Religious Freedom Rally – Traverse City, MI
Posted by Phillip Nachazel (June 21, 2012 at 3:50 pm)
Hundreds of people showed up at the Open Space in Traverse City Friday to protest the HHS Mandate. People of all faiths stood in solidarity with those in over 160 cities nationwide to proclaim their right to religious freedom. A spirit of comraderie, enthusiasm, and purpose marked the event. There were signs, patriotic songs, prayers, and speeches.
Pastor Paul Silbor of Honor Congregational Church said, “To be silent is to be complicit” and “without our voice all that child in the womb has is a silent cry.” Bishop Bernard Hebda said in his remarks, “It isn’t up to the government to decide which of our activities are religious or not,” and “We serve because we are Catholic, not because those in need are Catholic.”
Also speaking were Dr. Lynn Swan, Director of the Traverse Health Clinic; Fr. Ray Cotter, Christ the King Church in Acme; Pastor Larry Matro of Leland Immanuel Lutheran Church, and Retired Senator George McManus. Fr. Donald Libby, of Holy Rosary Church in Cedar, said, “We must stop blaming the government, because we are the people.”
Tom Hornacek manned the table for Baraga Broadcasting, passing out the new bumper stickers and programming list. Pat Dunphy and Lin Emmert were also there for Baraga, representing the Traverse City/Leelanau area. No one said, “I didn’t know there was Catholic Radio in this area!” One lady took a program list and acknowledged that she was not Catholic, but enjoyed the station.
How did everyone learn of this event? Initial notice came from Catholic Radio–EWTN, Ave Maria, and our own Baraga Broadcasting. Al Kresta and Teresa Tomeo, in particular, kept this on the front burner and directed their listeners to websites for further information. Priests and ministers spoke from the pulpit, and there were inserts and bulletin announcements. In Traverse City, organizers were interviewed on Christian station WLJN and secular station WTCM. Baraga ran promos for the TC and Gaylord rallies.
Stay tuned–to Catholic Radio– for further developments in this war on religious freedom.