the tabernacle’s survival served as a sign of God’s presence amid the devastation in the small Oklahoma town of Barnsdall.
“God is in control. There’s no reason why our church should be standing after what happened in Barnsdall Sunday night,” the priest told CNA.
Nduka lives in a neighboring town 30 minutes from Barnsdall, but early on May 7, as soon as he heard about the damage to the church, he raced over. No one was in the church building at the time of the tornado; the stone structure of the church building itself survived, while the parish hall next door was “completely leveled.”
The door of the small parish church was destroyed, and the force of the apocalyptic wind smashed the church’s windows, Nduka continued.
“The wind really entered into the church. So it is very, very mind-boggling to see that the tabernacle was still standing there in the sanctuary, and the sanctuary light was still burning,” Nduka said.
He said when he entered the church, he immediately bowed down and offered thanksgiving to God for “showing his presence.”
The tabernacle of St. Mary’s in Barnsdall, Oklahoma, remained untouched despite widespread damage to the surrounding area after a tornado touched down on May 6, 2024. Credit: Daniel McCay/Eastern Oklahoma Catholic
The National Weather Service in Tulsa concluded that the May 6 tornado that hit Barnsdall was an EF4 with wind speeds between 165 and 175 mph. It cut a 39-mile path of destruction, causing severe damage to trees, homes, and businesses, including a local refinery plant that provides many local jobs. The damage was so severe that the tornado’s path was visible from space.
According to local news reports, 30 to 40 homes were damaged or destroyed in Barnsdall, including a nursing home. One person is confirmed dead and another is still missing as of Friday.
The May 6, 2024, tornado left a path of destruction but spared the Catholic church in the rural Oklahoma town of Barnsdall. Credit: Daniel McCay/Eastern Oklahoma Catholic
Nduka said he resolved to celebrate Mass this coming Sunday at the church “as a sign of hope.” Cleanup has been progressing and utilities have been restored, he said, so they are “over 90%” set for Mass in the church on Sunday.
The Diocese of Tulsa has been “very, very supportive,” Nduka said, adding that he has spoken to the bishop, and the chancellor has been out to visit the site. He said the parish is in the process of working with its insurance provider, but more funds will likely be needed for a full recovery. The diocese has encouraged people wishing to support the parish to donate to the diocese’s parish fund and select “St. Mary Barnsdall” to ensure their gift goes to the relief effort.
Nduka requested prayers for his parish community, saying many people, especially the men of the parish, have come together in the wake of the disaster to offer help.
“I am very grateful to them, that we have such men who so much love their church and were willing to help in any way for the church to keep going,” the priest said.
“We need prayer from people of goodwill, for strength … knowing that God is in control and we shall bounce back better and stronger.”
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